Milford Republican Plans Run For State Office

MILFORD, CT — Erik Smith, a local real estate agent and lifelong resident of Milford, officially announced today that he will be running for State Representative in the 118th General Assembly District.

"I grew up in Milford, went to Milford Public Schools, and now I work with Milford residents every day to help them sell their homes or purchase a property in the town I love and call home," said Smith.

Smith said when he talks to residents interested in buying or selling their homes, the number one concern they have is the increased cost of living in Connecticut.

"For many residents, the idea of growing up, going to school, working, and retiring in Connecticut is no longer achievable,” said Smith. “This is something that I want to change, and it is the reason I have decided to run for State Representative.” (To sign up for Milford breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Smith said his number one goal is addressing Connecticut’s budgeting issues, by enacting simple fixes that include rolling back many unnecessary taxes and reining in spending.

"Last year, Democratic lawmakers and Governor Ned Lamont passed a state budget that raised taxes on working families again. The solution by the Democratic Party that has controlled the legislature for nearly four decades is to always raise taxes - this will not be my solution,” said Smith. “Connecticut has so much to offer, but our beautiful state is being hurt by the lack of fiscal restraint in Hartford.”

Smith is a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker.

In 2019, Smith, who attended Mathewson Grammar School, Harborside Middle School, Jonathan Law High School, Quinnipiac University, and most recently graduated with an MBA from Fairfield University, ran for the Milford Board of Education.

"I had great teachers, coaches, and administrators throughout all of my years as a student in the Milford School District," added Smith. "I will be a strong advocate for both teachers and students, and will work to ensure Milford Schools have the resources they need to excel."

Smith said that the state isn't doing enough to address the rising cost of going to college and should be providing more opportunities for students to explore trade careers. In addition, Smith said his knowledge of zoning and real estate will put him in a position to help make more changes to the 8-30g affordable housing law.

"We need to let Milford and other local communities be their own decision-makers when it comes to economic development and housing," said Smith. "I know abolishing this law will not be simple, it took decades to make simple changes to the affordable housing law. I will work with lawmakers on both sides to ultimately fix this law, and give control back to local communities."

The Milford Republican Town Committee will be officially nominating and endorsing candidates for State Representative and State Senate in May. Smith is the only Republican to announce his intentions to run for the 118th seat. For more information, and to sign up for campaign updates, residents can visit smithformilford.com.