The Difference in Our Priorities Could Not Be More Clear

Rachel Khanna

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My name is Rachel Khanna, and I am running and I am running to be your State Representative for the 149th District. Over the past three months I’ve spoken to hundreds of voters — and while I may not have met you yet, I hope to get to know you soon.

Let me tell you a little about myself and explain why I am running for state office.

I am a twenty-year resident of Greenwich, mom to four daughters, an entrepreneur, a triathlete and a longstanding community volunteer, having served on the boards of Parkway Elementary School PTA, Kids in Crisis and the Audubon Center, as well as two terms on the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting (RTM).

My decision to run for office is spurred in large part by recent, overreaching Supreme Court decisions that have made state governments a critical firewall against extreme views that are not shared by a majority of Americans. State legislatures are our last line of defense. And when our priorities — protecting reproductive choice, gun safety, strong public schools, climate change mitigation, voting rights — are in jeopardy, then it is critical to have a representative in Hartford who will fight for our rights and our future.

The priorities of our current state representative, Kimberly Fiorello, run counter to ours. She is a member of the 15-member Conservative Caucus whose extreme views are out of step with most Connecticut legislators, even members of her own Republican Party. This caucus prides themselves on voting against nearly every legislative initiative–even when it benefits their own districts. For example, Fiorello voted against over $650 million in tax cuts, $206 million in funding to rebuild Westhill High, and over $7 million in community grants for Stamford and Greenwich, including for the Stamford Fire Training School, the Greenwich Police Department, the Greenwich Senior Center, and the construction of the Greenwich Neighbor to Neighbor food pantry.

The difference in our priorities could not be clearer.

I will fight to protect a woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices. I have been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut and Connecticut’s National Organization for Women (NOW) for my commitment to protecting an individual’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions. Kimberly Fiorello voted our against our first-in-the-nation safe harbor law, which protects abortion seekers and Connecticut providers from prosecution by states that outlaw abortion and also improves abortion access in our state by increasing providers.

As a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate of Distinction, you can count on me to fight for gun safety measures. Kimberly Fiorello voted against the recent update to our red flag law and against the creation of a gun violence prevention and intervention program. 

I will fight for our public schools. The most important investment we can make is in the next generation. This means investing in buildings that keep our students safe and providing the resources for students’ educational and mental health needs. At every opportunity, Kimberly  Fiorello voted NO on public school funding, and she has advocated for diverting resources away from local public schools through vouchers.

I will fight to make voting more accessible. This fall, we will decide by referendum on the November 8th ballot, whether we want to change the state constitution to allow for early voting in our state. Kimberly Fiorello voted against allowing voters a voice in that decision.

I will fight to bring more businesses and jobs to Connecticut. Kimberly Fiorello voted against attracting companies and high-paying technology jobs that help fuel our economy.

The choice is clear – we need a State Representative who votes for us, not against us. I hope that I can count on your vote this November 8th. Please visit my website for more details about my campaign: https://www.rachelforct149.com

Rachel Khanna
Greenwich, CT


Khanna, a Democrat, is running for State Representative for Greenwich and Stamford