Waterford — Democrat Nick Gauthier announced Tuesday in a news release that he is running for the 38th District state House seat to represent Waterford and Montville.

He is serving his second term as a Democrat on the Representative Town Meeting, and works in the town's Senior Services Department. He is a town native who graduated from Waterford High School and the University of Connecticut. He has a master's degree in public administration.

"As your state Representative, I will provide robust constituent services, demand justice for all in our state's laws, seek equity in our state's budgets, deliver state resources for our needed public services, and support well-paid employment opportunities for people in Waterford, Montville, and Connecticut," he said in the release.

Gauthier, 35, said coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic provides elected officials a "once-in-a-century opportunity to reimagine and rebuild a healthier state and nation with the empathy and understanding we have gained through our collective struggle," the release reads. Some of his campaign agenda items include to eliminate corporate welfare and loopholes; progressively increase the state's top marginal income tax rates; strengthen family, medical and parental leave; ensure just pandemic pay compensation and increase pay for nurses, home health aide workers and those deemed essential employees; and pay public school teachers significantly more.

According to the release, he has "long served as an activist, labor organizer, grassroots political organizer, and community organizer," serving on the campaign of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and volunteering on the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

To donate to or learn more about his campaign, visit NickGauthier.com. Gauthier also can be reached via his Faceook page, by phone at (860) 287-0991 or email at NickMGauthier@gmail.com.