Candidate Profile: Michael Southworth, 14th Senatorial District

MILFORD, CT — The 2020 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers with a 91 to 60 lead over Republicans in the House and a 22 to 14 lead in the Senate.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Mike Southworth, a West Haven resident is running for the 14th Senatorial District, which includes Milford, Orange, West Haven and Woodbridge.

Age: 48

Party affiliation: Republican Party

Occupation: Firefighter & EMS - 19 years

Campaign website: SouthworthForSenate.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Affordability is the single most pressing issue facing our state. While it was already immensely difficult for working families to make it in Connecticut before the current pandemic, the coronavirus exacerbated those problems. The past decade we have seen our state remain stagnant in growth, companies leave, jobs leave, and our towns and cities struggle to keep up. As State Senator I will fight for policies that incentivize companies not only to stay, but bring back jobs as well. I will also stop any implementation of tolls which are a regressive tax that only serves to enrich bureaucrats while making working families pay to go to work. Additionally, I will fight to ensure that businesses do not have to pay the sales tax on PPE by repealing the provision of the last budget that my opponent voted for.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The critical differences between my opponent and myself is our track records and the policies that we are fighting for. State Senator, James Maroney voted to tax PPE, raise taxes on working families, endorsed tolls, and voted to repeal qualified immunity for our police officers. In contrast, I will listen to experts, including community leaders and police, on how best to craft legislation to reform policing in Connecticut. I will also fight to lower taxes, cut bureaucratic and administrative waste, and fight to bring better paying jobs back to our state.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Legislators often talk about the late night sessions and how draining they can be. As a first responder, EMS and firefighter for the city of West Haven for the past 20 years, I have worked shifts for up to 30 hours at a time. I have gone into burning buildings, into people’s houses during COVID-19 and put my life on the line for my friends and neighbors. As State Senator, the people of the 14th District will be able to count on me to listen to their concerns and fight for them in Hartford every minute of every day.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?

Connecticut absolutely needs to reform the oversight of utility companies. Our electric rates are among the highest in the country. I would join the bipartisan coalition of Senators supporting the “Take Back Our Grid Act” which would set minimum staffing levels and increase PURA’s ability to impose civil penalties as well as freeze rates for two years.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

Even before the pandemic, CT has consistently been ranked as one of the least friendly places to run a business. Several pieces of anti-business legislation passed by the general assembly last session only compounded the problem. When our state's economy was devastated by COVID, these problems were compounded at an almost unprecedented rate. Recovering from this pandemic from an economic standpoint is not a simple fix as we have to undo years of poor fiscal management and anti business legislation that contributed to our state’s comparatively higher suffering than other states when the pandemic hit. We need to help small businesses that are struggling right now. Over 60% of small businesses that have closed due to COVID will remain closed, this is a frightening prospect as Small Businesses are the backbone of our economy. Decisions on how to revitalize our state economy need to be made by the general assembly, not just by the executive branch. The governor has been running the state through executive order for several months and needs to take into account the needs and views of our elected officials who know the parts of the state they represent better than any one man. The question of how to fix our state's economy post COVID needs to be made by our elected officials and getting them back to work for us in Hartford is a vital step to taking a step forward as a state from an economic standpoint.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

As a firefighter I have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Connecticut has done better at containing the spread of the virus relative to other states, the high rates of death and loss of life, particularly amongst our elderly population is unacceptable. As State Senator I will ensure that our state government works with public health experts to develop a plan for future pandemics as well as develop incentive programs to lure PPE producers to Connecticut.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

While many of the Senators in Hartford vote the party line, I will be a true independent. My priority when considering how I will cast my vote is its impact on working families in Milford, Orange, West Haven, and Woodbridge. Party leaders and special interest groups have ignored the voices of voters and brushed problems under the rug. Infrastructure, utility oversight, and the state pension crisis have all been patched papered-over by Hartford politicians. If I have the honor of being elected to serve our district, I will work to pass bipartisan legislation like the “Take Back Our Grid Act”