Chris Carrena and Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox have several things in common. Both live in Trumbull and have fathers, who were immigrants — Carrena’s from Benin and Gadkar-Wilcox’s from India, and both are strong believers in education. But voters can only choose one to be the next senator of Connecticut’s 22nd District.
Longtime senator, Marilyn Moore, a Democrat, decided to retire at the end of her term, paving the way for a competitive race in the district, which represents Trumbull and parts of Monroe and Bridgeport.
Gadkar-Wilcox is an attorney and a college professor, who teaches human rights and constitutional law at Quinnipiac University. She emerged from a four-way primary race to lock up the Democratic Party’s nomination.
Gadkar-Wilcox said she strives to be an adult role model for her students, while instilling a desire to become involved in the community and be actively engaged in our democracy to strengthen it.
“Young people are brilliant,” she said in a recent phone interview. “When I see that message resonate with them, I feel good all day. They’re smiling and want to talk to me. They appreciate it. Particularly young women see me in a position and think, ‘I can do this too.'”
Carrena, the Republican candidate, runs his family’s business, Carrena Property Management and Realty in Bridgeport.
“I’m a helper. I help people find housing,” he said during a recent interview at Common Grounds on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton. “My greatest feeling is when I hand over keys to a new homeowner or new tenant. When I’m able to help a person reach the next milestone in their life, that sense of enjoyment on their face gives me self fulfillment. It can’t just be about you when we thrive as a community.”
Carrena and his wife, Rosalie, who were high school sweethearts while growing up in Trumbull, have a daughter, Ava, who is three-years-old.
Gadkar-Wilcox met her husband, Wynn, when they were students at Cornell University in 1999. The couple has two daughters, Ishika Ruth, 11, and Aksita Labelle, 8.
Education a priority
Trumbull will receive a 44 percent reimbursement rate for the new construction of Hillcrest Middle School and Carrena expressed his belief the state needs to continue to invest in schools.
“There needs to be funding for HVAC systems in schools,” he said. “Money needs to be put in the education system, whether it’s for grants, for students or technology. I don’t think one school should have more than the other. All students should have an equal opportunity to succeed.”
“I met with parents who want to talk about education and what to do at schools when ARPA funding comes to an end,” Gadkar-Wilcox said of American Rescue Plan Act money.
She said she also wants to see changes in the education cost sharing (ECS) formula, which the state uses to decide how to divide financial aid among the towns and cities.
Gadkar-Wilcox contends Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe are not getting the amount of funding they should from the ECS formula, while other towns are getting more.
“Without the ARPA funding, we need to make sure the state is going to provide sufficient resources, so the burden doesn’t fall on the towns,” Gadkar-Wilcox said. “As an educator, I bring my experience and will make sure that’s a priority.”
Both Carrena and Gadkar-Wilcox say the state should ensure high school graduates have a variety of opportunities to succeed.
“Workplace development, there is great money for a plumber, mechanic and electrician,” Carrena said. “A lot of trades are fruitful. There are things other than college to be successful. We need to invest more in those programs, so they are available.”
“I’ve been working since I was out of high school,” he said. “I earned my real estate license in 2014 and became a real estate broker in 2018 without college. In business you’re dealing with people on all levels of the spectrum. I think it’s made me well rounded.”
Gadkar-Wilcox spoke of the need to create different pathways for educational opportunities, including more vocational and technical opportunities. She said Connecticut should also provide pipelines, connecting students with jobs.
“Quinnipiac has been able to create a pipeline into the medical field with our medical school and nursing program,” Gadkar-Wilcox said.
She said legislators should ask themselves, “what are other critical industries we can invest in in the state, so students invest in Connecticut rather than leaving?”
“Schools need to teach more life skills: balancing budgets, building credit scores, paying rent, bills, how to budget your money,” Carrena said. “I think a lot of people have the knowledge to succeed, but no direction.”
“I come from a big family with cousins in pampers to adult cousins,” he said. “I have babysat. You see the innocence of children. They need the resources and education is a great opportunity.”
Gadkar-Wilcox said she spent the last decade helping her students apply what they’ve learned through community organizations, which involve them in projects to produce social change.
“I want them to take the skills they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in the community,” she said.
Economic development
Both candidates spoke of the need for economic growth in Connecticut and the district.
“We have to find ways to bring more businesses to our communities in Monroe and Trumbull,” Carrena said, adding more social places, like restaurants and mini-golf, are needed to provide enjoyment for people to rally, while bringing in tax revenue and jobs.
Rather than tearing up neighborhoods, Carrena said businesses can be built on vacant land and be housed in buildings that were closed for a decade.
“The way we develop needs to be thought out and placement is the key,” he said. “We can’t have it impacting traffic. There has to be studies. You have to keep the towns’ character at the same time. You have to find the right balance.”
“We need people from outside the community coming into ours to spend money as well,” Carrena said.
“Economic development and reducing the tax burden is important,” Gadkar-Wilcox said. “People are feeling the increased costs for groceries and impact on their daily expenses.”
Gadkar-Wilcox said a vibrant economy can lower the mill rates in the district’s three communities, so the state must attract more businesses to grow the commercial tax base.
Other priorities
Asked about other priority issues, Carrena said, “public safety is a big one for me. Most people experienced it, all the car thefts and break-ins. Punishment has to be a little more aggressive. Right now, there’s no deterrent.”
Carrena said juveniles know a larceny charge will be wiped from their record when they turn 18.
“We’re not trying to punish people for life, but there has to be some kind of accountability,” he said.
Gadkar-Wilcox expressed a strong interest in the political process and people’s Constitutional rights.
“I’d like to continue to have more community conversations, meeting the public where they are, bringing those conversations to the community and being available for community events,” she said.
Gadkar-Wilcox said she encourages people to call her when they need advocacy on an issue. “I’m here because of the grassroots involvement,” she said.
“My career is focusing on community, that’s what’s important to me,” she said. “Politics is about community engagement and building relationships, where people know they have a leader they can trust.”
Making a difference
As the son of a father who was an immigrant and a mother from the projects in Bridgeport, Carrena said he learned, “the opportunities are there, but you have to work hard for it.”
“I’m born and raised in this community,” he said. “I live in Trumbull, I work in Bridgeport, I have family in Monroe, and all three towns are important to me. I want to see all three communities thrive and be even better than they are currently. That’s the sole reason I’m doing this.”
“The best thing with me is I’m not from a political background,” Carrena said. “I only want to help my community. I always wanted to give back. I’m a family man. I’m hard working, have a good heart and am ready to serve.”
“People want change. People want to be able to afford everyday items, have a good quality of life,” Carrena said. “My goal is to bring that to the community. I want to be the people’s voice up in Hartford.”
“This is not part of a political drive,” Gadkar-Wilcox said of her candidacy. “I want to help my community. That’s what politics should be about too. People should know politics is also about political community engagement.”
Gadkar-Wilcox said she believes in a model of grassroots politics with legislators who are not in it for pure political gain. “This is what I believe democracy is about: good government,” she said. “It’s important to build a culture around community engagement.”
“I’m committed to a vision of democracy that’s participatory,” Gadkar-Wilcox said. “We can only maintain a meaningful democracy when people are actively engaged in it.”
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