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Is his Own Man

In reference to State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. (D-12)’s candidacy for a second term as state senator, we were born into staunch Republican families, thus consistently voted Republican—but our lawn now has both a Trump and Kennedy sign. The dysfunction and lack of bipartisan support, both state and congressional, has, in our opinion, mandated voting for the candidate you are most comfortable with, even if you don’t necessarily agree with their voting pattern.

In Ted Kennedy’s case, just being a Kennedy creates an automatic association with the Democratic party. Do we think Ted has Republican tendencies? Absolutely not, but we do believe that Ted’s family’s move to Connecticut was truly a reach out from the Kennedy compound, hoping to achieve career-influencing bipartisan legislation in Connecticut. We have known Ted Kennedy and his family for many years, socializing with him and his lovely wife Kiki and spending time with their children. Yes, there is the mystique that goes along with the Kennedy name, but we truly believe Senator Ted Kennedy is his own man, a wonderful husband and family man who will take those core values to the legislature. His freshman year, regardless of his background, was just what it should have been, a learning curve.

Although we do not agree with everything he has voted for, we believe his open-door policy for voters to meet with him and the endless number of events in which he has participated are not posturing, but an effort to further understand the needs of his district that parallels the needs of the state.

So we will once again be voting for Senator Ted Kennedy, as we believe Ted’s future voting will not be 100 percent along party lines. Our state more than ever needs a bipartisan leader.

Thomas and Carol Gagliardi

Branford