Democratic Primary: Two vie for party’s nod for secretary of the state race

Written by Susan Wolf
Wednesday, 28 July 2010 12:00

Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination to run for secretary of the state in the Aug. 10 primary. Denise Merrill is the party’s endorsed candidate; Gerry Garcia garnered 15% of the vote at the party convention in May, making him eligible to have his name on the primary ballot as well.

Ms. Merrill is serving her 17th year as the state representative for the 54th District (Mansfield, Chaplin) and is the House majority leader. She previously worked as an attorney and high school teacher. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, she is the mother of two adult children.

Mr. Garcia is a financial adviser and strategy consultant to a number of small companies. He ran diversity education programs with the Anti-Defamation League and then worked in private sector banking. He was on New Haven’s Board of Aldermen for five years. He earned his bachelor’s and MBA from Yale University.

“As the state’s chief election officer I could continue my work on civic engagement and bring a new tone of civility back to public discourse...” Ms. Merrill said.

She plans to streamline the business registration function of the secretary of the state’s office, and reach out to small and medium-sized businesses throughout the state as a “one-stop” shopping place to connect businesses with government services. She also plans to introduce ideas to make it easier for voters to vote and to modernize the secretary of the state’s office with new online technologies.

Mr. Garcia said he would make voting “easier for everyone by bringing Early Voting to Connecticut so we catch up to more than 30 other states that embrace making all their voters’ voices heard.”

In addition to registry responsibilities, he said “the 21st Century secretary of the state should help entrepreneurs solve problems, get help and information, spur investment and create jobs since it is the only office in all of our state that knows the names and natures of all of our businesses.”

The candidates were asked to provide 500-word statements, which appear in their entirety at our online Web site. More biographical information is available at each candidate’s Web Site. Denise Merrill: denisemerrill2010.com; Gerry Garcia: garciaforct.com.

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