The Democratic City Council leader, Ald. Manny Sanchez (D-AL), is campaigning for the 24th District seat on health care, education, pay equity and other issues.
In the August 11, 2020 Democratic primary for the 24th State Assembly District, Sanchez is the endorsed Democratic candidate, facing Richard Lacourciere for the Democratic nomination.
Sanchez says that he plans to seek a health care public option, which is often cited as the most important missing part of the national Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare.” Under a typical public option concept, a public health care plan is created in the state health care marketplace to both assure that a health plan is available and to offer competition that keeps health care costs down.
Sanchez says that he wants the state to take up legislation to help workers and small businesses from the economic effects of COVID-19. He says he plans to support stronger legislation the ensure pay equity for communities of color and women.
The candidate says that he will advocate for funding for equitable education and will press for tax policy that, “doesn’t unfairly burden middle and working class families.
Credited with his advocacy against the plans to sell the city’s Patton Brook Well and against the plan to allow mining of city watershed mining, Sanchez also says that he wants to protect natural resources.
Ald. Sanchez is a five term incumbent member of the New Britain City Council. He had been one of the two Council members representing the city’s Third Ward, but, in 2017, he sought and won one of the five At-Large (citywide) Council seats. He is currently the Council Democrats’ caucus leader.
A lifelong New Britain resident, Sanchez’ campaign says that he,
was raised in New Britain by a single mother. Growing up, Manny’s mother emphasized the importance of education and hard work. Driven by the values instilled in him by his mother, Manny graduated from UCONN and got to work for his community as an Alderman.
Sanchez was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the Fifth Congressional District in 2018. He received enough votes at the Democrats’ nominating convention to qualify to run in the primary for the Democratic Party nomination. But, in a move that won him wide praise, Sanchez decided not to wage a primary campaign. Current United States Representative Jahana Hayes (D-5) went on to win that primary, after overwhelmingly winning New Britain, and then made history when she was elected to Congress.
The winner of the August 11th primary will be the Democratic Party nominee to succeed State Rep. Rick Lopes (D-24) in the State Assembly. Lopes is currently running for the State Senate in the 6th Senatorial District.
The 24th Assembly District represents the West End, Willow Brook and southern East Side neighborhoods of New Britain and the south west corner of Newington in the state House of Representatives.
