To the Editor:

As the mother of a special needs son who has had to strongly advocate for his needs throughout his lifetime, and as a former teacher who passionately advocated for my students’ best interests, I have been searching for a candidate to strongly advocate for the people of Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District.

I did not have to look too far before Jahana Hayes emerged as such a candidate. Every community needs to pull together and to fight for the best interests of its members. As our Congresswoman, Jahana will do just that. Her story is inspiring to me. She rose from poverty to become Teacher of the Year. Jahana didn’t give up on her dreams during difficult times, she fought for them. I believe it is just that quality of perseverance that we need in Congress today.

One issue that is important to me is common sense gun laws. As a former elementary school teacher in Newtown, I cared for the well being of my students. I want an advocate in Congress who will care for the well being of her constituents; someone who will work to ensure our safety in Connecticut and throughout the United States.

I believe we can all agree that the safety of America’s citizens is our utmost concern. Jahana stated that she will work to promote and pass common sense gun laws. She is committed to the fight for public safety.

The growing number of gun related deaths in the United States has reached staggering numbers. As a concerned citizen, I can no longer accept these senseless catastrophes on an almost daily basis. Therefore I am voting for Jahana Hayes on November 6th. She is the gun sense candidate for the 5th District in Connecticut. I hope you will join me in supporting this outstanding candidate.

Sara Washicko

108 Jacqueline Drive, Southbury         September 18, 2018