This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/19/2020 12:00 AMOn May 18 State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98) was nominated for a fourth term by Democratic Party delegates in an online convention. Scanlon, 33, has represented the towns of Guilford and Branford since being elected in 2014.
“Serving the people of Guilford and Branford for the last 5 ½ years has been the greatest honor of my life and I hope to earn the support of the community for another term so I can continue fighting for them during these difficult times,” said Scanlon.
In lieu of his usual campaign kickoff at Guilford’s Centro Pizza, Scanlon encouraged supporters to help local restaurants by buying pizzas and joining him for an online pizza party. In addition, Scanlon asked volunteers to donate pizzas to local front line workers and on Monday 53 pizzas were delivered to the Guilford and Branford fire and police departments, three nursing homes, three grocery stores, and the Yale Shoreline Medical Center.
“I wanted to use this as an opportunity to help our small businesses and front line workers and I’m so grateful to everyone who stepped up. From a local Girl Scout troop (62713) who donated six pizzas or two business owners who themselves are shut down but still wanted to help, you saw what’s so great about our community: people helping other people,” he said.
In a short speech accepting the nomination, Scanlon talked about how his role has changed from legislating to mostly constituent service.
“More people have called and emailed me for help in the last two months than in my first five years in office,” said Scanlon. “Constituent service has always been my favorite part of this job and it’s honestly an honor to be able to help your neighbors in your hometown and the town of Branford during what is likely the worst crisis all of us will face in our lifetimes.”
If re-elected, Scanlon says he will continue working to pass bills important to the community like Ethan’s Law, on which he worked with the Song family in 2019 after the death of their son Ethan; and health care reform which is his primary focus as chair of the legislature’s Insurance Committee.
This term Scanlon introduced and passed several large health care bills he said he was incredibly proud of. They included Connecticut’s first mental health parity law requiring insurers to cover physical and behavioral health equally, codifying the Affordable Care Act’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions into state law in case the law is repealed in Washington and a law requiring that all women who are 40 and older can get a breast ultrasound and mammogram with at out-of-pocket expense.
“I’m proud of the work I’ve been able to do but the hard work of rebuilding Connecticut is about to begin and there is nothing I’d rather be doing with my life right now than fighting for my hometown and Branford and helping to shape Connecticut’s recovery from this crisis,” said Scanlon.