To the editor,
I have not been involved in politics for a long time. It’s been about two years since I took a keen interest in what was happening in my community, and one year since I was elected to Seymour’s Board of Selectmen. In that time, I have been lucky enough to meet just about every local official in the area. Though it has been an incredible honor and experience to personally meet and speak with both of our senators and our congressperson, nobody I’ve met in politics has ever impressed me more than Theresa Conroy. Fortunately for me and the 105th District, Theresa is ours.
Since I started serving with Theresa on the Seymour DTC, we have disagreed a time or two, but often I learned quickly how wrong I was. She know the issues so thoroughly, that she can easily embarrass you if she wanted to. She doesn’t though, because she is a genuinely nice and compassionate person; something I have found to be rare among skilled politicians. There’s a reason that many Republicans in Seymour, who have served with Theresa on various boards, will concede that she is a friend and has done good work for the community.
Theresa has been the kind of community servant that all politicians claim to be, but too few truly are. Her work on behalf of veterans, firefighters, small business owners, combatting the opioid epidemic, hospitals, vo-tech schools, and more deserve the admiration of the entire state, not just her district. I will let Theresa and the many other letters of support written on her behalf talk about her specific accomplishments.
What I will say is that Theresa truly embodies what it means to be a representative. She is driven, intensely focused, compassionate, and relatable. She goes out of her way to know as many people in her district as possible so that their voices are brought to the table in Hartford. When I go door knocking for Theresa, I can count on getting a hugely positive response from anyone who knows her. More often than not, Theresa has personally done something to help these people. It would be hard to believe if I didn’t know Theresa so well and see the kind of work she does daily.
Our community has much to think about when we go to our polling place on Nov. 8. I implore the people of the Valley to think carefully about who you want representing you for the next two years. Do you want someone who has literally answered the call in the middle of the night to get people the help they needed? The person who is never afraid to stand up to anyone, regardless of party, when it was the right thing to do? The person who has the work, life, and political experience to make her an expert in serving the 105th District? If the answer is yes, I urge you to join me in helping to re-elect Theresa Conroy to be our state representative.
Stephan Behuniak
Selectman
Seymour
