Menapace challenges Cheeseman again for 37th House seat
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May 17—Incumbent state Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme, and Democratic challenger Nick Menapace will again face off in November after being nominated at their respective conventions this week.
Cheeseman, who was nominated unanimously by her party, is vying for a fifth term. The district covers East Lyme and portions of Montville and Salem.
"That residents of our communities continue to place their faith in me as their voice in Hartford is truly humbling, and if I'm fortunate enough to win election again this fall I'll certainly do everything I can to honor the awesome responsibility that comes with this job," Cheeseman said.
She works as a consultant to the Niantic Children's Museum, where she was executive director for the past nine years.
Cheeseman ― the ranking Republican on the legislature's Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee ― was touted in the campaign news release as a leading voice on fiscal matters who helped achieve a bipartisan income tax cut for middle and working-class families as well as an expansion of tax relief for retirees.
The campaign also credited her for work on issues such as improving public safety at Gardner Lake State Park, studying the impact of large-scale data centers and pursuing state bond funds for the replacement of the Montville animal shelter.
Menapace received the Democratic nomination Wednesday in a unanimous vote.
"Our state government needs more people who understand the everyday struggles of working families, are passionate about improving our communities, and are willing to roll up their sleeves and get things done," he said.
A social studies teacher at Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School in Norwich, he lives with his wife in Niantic and is a member of the East Lyme's Planning Commission. He lost to Cheeseman in 2022 by 504 votes.
