Robert Sampson (politician)

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Rob Sampson
Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 16th district
Assumed office
January 2019
Preceded byJoe Markley
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 80th district
In office
January 2011 – 2018
Preceded byJohn Mazurek
Succeeded byGale Mastrofrancesco
Personal details
Born (1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 54)
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Residence(s)Wolcott, Connecticut, U.S.
Websitesenatorsampson.com

Robert Charles Sampson is an American politician from Connecticut. Since 2019, he has been a member of the Connecticut State Senate representing the 16th Senate District. Previously, Sampson was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing the 80th State House District. First elected in 2010, he served four terms in the House.[1]

Early life

Sampson was raised in Meriden; since 2003, he has lived in Wolcott.[2]

Political career

Sampson, a real estate agent and insurance agent,[3] was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing the 80th State House District, in 2010, and served four terms in the House.[4] Sampson defeated incumbent Democrat John "Corky" Mazurek in 2010, and won rematches against Mazurek in 2012 and 2014.[2] Sampson was elected in 2016 unopposed.[5] Sampson was elected in 2018 to the State Senate from the 16th State Senate district, to an open seat vacated by Joe Markley.[6]

Sampson opposes union security agreements, also called "fair share fees" (which he describes as "forced unionization"), for child care providers and personal care attendants; he expressed support for the Supreme Court's decisions in Harris v. Quinn, which limited the power of labor unions to collect such fees.[7] He opposed the New Britain to Hartford Busway.[8]

Sampson is a staunch opponent of gun control.[4] In 2013, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, he voted against a bipartisan gun control bill; in 2015, he introduced a measure to repeal the law.[4] In 2019, Sampson and fellow Republican John Kissel were the only senators to vote against "Ethan's Law," a safe storage law requiring gun owners to safely store firearms (whether loaded or unloaded) while not in use; the bill passed 31–2.[9][10] Sampson has received awards from the Connecticut Citizens Defense League[11] and National Rifle Association.[12]

Sampson opposed the Connecticut Supreme Court's 4–3 decision in 2008 determining that same-sex couples have a state constitutional right to marry.[4] In 2019, Sampson called the decision a "crucial mistake" and, citing the decision, was the sole Senator to vote against the confirmation of Lubbie Harper Jr. (a retired Supreme Court justice) for serve as a part-time trial referee; Harper was confirmed 33-1.[4] In 2017, Sampson was one of seven state House representatives to vote against legislation banning so-called conversion therapy.[4][13]

In 2013, Sampson was one of two state lawmakers who voted against a measure requiring officials to consider the necessity of mitigation for sea level rise when making water treatment facility funding decisions. Sampson said he acknowledged climate change, but was opposed to a state mandate for local officials.[4]

In 2019, Sampson was one of three state Senators who voted against a tobacco control bill raising the legal age to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products from age 18 to age 21.[14]

Personal life

Robert Charles Sampson was born on August 28, 1970, in Meriden, Connecticut. He attended and graduated from Meriden Public Schools and he also attended Central Connecticut State University. He married Lisa Hartson in 1992 the couple later divorced. Sampson next married Tammy Bagdigian in 2008 and the couple divorced in 2012. Sampson has no children. He has lived in Wolcott, Connecticut since 2003.[4]

References

  1. ^ Mark Pazniokas (March 13, 2019). "Rob Sampson, the dissenting state senator". CT Mirror.
  2. ^ a b Bill Leukhardt, Third Rematch In Wolcott, Southington In 80th Statehouse Race, Hartford Courant (October 30, 2014).
  3. ^ Andrew Larson, Sampson, Perry running in 16th Senate District, Republican-American (October 16, 2020).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Mark Pazniokas (March 13, 2019). "Rob Sampson, the dissenting state senator". CT Mirror.
  5. ^ Connecticut 80th District State House Results: Rob Sampson Wins, New York Times (2016).
  6. ^ Leukhardt, Bill. "Republican Rob Sampson Wins State Senate Seat Joe Markley Left". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  7. ^ "Looking out for home care workers". Record-Journal. August 23, 2014. {{cite web}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)
  8. ^ CTHouseRepublicans (2011-09-09), Rep. Sampson discusses the New Britain-Hartford Busway on Face The State, retrieved 2017-04-22
  9. ^ Mark Pazniokas, 'Ethan's Law' wins final passage in Senate, CT Mirror (May 23, 2019).
  10. ^ Daniela Altimari, Anguished parents hail final passage of Ethan's Law requiring safe storage of firearms, Hartford Courant (May 23, 2019).
  11. ^ Bennett Prescott. "CCDL Honors Rob Sampson as Legislator of the Year for 2012" (Press release). Connecticut Citizens Defense League.
  12. ^ "Connecticut: State Representative Rob Sampson Receives Award for His Commitment to Upholding the Second Amendment". NRA-ILA.
  13. ^ "Sampson Votes To Convert Young Homosexuals". CT Mirror. May 2, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  14. ^ Lamont says he will sign bill to raise smoking age to 21, Associated Press (May 31, 2019).
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