District towns: Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Granby, Hartland, Harrwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Simsbury, Torrington

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Election history: Witkos won an open Senate seat in 2008, succeeding Republican Thomas J. Herlihy. He had to win a Republican primary, then face a strong Democrat cross-endorsed by the Working Families Party in the general election.

Witkos also won three terms in the House, beginning in 2002 with his 38-vote, upset win over a prominent Democratic incumbent, Jessie Stratton.

2008 general election

Kevin D. Witkos (R) 26,853 53 percent Arthur H.House (D) 21,440 42 percent Arthur H. House (WF) 2,187 4 percent

2008 Republican primary

Kevin D. Witkos  2,154 74 percent Moira Wertheimer 760 26 percent

Public financing: Witkos received $35,000 in public financing for his primary. He and House each received $85,000 pubic financing for their general-election campaign.

Each returned a surplus: Witkos, $624.86; House, $1,120.27.

Background: Witkos has one of the most conservative voting records in the General Assembly on both fiscal and social issues, voting against medical marijuana, same-sex marriage, mortgage assistance, emergency contraceptives for rape victims and two Democratic health-reform bills.

In 2009, he was one of only two legislators in either chamber to vote against banning the use of machine guns by children, a bill proposed after a Connecticut child was accidentally shot and killed using an automatic weapon at a firing range in Massachusetts. In 2007, Witkos voted against another gun-control measure, which would have required gun owners to report stolen guns.

He is married and the father of two children. They live in Canton.

Committees: Energy and Technology (ranking member), General Law (ranking member), Legislative Management, Public Health

Education: A.S., Tunxsis Community College; Connecticut State Police Academy; University of Massachusetts

Occupation: Police officer, Canton

2008 Financial Disclosure: He reported income from the town of Canton. His wife, Esther Witkos, is employed by Valley Energy. They own their home in Canton.

He owns no securities.

Witkos filed a confidential addendum listing any debts exceeding $10,000. He declined to release the addendum, as is his choice under the law.

A note on financial disclosure: Every spring, officials are required to disclose the ownership of real estate, the source of any income exceeding $1,000 in the previous calendar year and securities worth more than $5,000. They also are required to file an addendum in which they report any debt of more than $10,000; this may by law be kept confidential.