Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, who pushed for a statewide $15 minimum wage and was a leader in statewide housing policy debates, announced Wednesday that she will not seek reelection.
“I walked proudly into the Senate after campaigning on being a person of integrity,” Moore said in a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday. “I am proud to say that I am leaving with my integrity intact. The takeaway that I want my constituents and colleagues to have is that the people need representatives who are willing to stand and fight for integrity in government.”
Moore, 75, was first elected in 2014 and spent the past decade representing Bridgeport, Monroe and Trumbull. In 2019 she lost a controversial mayoral primary to current Democratic Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim.
In May 2019, Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage from $10.10 per hour to $15. Moore was a vocal advocate for the increase, referring to her experience working as a minimum wage employee for a month at Target over the summer of 2015.
“I learned that people were struggling much more than I could imagine,” Moore said in an interview with The Connecticut Mirror.
Moore was crucial in the creation of the Connecticut Community Gun Violence Prevention Program, with the goal of fostering the growth of evidence-based or evidence-informed community violence and gun violence prevention and intervention programs throughout the state.
She was co-chair of the Committee on Housing and the legislative bonding subcommittee, which determines the priorities for long-term capital projects throughout the state.
As chair of the Housing Committee, Moore was a part of an effort to push housing issues to the forefront after only one housing bill was passed during the 2022 legislative session.
Last legislative session, Moore spearheaded the final passage of Senate Bill 998, designed to improve tenants’ rights and housing quality. The bill also increased the amount municipalities are allowed to charge for code violations from $250 to $2,000, which officials hope will push landlords to improve sub-par rental housing.
“I’m grateful that I got to co-chair the Housing Committee with her,” said former Housing Committee chair Rep. Geoff Luxenberg, D-Manchester. “It’s a big loss, and I’m going to miss working with her.”
Moore is the only member of the Senate to not seek reelection. After her announcement, Moore received bipartisan praise for her work in the legislature.
“Sen. Moore has been a blessing to the state Senate and to the state of Connecticut for the past 10 years,” said Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, D-New Haven. “She is a model of idealism and commitment to public service.”
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, and former Minority Leader Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, issued a joint statement after her announcement.
“Sen. Moore is well-respected for her honesty, her integrity and her passion for improving the quality of life in our state and as a tireless advocate for the people of Bridgeport, Monroe and Trumbull,” they wrote. “We wish Sen. Moore all the best and thank her for her years of service to our state. She is a champion for housing and human services.”
Moore is a lifelong Bridgeport resident, a mother, grandmother and a great-grandmother. During her speech she thanked her fellow members of the Bridgeport delegation.
“The landscape was much different, and our reputation had been mired by corruption,” Moore said. “The Bridgeport delegation is the strongest it has been in a while, and I am proud to have been a part of lifting our reputation.”
Rep. Antonio Felipe, D-Bridgeport and co-chair of the Housing Committee with Moore, praised her work on the committee.
“Coming from Bridgeport, we have an understanding of struggle and need that others may not,” Felipe said in a statement. “She has leveraged that into creating impactful and equitable policy while she served. It was a pleasure to serve with her on the delegation as housing co-chair, and I wish her well in her transition.”
