Hendrickson, Santanella Endorsed By Enfield Delegates For State Rep

ENFIELD, CT — Registered Republicans and Democrats each gathered at town hall Wednesday as party caucuses were conducted to determine candidates to replace retiring District 58 Rep. Tom Arnone.

Three current members of the Enfield Town Council and a former state representative all threw their hats in the ring. Deputy Mayor Marie Pyznar and District 4 councilor Bob Hendrickson sought the nomination from their fellow Republicans, while Democratic councilor John Santanella was to face former Rep. David Alexander.

More than 120 voters turned out at the Republican caucus, with Hendrickson emerging with a 72-50 victory.

"I am honored to receive the endorsement from the caucus," Hendrickson said. "I am deeply committed to advancing the priorities of our town and fighting for the interests of all residents in the 58th District. With the support of the Enfield Republicans as well as my family, friends and neighbors, I am more determined than ever to make Enfield a priority in Hartford."

Hendrickson said he decided to run because he is concerned about the direction of the state.

"I feel that our high cost of living, crime and taxes are hurting residents and small businesses," he said. "We need to stop the state’s unfunded mandates which create more expenses on our
municipalities."

Pyznar told Patch she will not petition for a primary this summer.

"Bob Hendrickson is the endorsed Republican candidate,"she said. "There will not be a primary. I wish him luck this November."

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, the expected race between Santanella and Alexander never materialized- at least, not yet. Alexander sent a message to Patch Tuesday night indicating he would forego the endorsement caucus in favor of seeking signatures from Democrats to gain access to the ballot in a primary election on Aug. 13.

"Enfield deserves a leader in Hartford who doesn’t need training wheels," Alexander wrote. "We need someone who is ready to grab the baton from Rep. Arnone and run with it. As a former state representative and a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, I know what it takes to get the job done
for Enfield. I passed many important bills into law during my time in Hartford. There is no on-the-job training when it comes to me. Moreover, my proven track record of bringing back critically needed school funding to Enfield is now more important than ever."

The late withdrawal resulted in Santanella receiving unanimous support from the Democratic delegates.

"We’re going to continue to fight for Enfield’s future, and with your support I’m going to Hartford to bring back more state funding for our schools, more funding for our families, and more funding for our veterans and seniors," Santanella said. "We must invest in our future, and we've seen that the local GOP is instead focused on less money for children, less money for programs families depend on, and less money to invest in Enfield's future."