The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
New candidates for 100th
PZC commissioner, high school resource officer look toward state House
MIDDLETOWN — Two city Republicans are among those eyeing the 100th District House Assembly seat in November.
With Democratic state Rep. Matt Lesser continuing his exploratory committee into a possible run for state Sen. Paul Doyle’s 9th Senate seat, four candidates have stepped forward to fill his spot. Doyle is leaving his position to run for state Attorney General. Two Democrats also have thrown their hats in the ring and are hoping for their party’s nomination — Middletown’s Deputy Mayor Robert Santangelo and Treasurer Quentin Phipps.
Middletown Planning and Zoning Commissioner Tyrell Brown, 20, earned distinction last election, along with Board of Education member Ed Ford Jr., 20, as being the two youngest black GOP members elected to office in Connecticut.
Brown filed his intention with the State Elections Enforcement Commission on Thursday and posted a candidate profile video on Facebook.
Tony Gennaro, 40, the Middletown High School School resource officer and 18-year police veteran, is gauging support for a bid in the 100th.
Gennaro intends to file a paperwork for an exploratory committee some time late this week or early next.
Brown said he knows his candidacy will depend on whether he can unite voters from a multitude of political leanings in a Democratic stronghold.
“Taxes, jobs and education — that’s what gave me this three-pillar platform,” Brown said. “We’re taxing the heck out of everybody and citizens are leaving, business are leaving Connecticut.”
Brown said he’s focused on the achievement gap and figuring out ways to give incentives to businesses to return to the state.
In their senior year, Ford was class vice president at Middletown High School while Brown was president.
“He’s a strong, wellrounded candidate,” Ford said. “I’ve known him to be a leader personally, and he has the right skill set to tackle the fiscal crisis the state is facing.”
To those who may discount Brown’s political ability because he is young, Ford said, “Age is just a number. It’s about reaching a generation that feels out of touch with their elected officials. I feel like he can be a bridge in that way.”
Brown is studying business administration at Southern Connecticut State University and is the financial department manager at Big A Driving School.
“I don’t have 50, 40 years experience, but I’d say my three or four years might be a little bit more valuable than someone in Hartford with none,” Brown said.
He’s inspired by University of Connecticut student Tyler Flanigan, 19, of Wethersfield, who is running for the 9th District Senate seat, and Central Connecticut State University student Andrew Lanciotto, 21, of Rocky Hill, who is eyeing the 29th District House seat.
“If age and experience have any impact on whatever, we wouldn’t be in this situation we are in in Hartford right now,” Brown said. “If we have these career politicians in Hartford who have destroyed our state, I definitely think we
need fresh new ideas.”
Gennaro, who grew up on Church Street, graduated from Vinal Technical High School in 1995, and obtained his degree in criminal justice from Tunxis Community College, has a host of local connections.
The father of two boys and a girl worked at Bob’s on Main Street as a loss prevention detective and at Middlesex Hospital security while in college.
As a police officer working both in the schools and on the streets, and father who has coached his children’s teams in the past, Gennaro said he’s entrenched in the community. He knows what it’s like to juggle a family budget.
“I think that we can do better. It seems like we’re always trying to tax more to fix the problems instead of trying to take a logistical approach to it, and do things more efficiently and save money,” said Gennaro, a lifelong Democrat who switched parties three or four years ago.
“I felt Republicans were more willing to listen. They knew how they wanted to do it and that was it. You either get on board or not.”
Gennaro, whose uncle owns a jewelry and repair shop on Newfield Street, said small businesses are important to him. That’s something he learned while working part-time in high school and fulltime for five years afterward “doing everything from cleaning toilets to accounts payable and receivable, repairs and customer service.”
At Middletown High School, Gennaro has gained key insights into not only the issues that teens face — but the kinds of things young people are burdened with at far too young an age.
“Maybe they have mental health problems, maybe they have a history of abuse: Maybe that’s why they’re acting out,” he said. “It’s not very easy for a 14or 15-year-old who has been abused or is into drugs or seeing family members abused. Now they’re acting out: How are you going to get them that help?”
Gennaro said he works hard to gain the trust of his young charges — often amid difficult personal circumstances, such as alcoholism, domestic abuse and drugs.
Gennaro is also a member of the Critical Incident Stress Management Team, comprised of mental health professionals, officers, EMTs, firefighters and others who help with incidents.
“Some of these kids, they’ve got horror stories,” Gennaro said. “Do you think they want to talk about that with somebody they don’t even know personally? So you’ve got to build those rapports.”
Republican Common Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski said Gennaro is experienced, thoughtful, insightful and a good communicator.
“He has a strong position on the most critical problems before us most importantly, the state budget, tolls and school security, all of which take center stage.
“He will represent us very well in Middletown and all residents of Connecticut to make changes and get us on a better path to prosperity.”