Logan and Cabrera ready for 17th Senate District rematch

HAMDEN – It’s possible that the 17th District state Senate race will be closer this time than it was two years ago, as incumbent Republican George Logan and challenging Democrat Jorge Cabrera again vie for the position.

But there’s not all that much room for that to happen.

Logan and Cabrera are now days away from their rematch, as the future of this closely contested seat hangs in the balance.

Logan first won the right to represent the 17th District four years ago, defeating incumbent Democrat Joseph Crisco, who had the seat since 1993, by fewer than 1,000 votes.

In his first reelection bid two years ago, Logan held off a challenge from Cabrera by 77 votes, remaining as senator representing residents of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck and

Woodbridge.

As they entered the home stretch of this year’s campaign, the candidates said they enjoyed the competitive nature of the district and the varied political leanings of its residents.

“I enjoy the challenge. I think it’s more reflective of our state and our country. And I think that’s what you’re supposed to do, if you’re going to represent people; you have to recognize that there’s a diversity of views and opinions and different income levels and education levels and different life experiences,” said Cabrera.

“I think that’s good for our democracy. I think it forces you to seriously consider other arguments, other positions, and I think it makes you a better legislator.”

Logan said: “We have, I think, good parity here in the district – and I think that’s a great thing. I have always pushed for bipartisanship, working together and getting ideas from folks with different thoughts, ideas, perspectives, different backgrounds.”

“I think that’s the best way to come up with good legislation that’s going to help everybody,” he said.

Logan said that he had been driven to run for the seat, in part because a significant portion of voters were unaffiliated, rather

than registered Democrats or Republicans.

“That’s what gave me the impetus to actually run. When I actually took a look at it, it’s not like half the district are members of the Democratic Party – that’s not the case at all,” Logan said. “And, even those folks who are Democrats in the district, my take on it is that most Democrats in the district are moderate Democrats … blue-collar, working Democrats, that understand the meaning of the dollar. They understand they meaning of not spending more than you take in.”

Both candidates said residents during the campaign have stressed the need to make it more affordable for them to live in Connecticut, as well as their concerns about the ongoing pandemic and their health care.

Cabrera contended Logan had not appropriately represented the values of his constituents or stood up for them at the state level.

He noted Logan had voted against a law that would have provided paid family leave — Logan has said he’s in favor of family leave, but wants workers to have to opt-in, according to

the New Haven Independent — and a bill that would have raised the minimum wage in Connecticut.

“I speak to people in Ansonia, Naugatuck and Derby who are working every day and are simply not making enough money. Their wages are not keeping up with the cost of living; many of them have a second job or a second part-time job to try to make ends meet,” said Cabrera. “I just think he is not doing the job of fighting for his constituents and making sure that he stands up to powerful corporate interests.”

Cabrera said Logan’s efforts had failed to address what he sees as a failure to live up to the “implicit bargain” of America – that good work will be rewarded with appropriate compensation, allowing workers and their families to progress.

He cited his experience as a union organizer with United Food and Commercial Workers 919, noting that grocery workers had to fight for hazard pay during the pandemic.

“It almost seems like he believes in a ‘fend for yourself’ mentality, you know? I’m all for hard work; I come from a hard-working, working class family, I’m a first-generation college student – I believe that people should work, and work hard,” said Cabrera. “But what is happening in our country, and happening in this district, is that people are working hard –

it’s just not paying off.”

Logan said Cabrera represents a continuation of Democratic Party leadership in Connecticut that has taxed residents inappropriately and has threatened the viability of businesses in the state, and he questioned the strength of Cabrera’s ties to the district beyond politics, noting his own membership in a number of community groups, from the Sons of Italy in Derby to the Eagles’ Club in Derby.

Logan said he believes it’s important to maintain the current level of taxation, rather than cutting it, to allow businesses to plan for a more stable future.

“I think we need to get better at (stopping) raising taxes. I think if we stop raising taxes, it’s going to show good leadership; it’s going to encourage businesses,” Logan said. “Instead of looking over their shoulder for the next tax increase, they’re going to say, ‘OK, the leadership here gets it, they’re not going to impose more costly regulations, they’re not going to impose higher taxes; I can actually plan, as a business, to create a financial plan that I can actually run with,

“Therefore, they’ll hire more people,” he said. “... We cannot continue to pass budgets and pass legislation that makes it harder for businesses to hire people.”

As the size of government increases, businesses, able to set up shop elsewhere,

are compelled to leave the state, putting a greater tax burden on the people and companies that remain, Logan said.

Logan said he had a “laser-like” focus on the wallets and pocketbooks of Connecticut residents, aiming to make it more affordable to live in the state, including young people and seniors.

“Everything that comes out of my opponent’s mouth is going to make Connecticut less affordable for people,” said Logan. “I am focused on affordability. I am focused on opportunities for people in Connecticut. I want folks to be able to live their lives the way they choose to and that they have opportunities to do so. Right now, I think the majority party leadership is stifling those opportunities for folks, and making it more and more difficult for folks to be able to be happy and enjoy the type of quality life they want in Connecticut.”

The pandemic had altered the dynamic of the race, they both said. Cabrera said people had been better informed and more engaged in the race, potentially because they’ve been stuck at home with time on their hands. Logan said the pandemic had affected “everything in our lives,” including the campaign.

Cabrera also noted that energy company Eversource’s response to Tropical Storm Isaias had angered residents in district communities, particularly in Naugatuck and parts of Bethany and Beacon Falls.

He stressed the importance of holding utilities and corporate actors such as Eversource accountable, noting that Logan, director of community relations for Aquarion Water Co., had recused himself from a vote on a 2017 bill concerning the Millstone Nuclear Power Station.

Eversource said the state’s guarantee to purchase power from the plant had caused it to increase electricity prices in Connecticut. State residents shared their displeasure at significant increases in their bills this summer.

Logan said public safety and crime had been raised more in this election cycle than in 2018, as Hamden and other communities deal with car break-ins and carjackings.

He stressed his opposition to the police accountability bill, describing it as the “anti-police bill,” which he said would make it more difficult for officers to do their jobs and negatively affect morale and recruitment.

State Sens. Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Len Fasano, R-North Haven, the majority and minority leaders in the state Senate, both acknowledged that the district was competitive, with Fasano saying that it leaned Democrat, and would thus always be close.

They lauded the candidates of their respective parties.

Cabrera

Logan