Resident Kate Donnelly will once again challenge Doug Dubitsky for the position of State Representative for the 47th District. This is the third time Donnelly has opposed Dubitsky, the incumbent from neighboring Chaplin.
In a recent interview, Donnelly, who has served on the elementary school board and as First Selectman and currently serves on the regional Board of Education and as Chairman of the Green Energy Committee, stated, “As a former first selectman, a small business owner, parent, senior, and volunteer in my community, I understand the problems that confront us, and I have the experience needed to be a strong and positive voice for the 47th District.” If elected, she vows to fight against systemic racism and high educational costs, and to prioritize opportunities for renewable energy and associated jobs while helping to rebuild the economy after the financial consequences of the pandemic. “I believe that everyone should have an equal opportunity to live a fulfilling life without fear of violence or economic devastation,” she said.
Donnelly also suggested that Dubitsky “seems more interested in suing the state than helping his constituents navigate through this difficult time,” referring to an appeal Dubitsky has filed with the Department of Education regarding the mask requirement in schools. Donnelly said she will “work to protect students and teachers.”
Prior to becoming an attorney, Dubitsky “worked tough jobs: construction worker, bus boy, bartender, stage hand, truck driver, ditch digger. At 35, I went to law school,” he said. “I worked for one of the largest law firms in the world and gained a lot of experience, but I really wanted to help real people. So I quit to become a small town lawyer — mostly representing farms and small businesses, with some bigger constitutional cases now and then. For years, I represented abused and neglected children without charge.”
Dubitsky also serves on Chaplin’s Board of Finance and Planning & Zoning Commission. “I am incredibly proud to represent you and truly consider you to be my family,” he said. “Whether you’re Democrat, Republican, Woman, Man, Black, White, Hispanic, Gay, Straight, Young, Old – you’re all family to me. If you have a problem or just want to talk, give me a call. I try to call everyone back personally. And I would be honored if you voted to return me to the legislature.”