CT Patch Candidate Profile: Daniel Cowan, 114th House District

ORANGE, 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.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers

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

Republican Daniel Cowan, a Woodbridge resident, is running for State Representative 114th House District, which covers parts of Orange, Derby and Woodbridge.

Campaign website

Education

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of New Haven

Occupation

Small Business Owner, Professional Engineer

Family

I am a father of two and have been happily married since 2008.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Age

42

Previous public office, appointive or elective

I was elected to serve on the Board of Education in Woodbridge from 2019 to 2021.

Why are you seeking this office?

One of the reasons I am running is a result of my experience dealing with Connecticut family courts. I have witnessed this system destroy hundreds of families. These observations have strongly reinforced to me that all parents matter.
Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Government overreach in our homes. I intend to work with the executive branch to establish a Parent’s Bill of Rights and with the House of Representatives to support the Families First Act.

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

I respect parents as the ultimate authority in their own families. I would never assume that I, as a lawmaker or a trained professional (not hired by the family), know what is best for every family unit in our diverse state.

My opponent believes that planning should be top-down and that the state is the solution to most problems. Fundamentally I think that the people know what is in their best interest and that it is the state’s job to ensure they have the freedom to succeed.

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

My opponent thinks that, as a lawmaker, she should be able to make decisions for other people instead of protecting their freedoms as outlined by our CT state constitution. Specifically, her voting record suggests that the state should have the ultimate authority regarding medical decisions, school curriculum, zoning in our small towns, and many more oppressive government encroachments.

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

Local Control: I believe towns should have authority over their zoning and regionalization for shared services in their education system.

Safe Communities: There is too much-heated rhetoric directed at our police. Our current laws fail to show how much we appreciate and trust them to do what is best for our communities. Now we are in a situation where our police want to retire early, and recruiting new members to the force is challenging.

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

Can evaluate situations quickly and develop a working hypothesis using skills developed in the Navy, from my engineering training, and serving on the Board of Education during the Pandemic. For example, I successfully represented 80% of Woodbridge parents who wanted in-person learning for their children even though 6 out of 9 Board Members wanted to close the school for all in-person learning.
My training allowed me to remain calm in this high pressured scenario while employing logic and reason to solve the problem faced by the school.

Professionally, my experience as a Project Manager has given me a keen sense of timeliness and efficiency, constantly working to meet the needs of the organizations I service.

As a Connecticut resident, parent, and business owner, I am deeply invested in the state's success.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

We should not give up in the face of adversity; there is always an opportunity to make a positive change; as Mother Teresa once said, ”Give the best you have, and it will never be enough; Give your best anyway.” (Mother Teresa, Do It Anyway Poem)

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

I was born in upstate New York and grew up in a divorced home like many of my generation. I have been working to support myself since I was 16. At 17 years old, I was fortunate enough to join the Navy. I continued defending our country's freedoms, like my Grandfather, who served in the Army, and my Father, who served in the Marine Corps. I had the opportunity to serve our country from 1997 to 2001, spending the majority of my time on board the USS Toledo, a fast-attack submarine based out of Groton, CT.

I have always enjoyed serving my community. Whether setting up book fairs for my eldest daughter's school, being the PTO Parent of the Year in Norwalk, or later running the Halloween Hoot at Beecher Road School in Woodbridge, service is in my soul. In 2018, I started attending Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in New Haven. I have been an active member and enjoy daily learning and growing closer in my relationship with Christ. I was elected to serve on the Board of Education in Woodbridge from July 2019 through June 2021, some tough years in public education. I learned much about education and public service and immensely enjoyed this privilege. 2022 brought new beginnings. I left corporate America and started my own small business engineering firm, allowing me to run for this office. I am thankful for every opportunity I have had in my life. Some opportunities materialize as challenges. Many I have been unsuccessful at, but more than anything else, they have helped me see what I must do next and what is most important. I will be thankful and blessed to represent the 114th House District when elected in November. I see this as my next opportunity for service.