Incumbent State Rep. Paul Davis of Orange received the Democratic endorsement to run for a sixth term at a convention at the High Plains Community Center in Orange Tuesday night.
The 117th District includes parts of Milford, Orange and West Haven.
Davis, a retired West Haven teacher and Hall of Fame swim coach, said in accepting the nomination that he was honored and humbled by the support he has received.
In nominating Davis, Orange resident Kevin McNabola, former Orange Schools Finance Director and recently appointed West Haven Director of Finance, said Davis is responsive to the needs of the communities and works tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. He mentioned that on numerous occasions when issues involving the state arose, Davis was there to help.
In a seconding speech, former Milford State Rep. Richard Roy, who worked with Davis at the Capitol for eight years, spoke of Davis’ outstanding work ethic and integrity.
During his acceptance speech, Davis said, “Under Democratic leadership the legislature tackled some of the most important issues facing our citizens. My position as Deputy Majority Leader and my membership on the Education, Environment, and Energy and Technology committees has given me a unique opportunity to directly impact many of these issues.”
He said he felt that much has been accomplished, but there are still more problems to address.
“When I first ran for office 10 years ago I said I would not make promises I could not keep, but would promise to work as hard as possible for my constituents,” Davis said. “Today I am here to renew that pledge. I do this because I believe our communities are great places to live and work. They are worth fighting for and we can make them even better. I am committed to hard work and responsible representation. I am honored to once again receive the endorsement of my party, the Democratic Party. With a strong belief that the best is yet to come, I proudly and humbly accept the nomination.”