Republican enters state representative race in New London
Karen Paul, chairwoman of New London’s Senior Affairs Commission, has filed paperwork with the state indicating a challenge to incumbent State Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London, for the 39th District state House seat.
Paul said she has agreed to be placeholder, and hold a place on the ballot for the upcoming election in the event a fellow Republican steps forward to seek office. Paul, 82, said she is not necessarily opposed to remaining on the ballot if another candidate doesn’t step forward.
“I want to support the party,” she said. “Financially, I can’t really do all that much but I think there needs to be an opponent. I really think people need a choice. This town is so lopsided but at least they will have a choice, whether it’s me or another Republican candidate or a candidate from another party.”
She said she has no immediate plans to actively campaign and will not seek any public funds.
Paul has sought office in New London on previous occasions, most recently in 2019, when she was among a slate of Republican City Council candidates. Paul is a member of the city's Ethics Board, Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Republican Town Committee who made an unsuccessful run at a seat on the Board of Education in 2017. She also hosts a public access show called “Time on My Hands,” and is a regular at City Council meetings. She also volunteers with the service nonprofit Whalers Helping Whalers and with Save Ocean Beach.
“If it comes down to it and there are debates, I will go. I’ve got something to say about most things. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” she said.
Nolan, 54, a New London police officer, is a former New London City Council president who was first elected to state office in a special election in 2018. A Navy veteran and deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church in New London, Nolan is now in his second term in office. In Hartford, he served as vice chairman of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee and member of the Education and Internship committees. Nolan has served on the state’s Juvenile Justice Police and Oversight Committee.
Nolan was not immediately available to comment.
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