Well-Known Names Battle For Open Seat
Republican Gennaro, A City Police Officer, Battles Democrat Phipps, The City Treasurer
MIDDLETOWN — The 100th House District is up for grabs this election, when for the first time in years there is no incumbent running for the seat.
Two well-known local names are competing for the spot Nov. 6: Republican Anthony “Tony” Gennaro and Democrat Quentin “Q” Phipps.
Gennaro, 41, is a 17-year city police officer who recently spent five years as a school resource officer at Middletown High School. He beat the Republican town committee’s endorsed candidate Tyrell Brown in a primary in August.
Phipps, 35, has been elected as city treasurer for three terms, and is a former planning and zoning chairman.
They are running for the seat held for five terms by state Rep. Matt Lesser, who is running for the 9th Senate District and had unseated a three-term incumbent when he was first elected.
Middletown is split into the 33rd House District and the 100th House District, which covers the South Farms area and the North End.
Phipps is a parent advocate at a Stamford charter school, and said he’s best positioned in the race to tackle public policy issues dealing with education and finances.
“I have the experience as a parent advocate, as a nonprofit leader and as an elected official to make me ready and prepared on Day One to fight for the residents of Middletown,” Phipps said.
Gennaro has three children in the school district and his wife is a teacher, and he said he has the real-world community experience that makes him understand the needs of the working families in town.
“I’m focusing on the same things I did during the primary, relating to the families in Middletown,” Gennaro said. “There’s a lot of issues but it all comes down to finances and taxes. People are telling me they’ve had enough and they want to move out. As a lifelong Middletown resident, that’s heartbreaking to me.”
He said he is focused extensively on eliminating unproductive disputes between the two parties at the state Capitol.
“It’s time to put people over politics, it’s time for Republicans and Democrats to work together instead of putting a priority on going after each other,” Gennaro said. “If you’ve got a good idea that can fix something, let’s do it. That comes from being dialed in as a cop, you have to be a good listener. You have to listen to everybody before you rush to judgment and you can’t be emotional about things.”
Phipps has put a huge emphasis on four key issues: equity in education, a $15 minimum wage, health care reform and investment in transportation infrastructure.
“I think it’s about saying what I’m running for, not what I’m running against, and I’m running because of the community relationships I have and because of a clear understanding of the depth and breadth of issues that matter to the community,” Phipps said.
Gennaro said he will fight against tolls and is “pro gun rights for good people.”
“What I’m going to bring is boots-on-theground experience that others don’t have, whether it’s having kids in the schools or gun control laws or marijuana and drug laws,” he said. “I’m willing to agree with any part as long as the ideas move Connecticut forward. I’m tired of being identified as anything, I just want to be known as me, Tony.”
Phipps said there isn’t enough information yet about tolls in the state to determine whether he’s for or against them.
“We need to at least investigate whether that would work for Connecticut,” Phipps said. “But we need more information about how we’re going to utilize the additional sources of revenue too.”