Editor's Note: The following is Town Councilman Frank Lieto's nominating speech for DebraLee Hovey at the GOP Convention for the 112th House District. Hovey is an incumbent making another run for the 112th, which which includes Monroe and a portion of Newtown.
Madame Chair, it is with great privilege and honor that I rise before You and the citizens of the 112th House District, to nominate for endorsement by this convention, Debra Lee Hovey for a sixth consecutive term to the Connecticut House of Representatives. As you are all by now aware, Representative Hovey needs no introduction. She is a passionate legislator and her undying dedication to her constituents in both Monroe and Newtown is well-known, well-felt and well-seen in this District and in Hartford. Her service over the past ten (10) years has been recognized by voters of the 112th with overwhelming victories in each of her five (5) elections.
Since first being elected in 2002, Representative Hovey has used her leadership skills and education background to quickly rise amongst the ranks within the House Republican Party. Her appointment as an Assistant Minority Leader evidences her devotion to the Republican Party and her willingness to provide guidance to her GOP colleagues. As a Member of the prestigious Judiciary and Appropriations Committees and as the ranking Member of the Select Committee on Children, Representative Hovey has proved to be a powerful voice for the constituents of Monroe and Newtown in our State Capitol. She has earned a reputation as a tough, roll-your-sleeves-up legislator that her constituents have come to know and love, her opponents fear, but all respect.
With deep-rooted republican values, Representative Hovey’s political accomplishments are second to none. Throughout her term of public service, Representative Hovey has worked tirelessly to promote responsible economic growth and job creation in Connecticut. In the recent term alone, she introduced more than twenty pieces of key legislation, along the way fighting for: enhanced emergency preparedness, elder care reform and the protection of the rights of veterans, woman and children. Her prowess in educational reform was magnified in the negotiation of the recent Education Reform Bill, where she served as one of the Republican Party’s chief negotiators.
Thanks to great leaders like Debra Lee Hovey, the Republican Party in the State of Connecticut continues to build momentum and gain strength. She is committed to success through courage, leadership, wisdom and tenacity all with the best interests of this District and the State of Connecticut in mind.
It is with great confidence that I nominate for a sixth consecutive term as the State Representative for the 112th House District, Debra Lee Hovey.
