Patch Candidate Profile: Jordana Bloom For Newtown Legislative Council for District 2

NEWTOWN, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing their towns.

Candidate's Name: Jordana Bloom

What office are you seeking? Legislative Council District 2

What town do you live in? Newtown

Campaign Website

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Occupation: Strategic Project Manager, C. H. Booth Library, 3.5 years

Family: Married, Husband John Fletcher; 4 children, Jamison 29, Jackson 26, Hudson 24 and Hayden 22; 2 rescue dogs Fig & Fergus

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Nobody in my family is employed in Newtown government. My husband John Fletcher is an elected volunteer on the Newtown Board of Finance.

Previous public office, appointive or elective: I have served three terms as an elected representative on the Legislative Council for district 2. I am currently serving as Vice Chair for this term and am proud to be the Chair of the Ordinance committee as well.

I have also served as a member of the Community Center Commission for 2 years.

Why are you seeking this office? I have lived in Newtown with my family for 23 years and I believe that volunteers are what make our community special. I am running for reelection for District 2 because I would like to continue to advocate for more civic engagement, government transparency and to work on ways to make Newtown affordable for everyone.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it: How to make Newtown affordable for everyone, so that young people, families, seniors, teachers, and first responders can afford to live and work here, while continuing to fund our excellent schools. To solve this challenge, we need to listen to our voters to make the best decisions for all our constituents. I am proud to see that civic engagement across all issues has been growing and it is important to use this energy to inform our choices.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? My district 2 colleague's Keith Alexander, Eric Paradis, and I are committed to listening to our constituents and investing the time to understand the issues. My three terms of experience on the council give me an advantage in understanding the issues and the need to collaborate with the other members, town boards, and commissions.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? I am always advocating for more diversity in candidates and volunteers, as well as getting more women involved in government.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? My three terms on the Legislative Council and being Vice Chair this term has been invaluable. Also being Chair of the Ordinance Subcommittee has provided me with new challenges and more public engagement than ever before—which has helped during a term where more issues than we have had in recent memory were referred to for research and action.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Semper ubi sub ubi

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I am running for reelection primarily to do my part locally to ensure free speech and rights for everyone. I cannot change what is happening on a national level but I can make a positive difference in the town and community that I love.