NORTH BRANFORD, CT — Today, 12th district state Senator Christine Cohen serves Guilford, Madison, Branford, North Branford, Killingworth and part of Durham. But her campaign reports in a reelection bid announcement, that the district “will look a little different this year.” Parts of East Haven are now in the 12th as a result of the “redistricting completed after the 2020 census.”
Cohen, a Democrat, officially announced her bid for another term Monday.
Cohen is described as a “small business owner, a champion for the environment, a mother of three and a fierce advocate for her constituents.”
Cohen on the environment
Now in her fourth legislative session as Senate Chair of the Environment Committee, Cohen has “led the negotiation and passage of many bills to ensure a greener Connecticut for generations to come. In her freshman year, she led passage of a plastic bag ban, making Connecticut a leader in the fight against single-use plastics,” the announcement reads.
Cohen saw passed the “first update to our bottle and can recycling system since the 1970s, providing much needed upgrades to our recycling infrastructure.”
Additionally, it’s noted that she “led the charge on banning PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ from firefighting foam and food packaging and continues to create and build upon coastal resiliency mechanisms for municipalities to prepare for sea level rise.”
Cohen also led the passage of bills that allow for the siting of anaerobic digesters on farms – which turn animal waste and food scraps into a usable biogas – and one that redefines “farmland” under state law to include underwater farmlands used for aquaculture, reducing local property tax bills for farmers.
Read more about those legislative actions here.
“If elected to another term, Christine intends to focus on ensuring the state meets its goals in reducing carbon emission, continuing to ensure coastal resiliency measures, addressing environmental justice and creating waste mitigation strategies,” her announcement reads.
Cohen received awards and honors from the Connecticut Farm Bureau, Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the Citizens Campaign for the Environment with their 2021 Legislator of the Year awards.
Cohen on Finance & Commerce
As a member of the Finance Committee and Vice-Chair of the Commerce Committee, Cohen is “laser focused on supporting small businesses, easing the financial burden on working families and ensuring we are establishing fiscal health and paying down our state’s long-term debt,” her announcement reads.
It’s also noted that during her first two terms, Cohen “has been a strong proponent of numerous health care measures that reduce health insurance costs for small business owners and middle-class families.”
And, she’s described as a “fierce advocate for common sense gun laws like Ethan’s Law which closes a loophole in firearm storage provisions, banning untraceable ghost guns and ensuring safe storage of guns in motor vehicles.”
“As we continue to navigate COVID-19, it is critical that we remain steadfast in addressing the long-standing issues that have been exacerbated by this pandemic,” Cohen is quoted as saying. “From ensuring affordable access to health care, meeting the moment in the climate crisis, providing relief for middle-class families, supporting our small businesses and investing in our students, there is much work to be done. I’m asking residents of the 12th district to send me back to Hartford to continue to fight for them. I love this job, and I am incredibly eager to continue representing our unique section of Connecticut.”
Endorsements from Guilford and Branford officials
“Christine epitomizes all that Guilford could want in a State Senator,” Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey is quoted as saying. “As a shoreline community, her passion for protecting the environment is closely aligned with our resident’s concerns. Her reputation for responding to and working through constituent issues is well known. Whenever I reach out to her on behalf of a resident, I am sure that they will get the attention they deserve. In my role as First Selectman, I have relied on Christine to pave the way to access various state department leaders as issues arise, and she has been an advocate for protecting and increasing state funding for Guilford. We need Christine to continue the great work she does on behalf of our community.”
“Christine is a strong partner in government, as our State Senator representing Branford,” Tracy Everson, Branford RTM Minority Leader said. “She is easily accessible, willingly listens and provides information and support that we all have come to rely on. She is a true public servant.”
The new 12th District
Due to population changes derived from the 2020 census, the 12th district is one of many whose boundaries have changed during the 2021 redistricting.
The district boundaries continue to encompass Guilford, Madison, Branford, North Branford, Killingworth and part of Durham, with the addition of portions of East Haven and Middlefield.
The US congressional districts are not yet approved, but both the House and Senate were unanimously approved by the Redistricting Commission last fall.
