2026 Patch Candidate Profiles: Michelle Doucette Cunningham, State Representative

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Michelle Doucette Cunningham

What office are you seeking?

State Representative

Age:

60

District:

53 - Tolland, Vernon, and Willington

Party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

https://www.cunninghamforct.com/

Occupation:

Retired nonprofit executive director

Family:

Married for 35 years to my husband Mike and we have one daughter, Amelia

Does anyone in your family work in government?

No

Previous public office:

Willington Board of Education for 12 years, 2011-2023

Why are you seeking this office?

Our families deserve more: help with the cost of child care, better support for high quality education, affordable college and training, jobs that pay a real living wage, housing that we can afford. For more than thirty years, I have helped communities create more opportunities for children to learn and thrive by expanding child care and improving education. As a longtime nonprofit leader and Board of Education chair, I worked with governors and legislators to expand access to affordable child care, free school meals, and mental health services. I know how to get things done and now that I've retired I'm ready to take my years of experience about what works to Hartford and fight from the inside for the people in my district.

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

There are lots of ways to make life better for Connecticut residents, but the underlying question is always how do we pay for it? The number one issue facing Connecticut is making our tax system fair so that the state can do what needs to be done to improve the live of its residents.

In Connecticut, the ultra-wealthy aren't paying their fair share in taxes–-they pay less here than in Massachusetts, New York, or New Jersey to name just a few other states, and they have also seen their federal taxes decline significantly. Corporations also are not paying their fair share and complain loudly about how bad this is while paying their CEOs insane salaries. I list six immediate steps I would take on my website at https://www.cunninghamforct.com/priorities which includes taxing millionaires, who have a much lower effective tax rate than you or I.

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

Three changes can make a big difference in energy costs. First, we need to change the rules so that utilities have to face more competition. I was an Economics major in college, so I know that to lower prices you have to increase supply and do away with monopolies. The state needs to eliminate excessive bureaucracy and support investment in new technologies including microgrids, solar, wind, virtual power plants, and fuel cell storage so that businesses and homeowners have a choice about where their electricity comes from. Secondly, Connecticut needs to stop exporting about 30% of our electricity to neighboring states, and we do this by expanding the Energy Storage Solutions program and providing greater incentives for participation. Finally, it is essential that state government stand up to the utilities and cap their profits, freeze rate increases, and even eliminate their right to operate if they cannot meet affordability goals.

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

While it is clear that some of the high costs we are facing are because of national and global problems, there are many ways that Connecticut can do a better job helping its residents make ends meet. On the one hand we can increase household income, and helping create more jobs that pay a living wage and supporting unions is a great place to start. Connecticut also needs to establish a child tax credit – current plans would benefit 1,545 households in my district, helping families pay for the things they need every day. Then on the other side we need to lower the costs of essentials such as housing, health care, education, and child care. I go into more detail on initiatives in all of these areas on my website at https://www.cunninghamforct.com/priorities.

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

Over my 35 year career in statewide nonprofits, I have raised millions of dollars in grants, drafted legislation to expand after school programs and child care for hundreds of thousands of Connecticut families and worked to see these laws enacted, brought together people with very different perspectives to form coalitions that have worked together effectively to accomplish their goals, and developed policy proposals that have improved the quality of state services in a variety of areas. During my 12 years on the Willington Board of Education we implemented on-site mental health supports, expanded reading and math specialists to help students who were behind, and started a new school breakfast program, all on tight budgets.

But one of my most important skills that has allowed me to accomplish all of these things is one that is absolutely essential to being an effective legislator and that is my ability to get along with everyone and work well with others. No one legislator can make anything happen – you must be able to convince your peers that your ideas are worth supporting, and to do this you have to be a part of the team.

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

If elected, representing you would be my full-time job. You can count on me to listen to your concerns; respond to all of your emails, texts and calls; and fight for you in Hartford, regardless of whether you vote for me or not. I believe that democracy works best when all voices can be heard. I ask for your vote on November 3rd so that we can make democracy work better for all of us.