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Dear Editor,

From a once-crowded field of Democratic candidates for Connecticut Secretary of the State, we are down to two who will square off in the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 9. Stephanie Thomas earned the endorsement of her party, former Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, and well over 100 Connecticut elected officials and Democratic leaders because she is, far and away, the most qualified individual in the race.

A State Representative who currently represents the 143rd House District of Norwalk, Westport, and Wilton, Thomas is Vice Chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee and a member of the Commerce and Transportation committees. She knows her way around the legislature – valuable experience for someone who’ll need to work with the General Assembly to implement early voting and no-excuse absentee voting if/when those ballot measures become law.

As a Black woman, Thomas is painfully aware of the impact that voter suppression has had on communities of color. Throughout her campaign, she has emphasized the need to protect and expand voting rights while championing civic education as a tool for voter engagement. A successful small business owner, she also understands the power of data and knows how it can help Connecticut businesses access the programs, funding, and resources they need.

I’m proud that West Hartford Democrats were among the first in our region to throw their support, en masse, behind Thomas. We recognized, from Day One, that she was a serious candidate with intelligence, ideas, and integrity. This has been reflected in a campaign free of drama and deceitful attack ads.

When Democrats say that we are in a battle for the very soul of our democracy, it’s not just empty hyperbole. The threats are real and local. Stephanie Thomas has the will and the know-how to push back against those threats as our next Connecticut Secretary of the State. Please give her your support in the primary on Tuesday, August 9.

Adam Raider
West Hartford