January 6, 2011
HADDAD IS ANXIOUS TO GET DOWN TO WORK
By Mike Savino, Chronicle Staff Writer
HARTFORD - Winning an election for a seat in the state House of Representatives takes a lot of time and hard work from the candidate, campaign staff members and volunteers. But it also takes a lot of sacrifices from family members.
New state Rep. Gregory Haddad, D- Mansfield, said Wednesday's start to the 2011 legislative session was "as much about thanking them." Haddad was elected representative from the 54th District - a seat formerly held by new Secretary of the State Denise Merrill - in November and was sworn into office Wednesday to represent Mansfield and Chaplin.
Along with taking his oath of office, Haddad spent part of the day showing his parents, wife and wife's parents around his new place of business. "The spectacle of it all is something to see," he said.
The day also featured some work for the House of Representatives, which elected officers and approved resolutions regarding rules and procedures. He said state Rep. Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, will make a "terrific speaker (of the House)" and his re-election to the seat "wasn't much of a contest." "He's widely respected by both and Republicans and Democrats," Haddad said.
But legislators and other elected officials also spent much of the day thanking and spotlighting their families. Both newly elected and veteran legislators had their families on hand for Wednesday's festivities. House leaders all recognized their families during brief acceptance speeches and House Minority Leader Larry Cafero, R- Norwalk, urged his fellow representatives to make taking care of their families a priority.
Haddad said being both a family man and state legislator can be a " tough balancing act," but it can work if his family does a "good job of hiding" any reservations they may have .But now that the celebration is over, Haddad said he is anxious to get to work and address the many problems facing the state.
"As much as I was looking forward to yesterday, I'm really looking forward to getting into my office (this morning)," he said today. Haddad will serve as vice chairman of the House's commerce committee, and will also be on the appropriations for higher education and employment advancement committees for the next two years.
He said he wants to help the state pass an honest budget and address the economy, but also added freshmen legislators typically make their best contributions at the committee level. Haddad said he already has familiarity with the state legislature in general and credits his past experience as a staff member for state Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn.
Haddad said the freshman orientation focused on a lot of things "that were familiar to me," and said the best benefit, so far, has been the camaraderie he built with other incoming legislators." Nothing will build camaraderie more than sharing lunch," he said, adding the "social aspect" can be important in helping to pass legislation.