CT Patch Candidate Profile: Meredith Tobitsch For 125th State House District

NEW CANAAN, CT — Election Day on Nov. 3 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the state and town.

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Meredith Tobitsch is running for the 125th State House District, which covers portions of New Canaan, Darien and Stamford.

Candidate's Name:

Meredith Tobitsch

What office are you seeking?

State Representative

Age:

38

District:

125

Party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

https://www.meredithtobitschfor125th.com/

Occupation:

Journalist

Family:

My husband Mike, a New Canaan native, and I are proudly raising our daughters, who are 5 and almost 3 in his hometown.

Does anyone in your family work in government?

My sister in law serves as the National Security Agency's general counsel.

Previous public office:

Why are you seeking this office?

I'm running for State Representative because I think we're at a pivotal moment in our country and our state, and I want to help shape the world my daughters grow up in.

This summer, my 5-year-old daughter Amelia wanted to go to the pool, but the sky was red from the Canadian wildfire smoke, and the air quality was too bad for us to go outside. She asked me if the skies were red when I was a little girl. I had to tell her no. That moment really stuck with me. I don't want us to accept that the world is getting harder and less safe for our kids as the new normal and the state legislature passes climate change protections.

Then, before our family's first Disney trip, I took my younger daughter, Charlotte, to her well-child visit. Our pediatrician recommended moving up her MMR vaccine by two years because of a measles outbreak. These aren't abstract political issues. They're decisions that affect our families, and they're why we need leaders who listen to experts, follow the science, and put public health first.

And I think every parent knows the feeling of watching the cost of everything go up. My girls love raspberries, and sometimes even something as simple as buying groceries makes you think about the bigger financial choices you're making for your family. Families shouldn't have to choose between meeting their needs today and saving for their kids' futures.

I've spent years showing up for my community, from volunteering with local organizations to organizing neighbors around the issues that matter to us. I've seen what we can accomplish when people listen, work together, and focus on solutions.

I'm running because I believe government should make people's lives better. Our district deserves a new voice in Hartford—someone who will stand up for our values, fight to make Connecticut more affordable, protect our rights, support our public schools, and take our children's future seriously.

I'm not running because I think politics is the answer to everything. I'm running because the choices our elected officials make matter, and I want to make sure our community has someone who will fight for it.

I want my daughters to grow up knowing that when we see something getting worse, we don't just accept it. We show up, we speak out, and we work to make it better. That's why I'm running.

What do you believe is the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut, and how do you plan to address it?

I believe the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut is affordability. Families are being squeezed from every direction — property taxes, housing, childcare, groceries, and electric bills. Seniors are struggling to stay in the communities they helped build, and young families are wondering whether they can afford to put down roots here. First, I'll fight to lower property taxes by supporting targeted property tax relief for working families and seniors, and pushing for smarter ways to fund local services without constantly shifting the burden onto homeowners.

Second, I'll work to make childcare more affordable by supporting investments in early childhood education, expanding access to childcare assistance, and helping providers recruit and retain qualified educators.

Third, I'll fight to bring down energy costs by supporting responsible clean-energy investments that reduce long-term costs, strengthen our electric grid, and give families more affordable options.

Fourth, I'll work to expand housing options while protecting local control. We need solutions that create opportunities for young families and seniors to stay in our communities, without a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores local needs.

Energy costs have been soaring in Connecticut. What are your plans to help address this issue?

We need to be honest about what's driving electric bills and hold utilities accountable while making smart investments for the future. Connecticut families need relief now and a more affordable, reliable energy system for the long term. I'll support expanding community solar and other cost-effective clean-energy options that give residents more ways to save, while strengthening grid reliability and reducing our dependence on volatile fossil fuel prices.

Affordability has been a major topic across the country and here in Connecticut. How do you plan to address this issue?

I would have voted for additional property tax relief this past session, and I'll bring that same commitment to every issue I take on in Hartford. We need a representative who will listen, challenge the status quo, and focus on results over political talking points.

But affordability isn't a one-issue problem, and it won't be solved with a single policy. It's the cumulative cost of property taxes, electric bills, childcare, housing, and groceries that is putting pressure on Connecticut families. We need a multifaceted approach that tackles these costs together — from delivering meaningful property tax relief and making childcare more accessible to holding utilities accountable and expanding affordable energy options.

I'm not running to defend the status quo. I'm running to find practical solutions, work across differences when it gets results, and make sure state government is working for the people it represents. Connecticut families deserve a state where they can afford to raise their children, build a future, and retire with dignity.

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

My career has prepared me for this job from both sides: understanding how government works and fighting to make it work better for people.

I started as a city hall journalist, covering local government and seeing firsthand what works, what doesn't, and how decisions made by elected officials affect people's everyday lives. I learned the importance of accountability, listening to constituents, and asking tough questions.

I then took that experience into nonprofit advocacy, where I worked to expand funding for public schools, protect reproductive freedom by advocating to enshrine the right to reproductive healthcare in state constitutions, and advance the freedom to marry. That work taught me how to build coalitions, bring people together around shared goals, and turn values into meaningful policy change.

Now, as a mom raising two young daughters in New Canaan, I see how those decisions affect families every day. I know how to ask the right questions, advocate for what matters, and hold government accountable. I'm running because I believe we need a new voice in Hartford—someone who will listen, challenge the status quo, and focus on results that make people's lives better.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I believe we're at a pivotal moment for our state and our country. The decisions we make today will shape the future our children inherit, and we need leaders who are willing to bring fresh ideas to the table, challenge the status quo, and put people ahead of politics.

I'm running to help lower costs for Connecticut families, protect our civil rights and freedoms, and bring common sense back to government. That means fighting for meaningful property tax relief, supporting our public schools, protecting reproductive freedom, standing up for responsible gun laws, and making sure government is focused on the issues that matter in our everyday lives. My background in journalism and advocacy has taught me that progress takes listening, collaboration, and the courage to ask whether we can do better. I'm ready to bring that mindset to Hartford. We deserve a representative who listens to our communities, stands up for our values, and believes good government should make people's lives better.