Monroe hopefuls vie for House seat
Scott, Kapoor face off April 13 in bid to replace Sredzinski
MONROE — Republican Town Councilman Tony Scott and Democratic Board of Education member Nick Kapoor are vying for the 112th District House seat recently vacated by J.P. Sredzinski.
Gov. Ned Lamont scheduled a special election for April 13, to fill the vacant seat, which represents of Monroe and portions of Newtown.
“I know I have big shoes to fill,” Scott said, “and I believe I am up for the challenge.”
Sredzinski ran unopposed in 2020 and 2018.
Kapoor said he sees this election as an opportunity to expand the contributions he has been making to local residents since he graduated from Sacred Heart University.
“During my early days of interning for a state representative in Hartford, I saw firsthand how legislators could turn constituents’ concerns into much-needed, helpful legislation,” Kapoor said, “and that’s exactly what I hope to do for the people of the 112th.
“If I am elected, you can count on me to fight fiercely to ensure that the voices of the people of Newtown and Monroe are heard loud and clear in Hartford,” Kapoor added.
Scott has served on the Monroe Economic Development Commission and served as chairman of Parks and Recreation before his election to the Town Council.
“The work I have done in Monroe has been rewarding, but there is still a lot more work to be done up in Hartford,” Scott said. “It is crucial, now more than ever, that we continue to have strong representation that truly represents the citizens of this district.”
Out of college and just 21 years old at the time, Kapoor said his activism earned him an appointment to a vacant seat on Town Council. In 2015, he was elected to that seat in his own right.
More recently Kapoor has served on the Board of Education and, on a statewide level, he was appointed a commissioner on the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities in 2017.
Asked about the larger issues, Kapoor says he could be counted on to champion civil rights protections, opportunities for equal education, the promotion of green technologies, along with infrastructure improvement and working on a creative diversification of the state’s revenue stream.
“I am primarily running because the people of Newtown and Monroe deserve to have a voice in Hartford,” Kapoor said, “The voice of someone who has lived in the district his entire life, then bought his first house here, and now wants to do the very best for his district and his state.
“I believe I have very effectively represented my constituents in local office and now I am anxious to begin doing that at the state level,” said Kapoor, who is vice president of operations for Shelton-based I-Engineering and a visiting mathematics professor at Fairfield University.
Scott has received endorsements from some top Monroe officials, including the man he is hoping to follow in the 112th District.
“The one aspect that stands out most about Tony is his commitment: to his wife and two girls, to his community, and his commitment to doing the right thing,” said Sredzinski, who is also a member of the GOP. “Tony is an honest, hard-working, and dedicated individual with strong values and will serve the 112th District well.”
Republican First Selectman Ken Kellogg said Monroe needs another strong, trusted voice in Hartford who will fight for local families, work hard to protect its share of state funding, and stand up against the ever-growing list of unfunded state mandates.
“Tony Scott will be that voice,” Kellogg said. “A 14-year Monroe resident, Tony has a long history of volunteer service and dedication to his community on various boards and commissions, including his current role on Town Council. Furthermore, Tony brings strong private sector experience as well as the common sense leadership that we want representing Monroe.”