Connecticut state Rep. Deborah Heinrich (D-Madison, North Guilford) has been involved in state politics for nearly a decade, and is now serving in her third term in the General Assembly. Beginning in 2002 when she worked with lawmakers on the Emergency Health Powers Act, and continuing through her election to the state house in 2004, Heinrich has seen the ins and outs of politics in Connecticut.  A small business owner by trade and active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Heinrich has advocated for better healthcare options for business owners, as well as better and more affordable care for the most needy among her constituents. She’s balanced support for the business community with addressing the concerns of everyday citizens. This has served her and her district well, and in turn, has given her a great sense of the people she represents, and vice versa. After the implementation of Connecticut’s Citizens’ Election Program for the 2008 election cycle, this knowledge of her voters paid great dividends while she adjusted to the new system. Having built a broad base of support over the years, she was able to quickly qualify for a grant by raising the necessary contributions, so she could then focus solely on meeting her constituents. “I was able to generate the donations through a mailing to longtime supporters and a couple of follow-up calls,” she said. This was a stark change from past campaigns where she found herself constantly raising money. “Under the old system, I spent probably half my time with voters and the other half raising money, often right up until election day and at the expense of voter contact,” she said. “I was able to reach over 4,000 homes in the 2008 cycle, much more than ever before.”  The new program allowed her to focus on the issues concerning the people in her district; the reason she became involved in politics. Not only did she appreciate the freedom from fundraising that the Citizens’ Election Program brought, she and her constituents also understood the need to get past the corruption that had consumed the news and government for too long. “Most of them were excited…given what the state had been through [dealing with corruption], they thought it was a great way to address those issues,” said Heinrich. Having run the old way and now with the Citizens’ Election Program, Heinrich also noted that new kinds of candidates were running, especially an increase in the number of women.  “[It’s] a way for women to come forward and have access to the political system,” she said. And she’s encouraged others, including several women, to use the Citizens’ Election Program as well. Where before an average day consisted of countless phone calls soliciting money, now, according to Rep. Heinrich, a “typical day consisted taking the kids to school, meeting with voters in the coffee shop, meeting with volunteers, and then when work hours were over, knocking on doors and meeting as many voters as possible. It’s changed the way we campaign.”   Calling the new election program a “relief,” Heinrich was free to “speak with people who have needs and need my ear.” Many of these folks would have been left out of the discussion had she not had the time to meet them all, and now they will know that their needs are being served in the legislature. In the 101st Connecticut legislature, Rep. Heinrich serves as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, as well as on the Education Committee and Public Health Committee, where she is devoted to increasing education funding and is also a fierce environmental advocate.