On Sunday, I had the honor of marching in the Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County in Bridgeport—an extraordinary celebration of Puerto Rican pride, heritage, resilience and culture.
To my knowledge, I was the only Republican candidate who officially marched in the parade. I was proud to be joined by my son Jonathan.
There were many elected officials marching including Governor Lamont, and Senator Blumenthal.
Together, we carried my banner as families filled the streets, waved Puerto Rican and American flags and celebrated traditions passed from one generation to the next. I cannot think of another parade in Fairfield County that inspires this same level of enthusiasm, participation and community spirit.
The banner we carried represented much more than a political campaign. It celebrated my longstanding relationship with the Puerto Rican community—a community I have had the privilege of serving as an eye physician for more than 40 years in New York.
The banner also featured boxing gloves, recognizing my experience as an examining physician for the New York State Athletic Commission. In that role, I examined and medically cleared boxers before they competed in New York, including fighters appearing at Madison Square Garden.
I have examined generations of Puerto Rican patients, listened to their stories and witnessed their commitment to family, faith, hard work and cultural pride.
Marching in this parade was not the beginning of that relationship. It was a public celebration of a connection that has developed over decades.
One of my favorite parts of Puerto Rican celebrations is the beloved refrain:
“Qué bonita bandera, la bandera puertorriqueña.”
How beautiful is the Puerto Rican flag.
Its beauty comes from more than its design. It comes from everything it represents—the struggles Puerto Ricans have endured, the sacrifices families have made, the traditions they have preserved and the pride that has carried the community forward.
Puerto Rican pride lifts all of us.
It reminds us that hardship can make us stronger, that heritage should be celebrated and that pride in where we come from can inspire us to build a better future together.
According to 2021 estimates from UConn’s Puerto Rican Studies Initiative, Connecticut was home to approximately 283,528 Puerto Rican residents.
Approximately 44,544 Puerto Ricans lived in Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District, representing about 6 percent of the district’s population and approximately 29 percent of its Hispanic and Latino population.
Bridgeport is at the heart of this community. Approximately 29,012 Puerto Ricans lived in Bridgeport, accounting for roughly 20 percent of the city’s population, according to the same estimates.
These are not merely statistics. They represent families, workers, veterans, business owners, healthcare professionals, educators, students, artists, tradespeople and community leaders who contribute to Connecticut every day.
Puerto Rico has faced poverty, political corruption, destructive hurricanes and persistent infrastructure and electrical problems. Yet those challenges have not diminished the Puerto Rican people’s love for their island or their determination to preserve their culture.
In many ways, adversity has made the Puerto Rican spirit stronger.
That strength could be seen throughout the parade. Young dancers performed in traditional clothing. Floats honored Puerto Rican history and Bridgeport’s Puerto Rican culture. Music filled the streets, and families spanning several generations cheered as the Puerto Rican flag passed before them.
I was also impressed by the many Bridgeport residents who were not Puerto Rican but came out to celebrate and support their neighbors.
That is what community means—respecting one another, celebrating together and standing beside our neighbors.
It is fitting that Puerto Rico has produced so many great boxers. Boxing requires courage, preparation, sacrifice, discipline and the willingness to keep fighting when circumstances become difficult.
As an eye doctor, I have examined many boxers before their competitions—from fighters beginning their careers to world champions preparing for the biggest contests of their lives. Many of those boxers were Puerto Rican.
Before the parade, I spoke with Coach Carlos Ortiz about Ortiz Boxing Gym and its work to keep young people active, focused and off the streets.
Athletics teach discipline, responsibility, respect and perseverance. A boxer cannot simply enter the ring and expect to succeed. Success comes through training, sacrifice and learning how to recover after being knocked down.
That lesson applies to life.
Learn more about Coach Carlos Ortiz and Ortiz Boxing Gym.
Our next generation must receive the education, skills and discipline needed to compete and succeed. A four-year college should not be presented as the only path available to students.
We need stronger vocational education, apprenticeships, technical programs, healthcare training and partnerships between schools and employers. Just as disciplined training prepares a boxer to enter the ring, education and workforce training must prepare young people to enter the economy with confidence.
The most important part of the day was not simply walking in the parade. It was listening to the people I am running to represent.
Before and after the parade, I spoke with residents and families about healthcare, affordability, job opportunities, education and workforce training.
They discussed the rising costs of groceries, housing, electricity, insurance and healthcare. They questioned whether Connecticut’s economy will provide meaningful opportunities for their children and whether our schools are preparing students for real careers.
These are not merely Republican or Democratic problems. They are Connecticut problems.
A family’s electric bill does not care how that family voted. The cost of healthcare does not decrease because someone belongs to a particular political party. A young person looking for work does not benefit from partisan speeches that fail to produce a genuine opportunity.
This campaign is about people over parties and results over political rhetoric.
Despite the nearly 90-degree weather and the relentless summer sun, I never felt tired.
I felt energized.
Every cheer, handshake, high-five, flag, song and conversation reinforced the same message:
Heritage matters. Family matters. Community matters. Opportunity matters.
I am in a Republican primary because the people of Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District deserve a representative who will show up, listen and fight for every community.
I am a fighter.
I have spent my professional life fighting for my patients, my family and people who needed someone willing to stand beside them. I am ready to bring that determination to Congress.
I would be honored to earn the support of voters across the Fourth Congressional District.
If you are a registered Republican, I ask for your vote in the Republican primary. on August 11th with Early Voting August 3-9.
Unaffiliated voters who choose to enroll as Republicans may also participate and help us take this fight to November.
I am running to represent everyone in Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District—not only Republicans and not only those who vote for me.
A member of Congress is elected by a district, but the responsibility reaches beyond district lines. Members of Congress make decisions affecting their state, their country and American citizens throughout our nation—including our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico.
We must fight for accessible healthcare, greater affordability, better-paying jobs, stronger schools and workforce training that prepares the next generation to succeed.
My sincere thanks to Milta Feliciano, President of the Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County, Inc., the entire board and every volunteer whose time, energy and hard work made this remarkable celebration possible.
A parade of this size and importance cannot happen without volunteers. Thank you to every person who helped organize the event, prepare the route, coordinate the participants, support the performers, assist families, clean up afterward and contribute countless hours behind the scenes.
Thank you as well to the performers, sponsors, participating organizations and families who brought the streets of Bridgeport to life.
I also thank the Bridgeport Police officers, the Norwalk Police officers who participated and all the public-safety professionals who helped keep the parade safe and welcoming.
Learn more about the organization and support its work at PRPFCCT.org.
The Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County was more than a parade. It was a celebration of heritage, resilience, family, discipline, patriotism and community.
It was an honor to march with you, listen to you and celebrate with you.
Qué bonita bandera, la bandera puertorriqueña.
¡Que viva Puerto Rico!
God bless Bridgeport, God bless Puerto Rico and God bless the United States of America.
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