Waterford, Connecticut 

Green Party

38th District Greens Unanimously Endorse Baird for State Representative

Media Contact: Joshua Steele Kelly, chair@waterfordgreenparty.org

For Release: Sunday, August 19, 2018

Waterford, CT - On Saturday, August 18, 2018, the Waterford Green Party Chapter convened for their annual nominating convention, where the group has the ability to endorse candidates for office. This year, party members from across Connecticut’s 38th State House District made history by endorsing Baird Welch-Collins for State Representative.

Baird Welch-Collins is one of the founding members of the Waterford Green Party and currently sits on Waterford’s legislative body, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), as a Green. In 2018, however, Welch-Collins registered as a Democrat and recently defeated two primary opponents to earn the Democratic Party’s endorsement for the position of State Representative. The Waterford Green Party’s vote on Saturday marks the first time in the state’s history that the Green Party has endorsed a candidate for state office who was not officially registered as a Green.

At the convention, Baird Welch-Collins spoke on a number of issues that are most important to him, including, but not limited to, environmental protection, sustainable economic development, and labor rights, all of which, he noted, have been central to the campaigns he ran as a Green and are integral parts of the Green Party’s platform. Baird’s progressive stances on the issues, past work with third parties, and passion to serve others made the endorsement a relatively easy decision for party members, who voted unanimously for it. Party members have long felt that the need for electing state legislators who are willing to fight against laws unfair to minor parties is great, and the endorsement of Welch-Collins may very well be the first step to seeing some of those much-needed changes made.

Baird will now appear on both the Democratic and the Green ballot line in the coming general election, and the Waterford Green Party is excited to have the opportunity to work across party lines in an effort to get an experienced and principled progressive like Baird elected to office.

More information about Baird’s campaign can be found on his website, BairdFor38.com.

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