We’re in a time when turning on the TV, or logging onto the internet, can overwhelm us with negativity, trolling and mean spirited dialogue. It’s certainly a challenging landscape to raise my two young daughters, who I hope to be kind and gracious global citizens one day.

I worry that our legislators are more focused on name calling than on solving the real problems facing our communities – problems like climate change, funding for our students and educators, and common-sense gun laws to protect us and our school children.

Now more than ever it’s important that we develop creative solutions for the problems we face through respectful, constructive dialogue and bipartisan collaboration. For these reasons, I wholeheartedly support Hugh McKenney for state representative of the 37th District − East Lyme and Salem.

I am a lifelong resident of Salem, where Hugh has a 20-plus year history of community involvement, including as a father of three, past chair of Planning and Zoning, and Board of Selectmen member. I do know Hugh personally, but his reputation precedes him: he’s a well-respected, engaged listener committed to making our community better. I am proud to support Hugh McKenney because he will support Salem’s best interests in Hartford.

Jennifer Rucci

Salem