Legal and political career
Kelly was formerly a town attorney. [5] He has a law office,Kevin Kelly &Associates,in Stratford, [5] specializing in elder law. [7] Before opening his legal practice,Kelly spent 13 years as an investigator for the Connecticut Department of Social Services. [7]
In 1992,Kelly ran for the Connecticut House of Representatives in the 121st district. However,he lost the election to Terry Backer. [8]
Since 2011,he has been a State Senator,representing part of the Naugatuck River Valley in the Connecticut Senate,including all of the town of Shelton and part of the towns of Monroe,Seymour,and Stratford. [5]
In 2010,Kelly defeated James Miron,a former mayor of Stratford. In 2012,Kelly ran unopposed for the seat. In 2014,Kelly won reelection,defeating Democrat Prez Palmer. In 2016,Kelly won a fourth term in the Senate,again defeating Palmer. [5] In 2018,Kelly won a fifth term in the Senate,defeating Democratic nominee Monica Tujak Brill. [5] He ran unopposed in 2020. [9]
In 2016,Kelly expressed support for Trump's presidential candidacy. [10] In November 2020,the Senate Republican caucus elected Kelly to the post of Senate Minority Leader,replacing Len Fasano,who retired;Kelly appointed Paul Formica as his deputy. [11] [12] As of 2020,Kelly was the ranking member of the Senate committees on Aging,Insurance and Real Estate,and Children,and a member of the Regulation Review Committee. [7]
In the state Senate,Kelly has championed efforts to make pregnancy a "qualifying life event" for purposes of health insurance enrollment;the legislation was supported by the Connecticut Commission on Women,Children and Seniors. [13]
In 2020,Kelly voted against a police reform and accountability bill. [14]
He was re-elected in the 2024 Connecticut State Senate election. [15] In January 2025,he resigned his seat to take up a state judicial appointment. [16]
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