I was honored to serve as Chris Coutu's field director for his campaign for state Senate.

Those in the 19th District have lost a tireless leader with more integrity and love for this state than you will ever meet. This is a man who still serves the country he loves as an officer in the military.

He is passionate about the lack of fiscal control in Hartford and saving our state from the financial cliff for which we are heading.

Unlike other politicians, Chris always voted his conscience, he cared about doing what was right, not popular.

The voters of this state and country have taken freedom and the right to vote for granted, without doing their own homework. They allowed the media and candidates to tell them how to vote.

I believe they are about to find out the price they are going to pay for their inability to research candidates on their own, and they are not going to know what hit them.

I know Chris will be successful at whatever he chooses to do. It is, however, a huge loss for this state that he will not be serving us in Hartford in 2013.