Candidate Profile: Will Haskell, State Senate, District 26

WESTPORT, CT — The 2020 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 presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats 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 with a 91 to 60 lead over Republicans in the House and a 22 to 14 lead in the Senate.

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

Will Haskell, a Westport resident, is running for Senate District 26.

Age: 24

Party affiliation: Democratic Party

Occupation:Congressional Staffer, 2 years

Previous elected experience:State Senator, 2018-Present

Family members in government:No

Campaign website: www.willhaskell.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our state's biggest economic challenge is our fiscal instability. Overly generous state employee contracts from the 1970s and 1980s have saddled us with unfunded pension liabilities and mountains of debt. Since I’ve gotten to Hartford, I’ve worked with Republicans and Democrats to begin the slow, steady work of recovery.

First, Connecticut stopped handing out expensive Tier 1 pensions -- instead, state employees receive a 403(b), the public version of a 401(k) that you’d see in the private sector. Second, we’ve reduced the size of state government to levels not seen in decades, and raised $3.1 billion into our Rainy Day Fund -- some of which we used to pay down $70 million in pension debt ahead of schedule.

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

I think that voters deserve specificity. While other candidates make big promises about cutting back millions in state spending, they're less willing to name the actual line items that they think Connecticut can do without.

So, let me be clear about my record: I wrote and passed a bill that rewards state employees who find and eliminate wasteful spending at their agency. I cut taxes on social security and annuities to lessen the burden on our seniors. I voted against unaffordable union contracts that balloon our budget without corresponding revenue increases. And I helped pass a budget that brings our state government to its smallest size since the 1950s.

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

As the Senate Chair of the Higher Education Committee, I dramatically expanded college access and leveled the professional playing field by bringing debt-free community college to CT. I’ve committed myself to making our state a desirable, prosperous location for young people to start their professional careers and purchase their first homes.

This goal is directly tied to my work on the Transportation Committee, through which I’ve established a partnership with AT&T to provide high-speed internet access on MetroNorth trains and supported the CT 2030 Plan. The plan would shave 15-20 minutes off of the commute from New Haven to Grand Central and modernize our roads, railroads, ports, and airports, making our community ideal for businesses and families.

I’ll continue the fight to bring CT’s transportation infrastructure into the 21st century.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?

We're struggling with an out-of-touch, out-of-reach state utility company: Eversource. While their CEO has made millions of dollars in bonuses in the past five years, they’ve raised rates for families and cut staff here in Connecticut -- leading to a historically poor response to Tropical Storm Isaias.

I’ve already supported legislation to increase local staffing, and I’ll fight for further action to freeze consumer rates and put in place greater oversight. We need a performance-based regulatory system, in which utility company's failure to respond adequately to storms or communicate effectively with customers hurts their profits, not just their reputation.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

Science – not politics – must be our driving force in dealing with the public health and economic effects of COVID-19. The path is clear: our economy cannot fully reopen until we get the virus under control. This effort requires widespread testing, mask-wearing, social distancing, and responsible leadership.

In the meantime, government must step in to help families and small businesses financially survive widespread closures. I’ve fought for a no-interest loan program for small businesses and supported a mortgage moratorium and rent relief program here in Connecticut – all while embracing comprehensive public health initiatives.

With a second wave likely on the way, we must continue to support our first responders, halt the spread, and provide financial assistance to those in need. Only if we take the virus seriously can we fully reopen and get our businesses back on their feet – sooner, safer, and stronger.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

We’re approaching the most consequential election in a generation. My Republican colleagues in Hartford have diminished voting access by blocking an amendment to permit early voting and seeking to prevent mail-in voting during COVID-19.

But I believe that no voter should have to choose between their health and casting a ballot. That’s why I’ve promoted legislation to ensure that all CT voters can vote by mail in November. I’ll continue to expand access to absentee ballots, support early voting, and modernize our election system to enhance accessibility.

Furthermore, no woman should face discrimination or encounter barriers to her reproductive freedom. I’ve fought – and will continue to fight – to close the wage gap, combat sexual harassment and assault, and ensure that a woman’s fundamental right to choose and make decisions about her body is preserved in CT, regardless of federal efforts to take this away.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I first ran for office in 2018, right after graduating from college, because I was concerned about the direction of our national and state government. Now, as the youngest member of the Connecticut General Assembly, I’m personally invested in building the next twenty years of Connecticut’s future. If I'm re-elected, I'll continue to build bipartisan coalitions and pass innovative, forward-looking legislation.