Candidate Profile: Kerry Lentz, 85th House District

WALLINGFORD, 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.

Kerry Lentz, 49, of Wallingford, is running for election to the House of Representatives in the 85th District, representing Wallingford.

Campaign website

https://www.KerryLentz.com

Party affiliation

I'm the endorsed Republican candidate.

Education

I obtained my Associate's Degree in Legal Studies in 1993. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Accounting in 2003.

Occupation

I worked in a law firm setting as a Legal Assistant throughout the 1990s. After obtaining my Bachelor's Degree in Accounting in 2003, I worked briefly as an accountant and then went on to provide freelance bookkeeping services for many years. Currently, I am a bookkeeper with an CPA/accounting firm.

Family

I have been married to my husband, Scott, for 17 years. We are raising our two wonderful children, Reilly and Nicholas in my hometown of Wallingford. Completing our family is our cat, Blackie and two guinea pigs, Brownie and French Fry.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My husband works for the DOT.

Previous public office, appointive or elective

This is my first run for public office.

Why are you seeking this office?

I decided to run for office because as a mom and resident of Connecticut, I was fed up with the policies coming out of Hartford.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are many pressing issues facing the residents in Wallingford: affordability, public safety, parental rights and mental health to name a few. Speaking to one issue, Connecticut is unaffordable. According to a 2022 CNBC study, the state received an F rating for cost of living. We are living in a time of record-high inflation. Families, including my own, are feeling the effects at the grocery store and gas station. Our families simply cannot afford the spending and borrowing approved by our legislators. I will bring fiscal responsibility to Hartford and will work to reduce the size and cost of state government. Additionally, I will work to reduce burdensome regulations faced by our businesses and seek to make it easier to do business in our state. Lastly, I was happy to sign the Contract with Connecticut (contractwithct.com) recently. The goal is to propose legislation in the upcoming session to make Connecticut more affordable including cutting the income tax from 5% to 4% for families making less than $175,000.00, increase property tax credit, reduce the sales tax and eliminate the meals tax to name a few.

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

There are many areas that my opponent and I differ. First, I’m not a politician. I’m a life-long Wallingford resident who is ready to provide the voice for the change we need. It’s about time we sent an every-day citizen and not a career politician to Hartford to speak for and represent the residents in our community. We are living with record-high inflation, a lack of feeling secure with ever growing crime, and mental health needs which have become an epidemic in part due to the policies from our politicians. Furthermore, as a parent with school-aged children, I understand the concerns that parents are faced with day-to-day. I will be a strong voice at the table in Hartford for our community. I'm proud to say that I've been endorsed by the Connecticut State Fraternal Order of Police.

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

Mary Mushinsky's voting record speaks to how the community has been failed. A large population of constituents were ignored when she voted to remove the religious exemption in 2021 resulting in children being kicked out of school. Our police officers were not heard when she voted to remove the qualified immunity in 2020 which now undermines our officers' ability to do their job and makes it difficult to recruit good candidates. Our community became less safe when she voted for the clean slate bill that wipes away criminal convictions including certain felonies. For over two years, Mary handed her job over to the Governor every time she voted for a state of emergency and that resulted in our voices not being represented and our kids being kept out of school. Lastly, Mary voted no to recent proposals that would have brought tax relief through an income tax cut, sales tax reduction, suspension of diesel tax and elimination of the meals tax.

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

Other issues I'm addressing during my campaign and will continue to work and advocate for when elected are public safety, parental/personal rights and mental health.

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

I have many accomplishments I am proud to share that will aide me in this position. I grew up in a single parent household. I went off to work part-time after school beginning at age 15. I gave my paycheck to my family every week to assist in paying our household bills. I understand the value of hard work and a dollar earned. I understood the struggle from a young age of trying to make ends meet. I used that struggle as my drive to succeed in my endeavors. I set goals along my life, laid out a plan to achieve those goals and have been successful such as purchasing my first home on my own at age 29 and also completing two college degrees, one of which while working full-time. I have an entrepreneurial and small business spirit, starting a small gourmet food business in early 2000s and then a bookkeeping services business for many years. I’m enthusiastic, driven and hard-working.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Best advice is: with determination you can achieve your goals.

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

I encourage voters to visit my website KerryLentz.com, email me KerryLentz2022@gmail.com or phone me at 203-433-2212 to get answers to any questions they may have.