Connecticut State Senate District 29 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Connecticut, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Connecticut State Senate District 29 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Connecticut State Senate District 29

Incumbent Mae Flexer defeated Susanne Witkowski and Jean de Smet in the general election for Connecticut State Senate District 29 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mae Flexer (D / Working Families Party / Independent Party)	50.6	14,893
		Susanne Witkowski (R)	47.3	13,927
		Jean de Smet (G)	2.2	634

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,454
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Jean de Smet (G)

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Democratic elections aim to represent the will of the people, as expressed by the majority. Elections today are falling short of that ideal, undermining voter confidence and democracy itself. Third party candidates like myself are labeled as "spoilers", as if the 2 major parties are the only legitimate representatives of our citizens. RCV elects candidates who represent the majority of the voters. RCV voting increases the voice of the many residents who are not affiliated with either of the 2 major parties. When we invite more people into the room, when we rid ourselves of backroom deals and power brokers, we form a community of trust and goodwill to bring us, together, into a better future.

Climate change is the biggest issue facing the world and we are fortunate to not feel the brunt in eastern CT. The climate is changing. Our challenge is to work to alleviate the impacts, to be flexible and to be fair. We all need food, water, energy. Regional cooperation in services will help us jump across the arbitrary lines we make on maps. Our rivers and forests are connected. As are our roads and our economies.

CT is one of only a few states that rely on local property taxes which pits seniors on fixed incomes vs schools, and town vs town. We need systemic change, not temporary relief packages..

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Jean de Smet (G)

I am passionate about fair and open elections. I understand the complexities and that there needs to be serious study before changes to early voting are instituted. Registrars statewide are quitting and 16 towns cannot run 2 candidates. CT needs systemic reform of the election administration: Hire well-paid and trained Regional Moderators to assist local ROVs and Town Clerks. We must change our archaic system of "electing" 2 appointed ROVs town-by-town, who are generally underpaid with increasing demand on their time and abilities. Imagine voting at your convenience, anywhere in the state! It can be done: honestly and openly.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Jean de Smet (G)

Senator Edith Prague. She had the courage to speak the truth and to always stand up for what she believed in, whether or not I always agreed with her.

Sen. Prague was the only Senator to vote against privatizing the electrical utilities in CT. She was so right. Sen. Prague always stood with labor and working people. She understood universal health care is essential. Sen.Prague helped us to keep ash landfills off of the Shetucket River. She listened. She acted.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Jean de Smet (G)

Driving a Good Humor ice cream truck. I did it for one summer when I was 17.

See also

More about these elections:

• Connecticut State Senate elections, 2022

Select a district below to read responses from candidates in those races:

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