Sen. Ryan Fazio at the Danbury GOTV Rally

Victoria told me she would cast her first ballot on Tuesday. By the time we met at state Sen. Ryan Fazio’s GOTV rally in Danbury, she had already spent time volunteering for his campaign. When I asked what drew her to the Republican candidate for governor, she said, “I believe on Senador Fazio. He will listen to people across party lines. And I have hope, and I know the change he proposed will benefit people throughout Connecticut.”

In his remarks, Fazio spoke about working together, combating corruption and easing the burden of taxes on Connecticut residents. He also encouraged everyone to go out and vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The people I spoke with gave different reasons for supporting him. Rose, originally from Brazil, told me that her support reflected her identification with the Republican Party. Another attendee said she began paying attention to Fazio because she felt he took the time to listen to people and hear about the problems they were facing.

Another person told me they had waited years for a Republican candidate with that willingness to listen. What mattered to them was the possibility of a governor who could bring people from different parties together to work on the state’s problems.

I went to Danbury expecting a typical campaign rally. What surprised me was how much it felt like a family gathering. People were happy to be there, and I heard a sense of hope in those conversations, even when people gave different reasons for coming.

I also spoke with Fazio again that evening. I heard the same optimism about Connecticut that I’d heard when we last spoke. It made me think about something I believe many of us share, whatever our politics. We want to be able to stay here, build a life and enjoy this beautiful state without feeling overwhelmed by what it costs to live here.

On my way out, I thought about Victoria. She’d already given her time to a campaign she believed in. On Tuesday, she’ll cast her first ballot. Whether it’s your first election or you’ve been voting for years, I hope you’ll go out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3.