Joseph Taraya
Joseph Taraya (Independent Party) ran for election to the Connecticut State Senate to represent District 20. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Taraya (Working Families Party) also ran for election to the Connecticut House of Representatives to represent District 139. He did not appear on the ballot for the general election on November 3, 2020.
Taraya completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Taraya was born in San Francisco, California. He is a graduate of the Basic Enlisted Submarine School (BESS) and Submarine Communications Electronic Field Apprentice (SCERF) A-School. He served in the United States Navy from 2010 to 2015. He began studies at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut before transferring to New York University. He earned a bachelor's degree from Albertus Magnus College.[1]
He is a member of the Niantic Lions Club. His community involvement includes volunteering for High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut, L&M Pequot Health Center, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.[2][3]
Elections
2020
See also: Connecticut State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Connecticut State Senate District 20
Incumbent Paul Formica defeated Martha Marx and Joseph Taraya in the general election for Connecticut State Senate District 20 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Paul Formica (R) | 50.6 | 25,680 |
 | Martha Marx (D / Working Families Party) | 48.3 | 24,503 | |
 | Joseph Taraya (Independent Party) | 1.2 | 586 | |
| Total votes: 50,769 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Martha Marx advanced from the Democratic primary for Connecticut State Senate District 20.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Paul Formica advanced from the Republican primary for Connecticut State Senate District 20.
2016
Elections for the Connecticut House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.
Incumbent Kevin Ryan defeated Joseph Taraya in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 139 general election.[4]
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 139 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Kevin Ryan Incumbent |
62.76% | 5,752 | |
| Republican | Joseph Taraya | 37.24% | 3,413 | |
| Total Votes | 9,165 | |||
| Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State | ||||
Incumbent Kevin Ryan ran unopposed in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 139 Democratic primary.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 139 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Kevin Ryan Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Joseph Taraya ran unopposed in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 139 Republican primary.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 139 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Joseph Taraya (unopposed) | |
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joseph Taraya completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Taraya's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- We need to be the example we want for our children.
- The state of our economy is crucial for our future.
- Forever and always treat everyone equally with respect.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2016
Political philosophy
In a biographical submission to Ballotpedia, Taraya described his political philosophy:[2]
| “ |
Fiscal responsibility is key for any civilization to grow and prosper. Connecticut has one of the highest cost of living and tax burden on their residents, yet doesn't have nearly the same statewide economy as other top tiered states. It's been a repeated cycle of overspending and relying heavily on additional taxes to balance costs with revenue. I want to give a conservative voice to our district that has had the same leadership for well over twenty years. New blood and a new course is needed. We have a large workforce which are in need of further training to be matched with the high-skilled positions available in our state. In cooperation with labor unions, we should have available programs which keep our workforce in employment. I seek to encourage programs like "Studies-to-Stability," which is a loan forgiveness agreement that allows an individual to attend any twelve of our community colleges to obtain certifications/degrees for a stable career within the many industries of Connecticut. Proving to hold a position in good standings for five years after graduation or completion of courses, then applicant is no longer required to make further payments. A lifetime of stable earnings and paying state taxes is far more valuable than any interest on a loan. As an independent or unaffiliated voter, I petitioned to challenge our current democrat incumbent of 24 years. I have plenty of progressively social views, but it was my conservative fiscal stances that caught the attention of our republican party. It was with their endorsement I was able to obtain ballot access for November. I am very grateful for the support of everyone, regardless of party lines. We all want to do what is best for our communities, our state, and for our country. [5] |
” |
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 13, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Information submitted through Ballotpedia's biographical submission form on August 17, 2016
- ↑ Email submission to Ballotpedia on September 16, 2016
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Election Night Reporting, 2016 General Election," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
