To The Editor:

Rob Blanchard just moved to Newtown in July, and his team has been fervently telling us he’s ready to “stand up for Newtown” in Hartford. He’s lived in three towns in five years, and with a straight face, he’s asking to now represent Newtown.

One constant he HAS represented over the past 8 years is Ned Lamont’s interests. Blanchard’s been Communications Director for the governor, authoring releases and statements meant to save face for Hartford. He’s been employed by CT’s government for the past 16 years. What he knows best is how the state over-regulates and controls its residents. He’s ‘been in the room,’ alright.

While Blanchard helped cook the brew in Hartford, Connecticut’s been ranked 49th as a place to Start a Business (WalletHub’25); 43rd in Opportunity (U.S. News); 47th in Economic Performance (Rich States-Poor States’25), and from The Reason Foundation last month, “2nd Most Financially-Distressed State” in the country.

The last person Newtown needs is someone who created this mess representing us in the state senate. We need a check on Hartford’s tax and regulation machine, not a champion of it. Amybeth Laroche is a Newtown community member who is standing up to represent us and push back on Hartford. She’s made her way in the private sector, just like most of the residents she’s asking to represent. She’s a mom who's been knocking the doors and attending events, and can relate first-hand to the affordability struggles, and concerns with the taxes and overdevelopment on people’s minds.

Newtown will be best served by a member of our community, who is living our challenges, and willing to stand up and vote for us in the truest sense of ‘public service.’

I would encourage my Newtown neighbors to join me in voting for Laroche for state senate.

Steve Goodridge

Newtown