ROCKY HILL - Rocky Hill Republican Town Councilor Pankaj Prakash has announced plans to run for the 29th State House District, setting the stage for a fall race between him and incumbent Democrat Kerry Wood.

       Prakash, an immigrant from India, earned a mechanical engineering master’s degree at UCONN before joining the aerospace and defense industry as a data scientist �" he was first elected to the Council in 2019, and is currently serving his second two-year term.

       Prakash, a 12-year Rocky Hill resident, currently serves on the Council’s Public Safety Committee.

       “It has been my honor to serve on the Rocky Hill Town Council, and I am looking to bring what I have learned from the people of Rocky Hill to Hartford,” Prakash wrote in a prepared statement sent to media outlets on Monday. “I am a problem solver, and my record as a Town Councilor in Rocky Hill shows that it takes vision and competence, and not party affiliation, to build an effective government that works for all.”

       Local problems Prakash and the Council have encountered include rising motor vehicle property crimes, weathering the pandemic, and mitigating the tax impact driven by rising budgetary expenses.

       Last year, Prakash joined GOP Mayor Lisa Marotta in petitioning for a legislative session on the issue of car thefts.

       “I am thrilled to support my good friend Pankaj Prakash for State Representative of the 29th District,” Marotta wrote. “His passion for helping others, commitment to local government, and ability to get things done have been a driving factor behind the success of our community during unprecedented times. His ability to deliver common sense solutions in real-time is a direct result of his hard work and collaborative style of leadership. He listens to the people he represents and equally important, he has proven his ability to respond to their needs through creative problem solving.”

       Now, Prakash says he wants to tackle issues such as public safety and affordability �" at the state level.

       “I am running to represent every family in Rocky Hill and Wethersfield in the 29th district like mine who has bills to pay, wants to make sure our kids get a top-quality education, and wants to make our state economically sustainable so all have the opportunity to succeed,” he wrote. “We need to bring back common sense and balance to state government up the road in Hartford. We are also seeing an unsettling rise in crime and inflation, making many families like mine seriously question whether our state is moving in the right direction. I am an optimist who is living the American dream. We can right the ship. People in Connecticut have shown tremendous resilience and can-do spirit during this once in a lifetime pandemic, and I think we can do the same at the Capitol. I look forward to knocking on doors all over this district and listening to your concerns, and hopefully earning your vote!”

       Prakash’s announcement came with the endorsements of several prominent Republicans �" including GOP Caucus Leader Christie Carpino, of Cromwell’s 32nd House District.

       “Pankaj Prakash represents the future of the Republican Party in Connecticut,” Carpino wrote. “We are the party of new ideas and inclusivity. We are the party who stand for fiscal restraint in Hartford so more young families can move to Connecticut looking for safe communities, great schools for their kids, opportunities to succeed, start new businesses, and create jobs. Pankaj is a devoted public servant. He is a great listener and a consensus builder who is always looking for common sense solutions to our problems. We need him at the Capitol and I look forward to working hard to help him earn the confidence of 29th district voters and making him the newest member of our caucus.”

       The 29th House District includes Rocky Hill, and a portion of Wethersfield. Census-driven redistricting eliminated the 29th’s Newington portion.

       "As a close observer of our local government, I consider Pankaj to be a very effective Town Councilor in Rocky Hill,” said Wethersfield Town Councilor Mary Pelletier. “Pankaj has shown great leadership as a member of the public safety committee. And he will be a strong and effective voice for the people of this district in Hartford."