FAIRFIELD, CT — Tim Gavin, a Fairfield resident and captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, has announced his intention to run for the state Senate as a Democrat in the 28th district.

“I’m running to represent all of us,” he said in a press release from the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee. “Our principles and our values.”

Gavin kicked off his campaign Wednesday at the Old Town Hall in Fairfield. The 28th District serves Fairfield, Easton, Newtown and most of Bethel, and is represented by Republican Senator Tony Hwang, who was first elected to the seat in 2014. Hwang filed papers in late 2021 seeking re-election . He did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.

Gavin decided to run for office following the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

“To see our Capitol walls scaled and the Senate Chamber overrun, all based on a lie? It really woke me up,” he said in the press release. “And I think it showed us all how fragile our democracy is. This day motivated me to roll up my sleeves and get involved locally.”

Gavin is a Canton native, Eagle Scout, and a 2017 graduate of Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in humanities and a concentration in ethics and international affairs. A former infantry officer in the US Army, he now fights against the exploitation of young people on social networks as a child safety project manager for Meta.

In the press release, he particularly took issue with Hwang’s stance against easing voting access and argued for increased accessibility.

The Democratic nominating convention for the 28th District is set for May 10. Election day is November 8.