University of Connecticut alumnus Ethan Werstler was elected to represent Connecticut’s 35th State Senate District in last Tuesday’s midterm elections.
“It’s exciting to run, it’s exciting to win, but what I’m most excited about is the opportunity to prove people right,” Werstler said in an interview with The Daily Campus.
The 26-year-old Woodstock native, who graduated from UConn in 2022, will be the youngest state senator in Connecticut when he assumes office in January.
Werstler flipped the district from red to blue for the first time in over 30 years, returning it to the state’s majority party. He will succeed Republican Jeff Gordan.
“For the last thirty years we’ve been outside looking in,” Werstler said. “But now, we are at the table.”
Werstler said that Northeastern Connecticut has consistently been left behind by the state government and that there is “blatant disregard for working-class Americans and their pocketbooks.”
“People are, rightfully so, furious about the direction this country’s been heading on,” Werstler said.
Werstler said he is not giving Democrats “a pass” on this issue, and that they also need to show why they are different and why they deserve to run a country or state.
A central part of Werstler’s platform is advocating for the needs of young people alongside those of other demographics.
He said politicians do not spend enough time asking young people what they want, and that in his term, he will work to amplify the voices of his generation.
“I feel that politicians, in both parties, take young people for granted,” Werstler said. “[They] use them as a tool or a weapon.”
Werstler said he views his age as an asset and a point of perspective that he can contribute to the state legislature.
Werstler said he has a lot of priorities for his upcoming term, one of which is to regulate artificial intelligence at the state level in a “fair and reasonable way that doesn’t spur innovation, but protects people.”
He said he is also looking to pass legislation that protects data, the environment, the workforce and the future of Connecticut.
“Ultimately, it is the young people who most suffer when we sit on our hands and don’t take care of our technology or regulate our technology,” he said.
Werstler said his team, driven by young people, ran a smart and modern campaign that aided in his success.
He credited a large part of his victory to their consistent efforts to connect with voters through door-knocking and advertisements.
Werstler said the UConn College Democrats were “pivotal” to his success and that they put him in a good position to represent the students of his district.
Werstler said he is not waiting until January to act, and that he plans to continue engagement with the community in the coming months.
“Always, I will be looking out for the little guy, for the people still trying to make it, and for those who are suffering here and struggling here in the State of Connecticut,” he said.