On Tuesday night Democratic delegates for the 36th State Senate district voted unanimously to support a local attorney to run in a special election set for August 17 to determine the replacement for Alex Kasser.
Ms Kasser, who won a second term last November resigned unexpectedly last week.
The 36th district includes Greenwich and parts of New Canaan and Stamford.
Ms Kasser endorsed Ms Gevanter, as did State Rep Democrat Steve Meskers who represents the 150th legislative district.
Meskers nominated Ms Gevanter on Tuesday night, saying he had first met her when she volunteered on his campaign for State Rep, and since then they had worked together to pass common sense gun safety laws.
“Alexis is drawn the honor of public service to help others – to lift up the most vulnerable among us, to foster economic prosperity and social progress, and to make our community safer.”
State Rep, Steve Meskers
“She has proven herself as a leader who delivers results by bringing people together,” he said. “I have personally seen Alexis in Hartford and she is a force to be reckoned with. Republicans want this seat back and think they are entitled to it, but we know better.”
Meskers said the race was about continuing “the tremendous progress under way that has CT emerging from the pandemic stronger, and it’s about building on Connecticut’s fiscal turnaround which has earned us a Triple A-minus bond rating for the first time in 20 years.”
“It is about growing our economy and creating more good paying jobs,” Meskers continued. “It’s about protecting the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and communities of color. It’s about doing what is right and good, and putting people first.”
Given there were no other nominations, the nomination for Democratic nominee for the 36th district of the State Senate was closed.
There was a motion to vote by acclamation for one unanimous ballot for the nominee, Alexis Gevanter.
Everyone was asked to un-mute and say aye, which they did. There were no nay’s and no abstentions.
Ms. Gevanter said she was grateful to the delegates. She described herself as a business attorney, advocate and mom.
“This experience will guide my work to lower taxes and champion our businesses, families and schools,” she said. “And I will fight to protect our essential rights with respect to voting, equality, the environment and keeping our children safe.”
“We must continue to grow our prosperity and progress. This approach is what will allow us to recover from the pandemic even stronger than before.”
Gevanter thanked the delegates and said the 36th district had flipped from red to blue as a result of their hard work.
“I am honored that you have entrusted me to be the nominee to keep (the seat) in Democratic hands,” she said, adding that the election was just six weeks away.
She said she planned to participate in the Citizens Election Program and would need to raise a goal of $12,000 by noon on July 8th in order to compete.
“After that, we’ll be looking at you to host house parties and help fill our volunteer slots so we can turn out every Democrat possible in this critical election,” she said. “I have a proven record of mobilizing and activating people in change. I did this in Moms Demand Action (for Gun Sense) and am now harnessing that same energy to win this campaign. Together we will win on August 17 and keep this seat blue.”
The party chairs – Joe Angland Greenwich DTC chair; Josh Fedeli, Stamford Democratic City committee chair, and Lisa Hannich, New Canaan Democratic Town Committee chair – said in a statement after the unanimous vote that they were thrilled to have a candidate of Gevanter’s caliber.
“She has already demonstrated a steely determination to win and the willingness to put in the hard work needed to make it happen,” they said.
“Alexis is a proven leader, and adept at bringing people together to deliver results,” the Democratic party chairs said. “She’s a formidable candidate with a team of experienced, enthusiastic and tireless volunteers who will pull out all the stops to get her elected. The Democratic parties in Greenwich, Stamford and New Canaan are united in our commitment to electing Alexis to the State Senate, and we are ready to go.”
Over the weekend Democrat John Blankley, who had sought the nomination that went to Gevanter, announced that he would run as an independent. He said he needed over 500 signatures from registered voters by July 12 to get on the ballot.
Meanwhile the Republicans will hold their convention on Saturday. There are three people seeking the endorsement of the delegates: Ryan Fazio who had challenged Kasser last fall and lost, State Rep Harry Arora and Leora Levy.
See also:
Democrat Blankley Goes Rogue; Petitions for Spot on Aug 17 Special Election Ballot as Independent
July 4, 2021