On May 23, former Bristol City Councilor Mary Fortier was unanimously endorsed for the 79th House District by members of the Bristol Democratic Town Committee. The endorsement came following current State Representative Chris Ziogas’ announcement that he would not seek re-election in 2022.

“I spent eight years on the city council demonstrating that I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves and get to work,” said Fortier. “As a lifelong resident, I know the challenges we’re facing, and I know how to solve them. We’ve come so far since the beginning of the pandemic—thanks in large part to the tireless service of Representative Chris Ziogas—but there’s still more to be done. I’m looking forward to listening to voters and bringing people together to solve problems.”

Fortier, born and raised in Bristol, was first elected to the City Council in 2013, where she served for nearly a decade. She graduated from St. Paul Catholic High School before earning a BA in History and Secondary Education from Boston College.

As a young mother, Mary graduated from the Western New England College School of Law in 1995, after which she practiced law before moving on to the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, where she still works. She is an active member of her union, Judicial Professional Employees AFT-CT, and represents them at the Greater Bristol Labor Federation.

Together with her husband David—another lifelong Bristol resident—Mary is the proud mother to six children and grandmother to three more.