State Rep. Mary Fritz, Who Served 32 Years, Dies At Age 78
State Rep. Mary Fritz, a Democrat who represented Wallingford and Cheshire in the General Assembly since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, died Saturday at age 78.
"She was a true public servant who put the priorities of her constituents first and represented her district with distinction, yet she never questioned whether the tough issues were worth tackling," said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who directed flags to remain at half-staff in her honor.
Fritz, who had been battling cancer, was first elected to the 90th District in 1982, lost her re-election bid in 1984, retook the seat in 1986 and won 14 consecutive elections. She had announced her retirement in March after 32 years as a legislator.
The third-longest serving member of the House when she retired, Fritz, of Wallingford, was known for charting her own course in the legislature. She voted against her own party on several key pieces of legislation including the 1991 state income tax, the repeal of the death penalty and, in 2011, Malloy's first biennial budget. She missed a 2015 budget vote but told The Courant she opposed that plan too.
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