CT Patch Candidate Profile: Laura Fucci 117th House District

MILFORD, CT — The 2022 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 gubernatorial election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats, plus one U.S. Senate seat, are up for grabs as well.

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

Laura Fucci, 60, of Milford is running for the 117th House District.

Party affiliation

Democrat running on the Working Families Party line

Education

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology with a Concentration in Women’s Studies from Clark University

Occupation

Deputy Registrar of Voters

Family

My husband, Mark, and I have been married for 31 years. We have three lovely and kind daughters, Corinne, Jessica and Meredith. Corinne and Jessica are twins, age 30 and Meredith is 21. Jessica has autism and intellectual disability. She and her sisters have impacted our approach to life, worldview and our family dynamics.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Previous public office, appointive or elective

My current job as Deputy Registrar of Voters is an appointed position. I was elected to the Milford Board of Education in 2013 for the 5th District and resigned in 2015 when I moved to a different district which is my current address.

Why are you seeking this office?

When I discovered the incumbent representative was running unopposed, I sought the endorsement from the Working Families Party. I'm running because I believe in choice, the choice to vote between or among candidates, the choice for a woman to control her own body and make decisions, have privacy and autonomy over her life. I believe that the role of government is to help and protect its citizens and I hope to make a difference as a State Representative.

The most important issue facing my constituents is ___ and this is what I intend to do about it:

By overturning Roe, the Supreme Court has taken away the constitutional right for a female to make decisions over her own body as well as her right to privacy. Connecticut females have those protections presently; however, the laws in Connecticut can be weakened and reversed. I will fight against such actions or any other attacks against civil liberties and equal protection under the law.

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

My opponent voted against legislation that authorizes Protection for Reproductive Health; he voted against raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2023; he voted against the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act; he voted against a bill that authorizes Climate Change Adaptation for Shoreline and Inland Communities. I supported and would have voted for all of those bills.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

By focusing on cutting taxes as his main approach to government, I believe he hasn't supported legislation that would directly improve the lives of most of his constituents.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

There are so many crucial issues facing us. Some of most concern to me are keeping our communities safe from gun violence, protecting our environment and curbing climate change, increasing investment in our public education, working to ensure affordable healthcare for all.

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

The Registrars of Voters office is a bi-partisan office that is run in a non-partisan way. We work as a team with a mission to make sure that every eligible voter can vote and that every election is run fairly and accurately. We all contribute to that success.
As a mother of a special needs child, I've had to advocate for her all of her life and will continue to do so. In order to advocate effectively, I've had to learn aspects of the law, how to navigate bureaucracies, and find common ground to achieve positive and pragmatic outcomes.
In my experience on the Milford Board of Education, I worked on budgets and policy. We needed to prepare for each meeting by reading and synthesizing involved materials. I never hesitated to ask questions. I was committed to making decisions based on providing equity across the district.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My mother taught me to treat others the way I wanted to be treated. I've found that has been a good guide to life.