Congressional Candidate Campaigns on Webb Lawn

Mathew Biadun | News-Editor

On the left is Wyatt Poehler, President of Eastern College Republicans. On the left stands George Austin, Republican candidate for the Second District.

10/29/25 - An incumbent and an aspiring politician both made their way to Eastern today ahead of elections next year. Connecticut’s Attorney General William Tong (D) participated in an interview event hosted by university President Karim Ismaili. Present on the other side of the campus, meanwhile, was George Austin, the Republican congressional-hopeful running in the Second District. 

Stationed by a tent on Webb Lawn, Austin dressed casually in a sweater, speaking to students as they passed by. Austin, age 37, is a construction contractor from Suffield. He is a small business owner, a football coach, and a proud father of two. Unfazed by the questions and chilly autumn breeze, he happily accepted an interview with the Campus Lantern.

Q: What motivated you to run for Congress?

“Honestly, it’s the complaining. I hear it from everyone, everywhere, all the time. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired, and after being an armchair quarterback, I decided to get involved and do something about it.” 

Austin spoke bitterly on what he accused as being “money poorly managed” by the state and federal governments. “I’ve worked twelve-to-fourteen hour days for twelve-to-fourteen years. Every year my money’s taken by taxes and wasted. We’ve got homeless combat vets in the streets, who can’t afford anything. No one can afford anything anymore, and no one’s paying attention to you guys, to Gen-Zers.”

“If there’s a specific issue…it’s probably HB6667, passed in Hartford two-or-three years ago. I’m a competitive shooter, and I just don’t like that. That really got me involved.”

HB6667 was a state law passed in 2023, implementing several gun-control measures such as banning public open carry.

Q: What do you think Joe Courtney is doing poorly?

“Honestly, he is not really doing much…he only seems concerned about EB [Electric Boat]. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a small business owner and support a strong national defense. But he always addresses EB first, everyone else second.” 

Joe Courtney is the incumbent Democratic Congressman in the Second District. He was first elected in 2006.

Q: Mike France has run twice before, and seems to be running again. What do you think about him?

“He will not beat me in a primary,” Austin declared, confidently. “We don’t have the delegates to shut him out, but…he won’t win. And to be clear, I won’t be caught saying anything about him. He’s a smart guy, I won’t bad mouth him.” He bemoaned the fact that France was running again, asserting that this was why the party (which has not elected any members of congress since 2006) kept losing. “You can’t put forward the same guys over and over, that’s how you lose. As a football coach, I say, play to your strengths. That’s why I’ll appeal to Gen-Z, to Hispanic voters…he doesn’t.”

Mike France was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for the second district in 2022 and 2024.

Q: What do you think about the current EBT/food stamp crisis?

“This wouldn’t be an issue if Congress could pass a budget. They haven't done that in thirty years, it’s just all CRs [Continuing Resolutions]. They keep passing all these omnibus bills, and I’d vote that down. We should do that piecemeal, because there’s ten, eleven great things in a bill, like funding VA [Veteran’s Affairs], but two-or-three other parts that get it shot down. We can’t take care of low-hanging, common ground fruit that way.”

“Food stamps are being held as a hostage,” he accused. “And both sides are guilty of that. Democrats are out of government, so they’re doing it now, but Republicans would too…if it was the other way around. This is what people are sick of - the gridlock, the party politics. Honestly, if I had a chance at winning, I’d run as an independent…although I am conservative, y'know, by nature, by heritage, I guess. If there were Democrats who were pro-life, I’m pro-life, who limited taxes, and who supported the Second Amendment, then I’d vote for them every time…but it’s all about politics, not the people.”

Austin then turned the tables, asking me, “How old do you think the average member of Congress is?”

“Seventy?” I guessed.

“Fifty-nine,” he replied. “It’s down from a decade ago, but still too high!”

Austin was hosted by the College Republicans, led by their president, Wyatt Poehler. Poehler stood alongside Austin, talking to fellow students, although he was dressed in a suit. Several other members of the College Republicans passed candy out to students.

“Joe Courtney is the establishment,” he said, when asked why students should choose Austin. “He’s been in Congress for too long. When you stay in for that long, it stops being about the people, and it’s just about you.” He lauded Austin as a good, middle-class guy who would lessen the affordability crisis. A white board by their tent asked students to consider the question most voters will face next year.

“Can you afford to live in Connecticut?”