Today is Election Day and voters have the option to choose who represents them on a state level. Candidates have made their pitches for office as Connecticut prepares to vote in midterm elections. This article profiles candidates Gregg Haddad, Pat Boyd and Anthony Emilio.
Haddad is the incumbent state representative for District 54 and is running for re-election. He is on the ballot for Districts 1, 2 and 4, and is a member of the Democratic and Working Families Party. Haddad assumed office in 2010, according to his biography on the House Democrats page.
Haddad received his bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Connecticut in 1989. Prior to being elected as the state representative, Haddad was a legislative aide and assistant chief of staff for Democratic state senators for 14 years, his biography said. Haddad also served as the deputy mayor on the Mansfield Town Council for 11 years.
Haddad is involved in several advocacy groups and Connecticut General Assembly committees. For the 2023-24 legislative session, Haddad was appointed as the chair of higher education where his mission was to develop educational opportunities, according to The Willimantic Chronicle.
Beyond higher education, Haddad is also a member of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, whose function is jurisdiction and authority on state administration and election matters, according to his biography. Haddad will also be a member of the Appropriations Committee for the Connecticut General Assembly.
Haddad’s goals for re-election are to continue providing job-training and postsecondary opportunities for Connecticut residents, according to a campaign advertisement. The 2026 Capitol Report on the Connecticut House Democrats webpage mentions legislation that Haddad’s office passed during his current term.
Policy examples Haddad supported include a $448,761 increase in education funding and a $2.6 million one-time municipal grant, according to The Capitol Report.
The Capitol Report said Haddad accomplished many things for Connecticut students. Examples included in the report were state-subsidized loans for graduate students, a program for more paid internships and $35 million in state funds for research projects cancelled by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Also on the ballot is Rep. Pat Boyd who is an incumbent state representative for District 3 and running for re-election to the Connecticut House of Representatives. Boyd is on the ballot as a member of the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party. Boyd assumed office in 2016, according to his profile on Ballotpedia.
Boyd received a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Connecticut State University and a master’s degree from Sacred Heart University. He has been an educator for over 20 years and is currently the Dean of Students, coach and a teacher at the Pomfret School, according to his biography on the House Democrats page.
Boyd also volunteers as a firefighter and emergency medical responder, according to his biography.
Boyd campaigned on matters such as public safety, investment in education and endorsed UConn Health purchasing Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam amid financial struggles, according to a press release.
The Capitol Report said he’s also supported the community’s first responders. The article listed examples of Haddad’s work like local planning for fire prevention, employment support for veterans, strengthening recruitment and compensation for police services with additional training.
Anthony Emilio is on the ballot for the general election for District 3 and is a member of the Republican Party. Emilio is running for election to the Connecticut House of Representatives to represent District 50.
Emilio’s campaign website said he’s experienced in the insurance and financial services industry. It specified that Emilio works for the insurance and financial services industry. This includes casualty, surety companies and financial guarantees.
Emilio and his wife became entrepreneurs following their purchase of a small company that grew into an international dinnerware business with showrooms in major U.S. cities including Atlanta and Los Angeles, according to his campaign website.
Emilio’s campaign website said he is committed to reducing property taxes by cutting wasteful spending, demanding transparent pricing from utility providers and affordability. Emilio is also interested in stopping unfunded mandates, defending local control and supporting small businesses to preserve District 50’s rural way of life.