Stamford Advocate letter to the editor: I strongly support Eilish Collins Main

On Aug. 13, residents of Downtown, Shippan, and the South End have an opportunity to regain a voice in Hartford. The candidate best prepared to advance your concerns, advocate on your behalf, and deliver for Stamford is Eilish Collins Main.

Unfortunately, the current incumbent, David Michel, has chosen to use his position of public trust to advance his own agenda, ignoring the needs of his district and re-appearing every two years to beg for votes. Having run against him in 2022, I witnessed firsthand how disengaged he was, even taking credit for the successes of others within the Stamford delegation. He was not a serious legislator then, nor is he a serious one today.

The 146th district is the fastest-growing House district in the state, and our needs at home continue to grow at a similar pace. Collins Main is running a race, listening to and focusing on the priorities of Stamford residents, not the growing demands of Hartford lobbyists and special interests, who spend heavily in support of David Michel. After six years of delivering for them at the expense of his own constituents, it is time that we replace Michel with someone who will fight for us.

Stamford needs a legislator prepared to tackle the issues of affordability, not one encamped outside Mystic Aquarium demanding it empty the tanks. We need a legislator arguing for greater infrastructure funding, not a legislator winning praise and accolades from anti-vaxxers by asking, “Where’s the herd immunity?” We need a legislator willing to call for reforming the education cost-sharing formula, not a legislator voting to send millions of your tax dollars into other towns at the expense of Stamford students. We need a legislator who has the character and temperament necessary to work with legislators who hold opposing views. We need a legislator who will be a strong voice for women and children of domestic violence, not a legislator sponsoring legislation to reward the convicted perpetrator with voting rights from a jail cell.

I strongly support Eilish Collins Main and encourage you to support her by voting early or coming out on Tuesday. She will show up, listen to your concerns, fight for what matters to Stamford, and deliver for the district. In contrast, David Michel will continue to pursue his own agenda and that of his special interest allies in Hartford. On Aug.13, let’s send a strong message that Stamford wants someone fighting for us. Let’s finally relieve David Michel from the inconvenience of re-appearing in the 146th district every two years, only to rapidly disappear after each election. Eilish Collins Main has earned my vote.

Thomas Concannon was an independent candidate in 2022 for state representatives in the 146th District.