Montville — Local Republicans have nominated Joseph Mark Taraya, a former Navy medical records technician, to run for the 139th General Assembly seat now filled by Rep. Kevin Ryan.

Taraya, a California native, served on the USS Virginia for almost two years before taking a post as a quality assurance technician.

He moved to Montville in October and was medically discharged from the Navy this month.

Taraya, 30, said he plans to run on a platform of conservative fiscal policies, adding that if he wins, he will donate his state representative salary to schools in his district.

He won the nomination Monday night at the district's GOP nominating convention in Montville's Town Hall.

The 139th General Assembly District includes the Town of Bozrah, and parts of Montville and Norwich.

Ryan, a Democrat and the House's deputy speaker, has held the seat for 12 terms since 1993, and has run unopposed in several of those elections.

"That's not really a fair representation of democracy," Taraya said. "That's kind of more apathetic democracy."

The Democratic delegates for the 139th district will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, in the Town Hall to hold their nominating convention.

Ryan, who is running for a 13th term, is expected to be the nominee.

Taraya has not run for office before, but said he has been knocking on doors in the district and plans to introduce himself to voters in the coming months.

"It seems like people have a lot on their minds, and they want to tell me things that have been bothering them," he said.

Taraya said he sees running for office as an extension of his public service in the Navy.

"I did five years and one week on active duty," he said. "I thought (this) was another way to continue serving."

m.shanahan@theday.com