Two years ago, relatively unknown Paul Crisci, a resident of Branford, threw his hat in the proverbial political ring against then-two-time incumbent Senator Christine Cohen of Guilford. Crisci announced his run for the District 12 State Senate seat on April 1, 2022. Considering he did not immediately seek party endorsement and seemed to come out of nowhere, many political figures, including Republicans, thought it was an April Fools’ Day joke. To everyone’s surprise, Crisci was not only serious but burst onto the political scene like a bull in a china shop. Self-funding his campaign and leveraging his years of marketing skill with a message of “No Politics…Just Common Sense,” Paul Crisci made waves with a campaign presence not often seen in Connecticut’s local elections.

His seemingly moderate common sense approach resonated at a time when many Connecticut residents were lamenting the absence of common sense governance, with issues concerning parental rights, police oversight, crime, and rising costs of everyday necessities at the forefront. Crisci’s timing appeared to be a win for his messaging. However, many challenged his tagline of “No Politics… Just Common Sense,” arguing it was not a winning platform. Crisci responded to his critics assertively, stating, “Ask me a question, and I will give you a common sense answer and, more importantly, a solution.”

On the other side of the campaign, Senator Cohen’s team remained unfazed by Crisci’s efforts, continuing to highlight her self-proclaimed record on the environment, education, economic growth, and senior services. She also credits her efforts regarding fiscal responsibility, healthcare, and public safety—topics Crisci has rigorously questioned. “I have listened to Senator Cohen, and what she takes credit for isn’t always accurate, most recently, her claimed involvement in the funding for the North Branford Police Department,” Crisci asserted, pointing out that it was actually Representative Vinny Candelora who secured the much-needed funds for that project.

Crisci continued to challenge Cohen’s claims, questioning her support for law enforcement, parental rights, and even her track record on environmental issues—an area where the sitting senator prides herself. “I have studied Senator Cohen’s record endlessly, and respectfully, it is flawed. Senator Cohen claims to be for the environment, yet when given the chance to advocate for the Killingworth School and fire department PFAS issues, she chose to speak at Deer Lake’s preservation instead of advocating for her constituents’ needs,” Crisci stated. “Now, Cohen will tell you she signed legislation that would eliminate the use of PFAS, which is true, but unfortunately, like in many cases, she does not have a plan to keep people safe from the contaminants already affecting the school, fire department, and area homes. This, like many of the accomplishments on Senator Cohen’s record, is reactive, not proactive. We have no more time for reactive legislating. We need to be proactive — NOW!”

Crisci further criticized Cohen for her silence on CO2 emissions particularly her lack of action regarding Tweed Airport’s pollution impact on surrounding residents, including the Black and Brown communities in West Haven and New Haven. “Bottom line, I understand the convenience and revenue Tweed Airport brings to the community and state, but it is hypocritical for Senator Cohen to say she is for the environment and then not represent the people she claims she is trying to save,” he claimed. He also noted that due to redistricting, East Haven had not been part of Cohen’s district prior to her call for zero CO2 emissions in Connecticut, which once again made her messaging on the environment hypocritical and inconvenient. As many may recall, after trading barbs during their debate, Crisci and Cohen made a final push on election day, where Cohen once again claimed victory. Nevertheless, it did not go unnoticed that the Crisci campaign opened the eyes of many, as he captured an impressive 46% of the votes from the eight-town constituents.

Now in 2024, Paul Crisci has decided to challenge Senator Cohen once again for the District 12 State Senate seat, which encompasses Guilford, Madison, Killingworth, Branford, North Branford, and Durham, along with portions of East Haven and Middlefield. When asked about his motivations for running again, Crisci stated it was simple: “I love Connecticut, but I have concerns that businesses and residents are leaving due to the lack of affordability due to endlessly rising taxes and over-regulation on businesses. The political landscape, as a whole, has become more about tribalism and celebrityism than common sense. It seems that we have forgotten that these elected positions we are aspiring to win are about the people and their everyday needs—not the special interests of a few.”

Crisci’s platform this time around will continue to emphasize common sense. “First and foremost, it’s imperative that I address the ongoing utility bill issue that is plaguing our residents,” he asserted. “This is not something new. This is something much deeper than simply the unfair charges to our residents. It stems from poor fiscal responsibilities that the governor and the majority in Hartford have failed to address. The bottom line, COVID relief funds were mismanaged and used for special interests, as well as the misleading so-called surplus that would not exist if not for the government windfall due to COVID. A utility bill moratorium for people who were unable to pay their bills during the pandemic clearly required the attention of the ARPA funds that our state received. Unfortunately, Christine Cohen and many of the other majority leaders chose to ignore these important facts along with a number of other issues plaguing our energy sector in Connecticut.” Crisci went on to emphasize that Cohen cannot claim to be for the environment while burdening her constituents with poor decision-making regarding essential public utility costs. Crisci promised when elected, he would demand that pass-through fees and EV infrastructure not be the burden of the taxpayer. Crisci stated that the state and the majority leadership need to bear the responsibility for the poor financial decisions they have made over recent years.

Additionally, another initiative Crisci promises to bring to the table is his legislative creation, Project 18-29 and Beyond. “During my first campaign run, I realized that the young adults between the ages of 18 to 29 are the one group of people that no one speaks to or represents,” he explained. “As I was recording my campaign videos I continued to see the cameraman nodding every time I mentioned the lack of affordability for our young people in the state.” After launching this initiative, Crisci added “and beyond” to acknowledge individuals over 30, responding to feedback from constituents like a young man who reached out to ask, “What about us? What about people who are 30 plus?” By broadening his initiative, he realized that it should also encompass seniors as well.

As the election approaches, all eyes will be on District 12 as voters prepare to make crucial decisions about their political future.