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Rep. Vincent J. Candelora and Sen. Kevin Kelly are the top-elected Republicans in Connecticut and face an uphill battle dealing with a governorship, House and Senate all controlled by Democrats.
Connecticut Republicans failed to make gains during last November’s elections, but that doesn't mean they aren't having any influence.
When Gov. Ned Lamont announced plans to cut the income tax this year for middle-class earners, Candelora was quick to point out the proposal mirrored a GOP plan put forward last year.
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Vincent Candelora
Over the past decade, it’s not been unusual for the Connecticut GOP to be the minority party, but Candelora, and particularly Kelly, are staring down larger disadvantages than normal, and they also must legislate in a mostly remote environment due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the state for a bumpy ride over the past year.
Still, the two new leaders, successors to longtime Connecticut Republican stalwarts Themis Klarides and Len Fasano, have come out of the gate aggressively.
So far, they’ve opposed Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent extension of his pandemic emergency powers, criticizing lawmakers on the other side of the aisle for “balking,” and pressuring Democrats to reassert the legislative branch as co-equal to the governor’s office.