NEWTOWN – Town Board of Finance member Amybeth LaRoche is running for fellow Republican incumbent Tony Hwang’s seat this fall.
While there has been no official announcement by Hwang that he is not seeking reelection to the 28th District Senate seat he has had for nearly 10 years, LaRoche thanked him for his service to the four towns that make up the district.
In an announcement on Saturday, LaRoche announced her candidacy. She also had some kind words for the incumbent Hwang.
“First, a heartfelt thank you to Senator Tony Hwang for his years of dedicated service,” LaRoche said at the Newtown Community Center. “Tony’s leadership, accessibility, and tireless advocacy have left a lasting mark on our district and our state, and I look forward to building on that strong foundation.”
“With the Senate seat opening, our district needs leadership focused on performance and accountability, not politics or name recognition,” she said. “These seats belong to the people. I’m running to serve and to fight for a Connecticut where families, seniors and young adults can afford to stay and succeed.”
A contracts manager and negotiator who works in support of US defense and maritime programs, LaRoche was elected to the Board of Finance last fall.
Hwang, who is serving his fifth term as state senator for the 28th District, is currently the chief deputy Republican leader. Last week, he lost a special election for first selectperson to the seven-month incumbent Vitale in his hometown of Fairfield. The final tally in that race was 56%-44%. In total, Vitale won by nearly 2,000 votes.
Hwang nor his spokesperson could not be reached for comment for this story.
LaRoche is running on her 15 years of experience in federal and defense contracting and negotiating government contracts. Her priorities in the campaign are tax relief for families and seniors, lower energy and health care costs, housing solutions rooted in local control, workforce development and childcare access.
The 28th District includes Newtown, Bethel, Easton, and Fairfield.
It is not clear who the Democrats will nominate to run against LaRoche or any other candidate for the 28th District Senate seat.
LaRoche was introduced at her announcement by town District 3 Legislative Council Member Benjamin Ruben and former town council member Philip Carroll.
“We are building momentum across all four towns,” she said. “We are building unity. And we are building a campaign focused on service.”
