Campaign Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Karen Martin Announces Campaign for State Representative, Citing Lifetime of Service, Democratic Values, and Commitment to East Haven

East Haven, CT — Karen Martin, a lifelong Democrat, healthcare professional, and current East Haven Town Councilor, today announced her candidacy for State Representative, pledging to bring strong Democratic values, practical experience, and a deep commitment to community service to Hartford.

“I am a fierce, dyed-in-the-wool Democrat,” Martin said. “I believe deeply in the core values of our party—liberty, equality, justice, accountability, transparency, majority rule with minority rights, free and fair elections, and the necessity of compromise to achieve the common good and do the most good for the most people.”

Martin’s beliefs are rooted in a 40-year career in healthcare. She began working at age 18 as a nurse’s aide, providing hands-on care to some of the most vulnerable individuals in society. She later studied Radiologic Technology at what was then South Central Community College (now Gateway Community College), earning an Associate Degree and working as an X-ray technologist at Yale New Haven Hospital. Her diagnostic imaging career spanned four decades at Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale University, where she cared for patients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. She retired recently, after 40 years of service.

In 2007, Martin completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Albertus Magnus College, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Her academic focus blended general education with extensive coursework in philosophy and religion—disciplines that sharpened her grounding in ethics, logic, and respect for diverse beliefs.

Martin’s public service record includes her appointment, with the mayor’s support, to the East Haven Zoning Board of Appeals, where she later served as chair. There, she worked directly with residents seeking fair and reasonable solutions for their homes, learning firsthand the value of compromise within community boundaries.

Currently serving her third term on the East Haven Town Council, Martin says representing her district and working for the entire town has been one of the most rewarding roles of her life. “I love serving my community,” she said. “I want to continue that work at the next level by becoming East Haven’s next State Representative.”

Martin emphasized the importance of Democratic leadership in the General Assembly, noting that Democrats currently hold a strong majority in the State House and Senate. She believes East Haven stands to benefit greatly from having a Democrat advocating directly for the town at the state level.

“Working alongside neighboring Democratic representatives, our State Senator, and leaders across the region, we can tackle the issues that matter most to East Haven—bringing down the cost of living, improving access to affordable healthcare, housing, and energy, investing in early childhood education, and maintaining strong fiscal guardrails,” Martin said. “These are the priorities our community deserves.”

With her retirement from healthcare, Martin says she now has the time and energy to fully devote herself to public service. “This is my second career—serving my community—and I am ready to give it everything I have,” she said.

Martin closed with a call to action. “This will be a hard-fought campaign, and I can’t do it alone. I need the support, the energy, and the partnership of this community. East Haven deserves better—and together, we can make it happen.”