Chris DeSanctis and Brenda Kupchick are vying for the Republican nomination in the race for the 132nd District seat in the state House. Registered GOP voters in their district will make their choice in the caucus on Tuesday (May 18) from 4-8 p.m. Some questions for DeSanctis.
When and why did you choose to live in Fairfield? After serving in the mayoral administration of Bret Schundler as a policy and communications aide in Jersey City, I returned to my home state in 2001 and moved to Fairfield. Why? I have great memories of Fairfield from my childhood: My father owned a business, Evelyn Woods Speed Reading Dynamics, on Sanford Street; I attended Unquowa School on Stratfield Road, and I saw Flash Gordon at the Community Theater. I spent a significant amount of time here. Second, Fairfield is simply an excellent town to raise a family. Now, with two young children and another on the way, I know Fairfield was an excellent choice.
Is our community a better place now than when you arrived? Despite the increased cost of living, I would say absolutely. We have great public schools, quick access to Interstate 95 and the Merritt, great beaches, and a third train station soon to be ready. Also, and most important, the people of Fairfield are great neighbors and some of my closest friends.
When and why did you decide to enter public service? All my life, I've been passionate about helping individuals improve their lives. This is why I gravitated to teaching and working for non-profit organizations. It is also why I am pursuing public service. I also firmly believe that having principled individuals serving in elected office, who understand governments proper role, is sorely lacking today. This is another reason why I decided to run for office.
Your favorite book? By far my two favorite books are 1776 and John Adams, written by David McCullough. Its hard to choose between the two. I believe some of our schools, nationally, are failing to teach the basics, especially American history and government. McCulloughs books should be required reading.
Your favorite movie? The Godfather, with Mel Gibsons Braveheart a close second.
Your favorite television show? I dont watch TV that much, but I never miss 24 and The Office. Steve Carell is hysterical.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish as state representative? We have some very big challenges ahead of us. For decades, Connecticuts state government has been addicted to growing beyond what it can afford and the results have been detrimental to our economy. Its probably why 325,000 people have left our state since 1991. A strong launching point in the right direction would be to organize government more efficiently through consolidation, put more faith in the private sector to handle certain government roles, and curb the enormous growth of our states bureaucracy. Im very hopeful that I can participate as a state representative to help change the way Hartford works.
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