Redding state Representative Anne Hughes is seeking a third term in office.  She decided to run again because of what she sees as a fragile time for democracy.  She says she wants to protect women's rights, come up with a resiliency plan to fight climate change and tackle the issue of gun violence.  Hughes supports the ballot question about allowing some form of in-person early voting.  She touted the now second-in-the-country Data Privacy Act approved this year.  Hughes says cybersecurity is a big threat that needs to continue to be addressed.  She added that Big Tech is not being held accountable for what happens with people's private information and they should be.  As a Social Worker who focuses on elder abuse, she wants to involve the Department of Consumer Protection and Attorney General's Office in further discussions about financial exploitation.  When it comes to clear cutting trees around power lines, Hughes says that's where climate change and grid security meet.  She called Eversource a monopoly and doesn't think the company has been serious about hardening the grid.  It was deregulated as a utility.  She notes that the reservoirs in Easton and Redding supply all of lower Fairfield County with water and if the centuries-old ecosystem is damaged it will have catastrophic effects.  She was critical of possibly replacing the trees with nonnative trees.  She wants to look into using federal Infrastructure Act dollars to bury the utility lines.  Hughes supports continuing the 25-cent gas tax and providing free public transportation.

Republican Alex Burns is looking to unseat Hughes.  He is currently serving on the Weston Planning and Zoning Commission.  He decided to run for state office because of high taxes and the state's debt load.  He sees the cost of living as the biggest issue in the district.  Burns says this can be mitigated through tax cuts, including extending the gas tax holiday.  He also wants to fund ways to lower electric rates.  He also wants to focus on making Connecticut more business friendly and attractive to young people.  Burns was critical of proposals in Hartford for regionalization, believing municipalities should have control over zoning, education and other issues.