Capone the fearless leader we need

“Nevertheless, she persisted.” Mitch McConnell said that in an attempt to admonish Sen. Elizabeth Warren for speaking during a confirmation hearing. Since, it’s become a rallying cry for progressive feminists, like myself.

In Connecticut, there is one woman in particular who embodies that line. My former mayor, and hopeful next state senator, April Capone, has persisted for over 15 years since she first ran for elected office.

In 2005, at the young age of 30, April ran for Town Council in East Haven. When she was elected, having won a hard-fought race, she was the only Democrat on the 15-member council. The Republicans would caucus in a private room for hours, hoping April would give up and go home. But she believed that her job was to represent her district. If that meant sitting around for hours waiting for her Republican colleagues to take up that evening’s agenda, then so be it.

In 2007, she ran for mayor of East Haven. Republicans in town used every dirty trick they could to defeat her, even using degrading misogynistic and sexist tropes. Nevertheless, she persisted, and saw East Haven through incredibly difficult times, including Hurricane Irene, which devastated the shoreline and destroyed dozens of homes.

April Capone is running for state Senate because she has the experience necessary to represent our district. If you want a senator who won’t give up, who will keep persisting for all of us, then please join me in voting for my friend, April Capone.

Kimberly Glassman

East Haven