CTLatinoNews.com has reached out to the Republican and Democratic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives in the five Connecticut Congressional Districts and asked them to explain why Latinos should vote for them. We thought it would be a good opportunity for Latino voters to see how well the candidates understand the issues important to them.
U.S. Rep. John Larson, the Democratic incumbent, was inadvertently not included originally. We apologize for the omission. He is running against John Henry Decker, who answered previously.
John Larson
Democrat
Address: 1137 Main Street, East Hartford, CT
Website: www.LarsonforCongress.org
Bio: I was born in Mayberry Village, East Hartford, Connecticut – a federal housing project – to Raymond and Pauline Larson. I am a lifelong public servant, having been a member of local government, State Senate and US House of Representatives. I still live in EH with my wife, Leslie, and three children.
Why should Latinos vote for you?
Throughout the last 13 years serving the First Congressional District, it has been my honor to represent individuals across every community and the Latino community in particular is a vital part of the fabric of this state and District. Whether talking with families or small business owners, the primary concerns I hear from Latinos are the same I hear from most other residents of the District. We all want to make sure our kids get a good education; we all want to make sure our families have access to affordable health care, and we all want an economy that grows and provides opportunities for good-paying jobs. That is what I have been fighting for and that’s what I will continue to fight for.
While we are starting to turn a corner in recovering from the worst recession since the Great Depression, there is still more work that needs to be done. That is why I support President Obama’s vision of creating an economy built to last through investing in education, reducing tax burdens on the middle class, rebuilding our infrastructure, and reducing the deficit in a balanced way. I was proud to introduce President Obama’s “American Jobs Act” and believe that Congress must act on this legislation so we can continue getting our economy back on the right track. In addition, to help secure Connecticut’s manufacturing base, I led efforts in Congress to ensure that Pratt and Whitney would be the sole engine supplier for the F-35, which means thousands of jobs for the state.
I also have fought to protect bedrock programs like Medicare and Social Security that are so important to so many Connecticut residents. These aren’t “handouts,” they are the insurance that we as Americans have paid for our entire lives. I have fought proposals that would privatize Social Security and end the Medicare guarantee by turning it into a voucher. I have also opposed misguided proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act and severely cut Medicaid.
Finally I believe that Congress needs to focus on comprehensive immigration reform, beginning with the passage of the DREAM Act. I was proud to vote for this legislation when it passed in the House of Representatives two years ago and pledge to continue to push for its passage in the future. I applaud President Obama for halting the deportation of certain DREAM Act candidates earlier this year, but more needs to be done.
