With Permission
Bruce H. Wilson, Jr. likes to ride up mountains. Now he is climbing a political mountain.
Wilson stood in front of Madison Memorial Town Hall yesterday to say he will seek the Republican nomination for state Senate in the 12th District against a household name who instantly received statewide attention simply by running for office.
And with that announcement, Ted Kennedy, Jr., a lawyer and a businessman as well, who is expected to be endorsed for state senate on the Democratic side, had an opponent. Click here to read about Kennedy.
Wilson then went on to explain to a small crowd of legislators, friends and family “how I find myself in front of you now.”
His interest in public life began a few years ago, he said, when he decided it was time to give back to the community “where I have spent most of my life.”
An avid mountain biker who has been riding the trails in the Rockland Preserve for many years, Wilson, who is 50, said he wanted “to have a hand in the stewardship of the land,” and so he volunteered to serve on the Rockland Preserve Commission in Madison.
This decision, he explained led him into public service. And he has not looked back, he said.
Two years ago, he said, he realized he had a “growing passion for community service and began looking for a more substantial role in government.” That led to his appointment on the Madison Board of Education, a fit that seemed natural for him since he was educated at Daniel Hand High School. His three children, Sarah, 22, Rachel 20, and Ethan 17 are all products of the Madison school district. He is married to Elizabeth Hannon Wilson.
Wilson said he was a former CEO of a small business named Aplicare, Inc. in Meriden, which he recently sold to Clorox Products. “I have spent my entire career working in manufacturing,” more than 20 years of that time in Connecticut,” he said. His career includes selling medical devices and over-the-count drug manufacturing. Wilson is a graduate of Bates College, who earned a B.S in Chemistry.
In his announcement, he spoke on behalf of businesses and their growth. “I cannot stand by as Connecticut companies are lured away for us by other, business friendly states.”
“As your senator I will use my experience and skill to identify and remove the taxes and regulations that are stifling job growth in our state. Make no mistake, any policy that discourages good companies from staying in Connecticut is an anti-job policy. Any policy that makes it difficult for small business to start or grow is an anti-job policy.”
Wilson let it be known in a press release that he does not view the 12th State Senate District “as a stepping stone to higher office,” a reference to what he believes is Kennedy’s ultimate goal. Kennedy has said on numerous occasions that he wants to be elected to state office and he is thinking no further. The district includes the towns of Branford, Durham, Guilford, Killingworth, Madison and North Branford.
Before the afternoon was over, Tom Foley, who is seeking to become the Republican candidate for governor, congratulated Wilson, saying he knows he will run “a strong, issues-based campaign.”
In a statement, Foley said the state had suffered under Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s “anti ‑business, progressive agenda. Connecticut government spends too much and ordinary citizens and business who are paying the bills receive little in return.”
And soon, Foley said he looks forward to campaigning “with Bruce in this important race and I look forward to serving with him after November…”
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