Alexis Gevanter Looks To Keep 36th Senate District Seat Blue

GREENWICH, CT — On Tuesday night via Zoom, Democrats nominated Greenwich resident Alexis Gevanter as their candidate for the vacant 36th Senate District seat. The seat, which covers all of Greenwich and portions of New Canaan and Stamford, was previously held by Alex Kasser, who announced her resignation on June 22.

Gevanter, a political newcomer, is a business attorney and was recently the Connecticut chapter leader of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Gov. Ned Lamont has called for a special election on Aug. 17. Republicans have yet to hold their special nominating convention, although it has been tentatively scheduled for July 10. GOP candidates include State Rep. Harry Arora, Leora Levy and Ryan Fazio. Fazio ran against Kasser in 2020 and lost.

John Blankley, a Greenwich Democrat, announced last weekend that he intends to seek candidacy on the ballot as an independent, which could set up a three-way race for the seat. Blankley needs a certain number of signatures by July 12 to get on the ballot,according to the Greenwich Time.

All 48 delegates present voted for Gevanter. She spoke briefly after her nomination became official, calling it the "honor of a lifetime" to be nominated by her party. She spoke of her experience as a mother, attorney, and activist and how that can translate to the State Senate.

"Please know I proudly accept this nomination with the greatest respect, sincerity and enthusiasm imaginable. I will spend every day between now and the election on Aug. 17 working to win this seat, because we must continue to focus on prosperity and progress. This approach is what will allow our state to recover from the pandemic even stronger than before," she said.

Gevanter added that she will "fight to protect our essential rights in respect to voting, equality, the environment and keeping our children safe. I'll do this by listening, finding common ground and building coalitions to produce results."

She asked for her supporters' help as the sprint towards Aug. 17 begins. Gevanter said she has a goal of raising $12,000 by noon on July 8. After that, she's looking to hold events to gather support.

"I have a proven record of mobilizing and activating people to make change. I did this at Moms Demand Action, and now I'm harnessing that same energy for this campaign," she added. "Together, we will win on Aug. 17 and keep this seat blue."

Gevanter was nominated by State Rep. Stephen Meskers (D-150) during Tuesday night's convention.

Meskers first met Gevanter when she volunteered on his campaign for State Representative in 2018. Meskers said they have worked together since to pass common sense gun safety laws.

"Alexis is drawn to the honor of public service to help others, to lift up the most vulnerable among us, to foster economic prosperity and social progress, and to make our community safer. Alexis is driven to transform policy and institutions by working within organizations to bring about change. She's proven herself as a leader who delivers results by bringing people together," Meskers said. "I've personally seen Alexis in Hartford, and she's a force to be reckoned with. Republicans want this seat back and they believe they're entitled to it, but we know better."

Kasser became the first Democrat to win the 36th District since 1930, when she beat incumbent Republican L. Scott Frantz in 2018.

Meskers said the race for the 36th Senate District seat is about "continuing the tremendous progress underway that has Connecticut emerging from the pandemic stronger."

"[The race is] about building upon Connecticut's fiscal turnaround. It's about growing our economy and creating more good paying jobs. It's about protecting the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, and communities of color. It's about doing what is right and good, and putting people first. This is going to be a tough race, and we need a tough candidate. Alexis Gevanter is that candidate," Meskers said.

Joe Angland, Chair of the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee, Josh Fedeli, Chair of the Stamford Democratic City Committee, and Lisa Hannich, Chair of the New Canaan Democratic Town Committee, released a joint statement following the nomination of Gevanter on Tuesday night.

"As Party Chairs, we are thrilled to have a candidate of Alexis’s caliber running to fill this critical seat. She has already demonstrated a steely determination to win and the willingness to put in the hard work needed to make it happen," the statement said. "Alexis is a proven leader, and adept at bringing people together to deliver results. She’s a formidable candidate with a team of experienced, enthusiastic and tireless volunteers who will pull out all the stops to get her elected."