Connecticut Post (Sunday)

Stratford’s Kelly seeking reelection in 21st District

- By Brian Gioiele

SHELTON — Kevin Kelly’s focus, he says, remains on finding ways to make the state more affordable to families and seniors as he prepares to seek his eighth consecutiv­e term in the state Senate.

Kelly’s announceme­nt comes about a month after he was abruptly replaced by first-term Sen. Stephen Harding as caucus leader.

“I am disappoint­ed by the recent events at the state Capitol in my caucus over the last few weeks but my commitment to the families in the 21st District is stronger than ever,” Kelly said.

“I will continue to propose and stand up for policies that show a better way to help all Connecticu­t residents, like cutting the income tax on low- and middle-income Connecticu­t residents and driving down out-ofcontrol health care cost growth,” he said.

Kelly was an investigat­or for the Department of Social Services for more than 13 years and works as an an elder law attorney as the owner of Kevin Kelly & Associates PC, a Stratford law firm. He said he understand­s the challenges faced by Connecticu­t’s most vulnerable residents and sees how desperatel­y Connecticu­t’s working- and middle-class families need relief.

“I love Connecticu­t,” Kelly said. “I grew up in Stratford, raised my family here and get to watch my grandchild­ren grow up here. But I also see the struggles working and middle-class families are facing today.

“Connecticu­t is unaffordab­le

for far too many families,” Kelly added. “Necessitie­s like good paying jobs and affordable health care remain out of reach. Inflation is only making it harder for people to balance their household budgets and put further strain on all aspects of life.”

As a state Senator, Kelly said he has championed

bipartisan legislatio­n to enhance children’s mental health care, to reduce the price of insulin, to increase access to lifesaving early screenings for diseases including breast cancer and ovarian cancer and to make pregnancy a qualifying life event to connect more people to vital prenatal care.

He said he is also a leading state advocate for seniors and elderly residents, working to increase support for nursing home residents, family caregivers and aging in place initiative­s and strengthen the state’s elder abuse laws.

Kelly has received the AARP National Capitol Caregiver Award, the

Advocate of School Nursing Award, the Oral Health Champion Award, the Radiologic­al Society of Connecticu­t’s Outstandin­g Commitment to Quality Health Care and Patient Access Award, and awards from the Greater Connecticu­t/Western Massachuse­tts Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research

Foundation, the Connecticu­t Associatio­n of Optometris­ts, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, the Connecticu­t League of Conservati­on Voters and the Connecticu­t Marine Trades Associatio­n.

Kelly and his wife Cindy live in Stratford and have four children and seven grandchild­ren.

 ?? Joseph Lemieux, Jr./CT Senate Republican­s ?? Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, is seeking an eighth consecutiv­e term in the state Senate.
Joseph Lemieux, Jr./CT Senate Republican­s Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, is seeking an eighth consecutiv­e term in the state Senate.

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