Thank you for serving as a delegate to the Democratic State Convention, to be held May 6th and May 7th at the Xfinity Theater in Hartford! You're serving a critical role, and by taking on this responsibility, you're doing your part to keep both our state and our party strong. The decision you make on who to support for Secretary of the State this year will have a lasting impact on Connecticut. By supporting Hilda Santiago, you're endorsing the most qualified, most experienced candidate, and giving Democrats up and down the ballot the best shot to win in a difficult mid-term election. Here's why:
1) Hilda is the most experienced candidate running. With eight years on the Meriden City Council and ten more in the General Assembly (where Hilda rose to be the highest ranking Latina in the state), Hilda knows how to make government work for the people it's elected to serve.
2) Hilda is also the most qualified candidate running. She has serious executive experience, having managed budgets in the millions at Meriden Head Start and Shelter NOW. She also has spent 15 years working for Senator Chris Murphy's office as his Deputy Director of Casework. She knows what it takes to run an organization as varied and complex as the Secretary of the State's office.
3) Hilda has lived experience just as important as her professional experience. Hilda is a survivor of domestic violence, and at one time worked three jobs to make ends meet. She raised a special-needs child as a single mother, and in fact first got involved in politics to fight for him. If we want to make sure voting is accessible and convenient for everyone, there's no one better than Hilda to represent that perspective.
4) Hilda is the only candidate running who's recognized in our most vulnerable communities. Midterms are never easy for Democrats, and with the early voting question on the ballot, whether or not we get our voters to the polls (and get new voters to vote Democrat) will have impacts that last far into the future.
5) Hilda has raised the most qualifying contributions of any candidate — exploring or declared — and is the candidate most likely to qualify for public elections financing. Coming from a lower-income community like Meriden, that means something. Hilda isn't wealthy, and doesn't have a trust fund to pay the rent. She's worked hard every day of her life. She knows what $20 means to someone who makes minimum wage, and these grassroots contributions have shown that our campaign has built a broad, statewide coalition. Hilda's experience is that of working families.
6) Hilda has been endorsed by Senator Chris Murphy, former CT Dems Chair John Olsen, and more than 45 top elected and party officials in our state. This is a direct result of the relationships she's been building for years, and that matters: as you next Secretary of the State, Hilda has the relationships in the legislature to get a bold voting rights agenda passed. No one can pass significant legislation on their own. It takes hard work behind the scenes, listening, and the connections Hilda has established.
7) Hilda's campaign can be a huge step forward for representation. Hilda is the best choice for Secretary of the State not because she's Puerto Rican, but because of her accomplishments and qualifications. But that doesn't mean we should disregard that fact. Democrats must become a party that truly looks like that people we represent and depend on at the polls. A delegate has a duty to look at our entire ticket. There's a reason our state convention is held at the same time for all constitutional offices — because delegates have a duty to build a ticket that can win.
If, like hundreds of other delegates, you're ready to pledge your support, click the button below! We'll see you in Hartford on May 6th and May 7th!
