Brother of slain Sandy Hook student plans to run for office

The Associated Press

5 years ago

JT Lewis, brother of Sandy Hook victim Jesse Lewis, speaks to President Donald Trump during a r ... — JT Lewis, brother of Sandy Hook victim Jesse Lewis, speaks to President Donald Trump during a roundtable discussion on the Federal Commission on School Safety report, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018, in Washington. From left, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, Lewis, Andy Pollack, father of Parkland victim Meadow Pollack, and Trump. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

NEWTOWN, Conn. — The 19-year-old brother of a Sandy Hook school shooting victim and outspoken advocate for greater school safety measures says he’s running for the Connecticut Senate.

Republican JT Lewis of Newtown posted a video on Twitter Monday, announcing plans to challenge Republican Sen. Tony Hwang of Fairfield. The next legislative election is in 2020.

I am running for Connecticut State Senate! #JT4CT pic.twitter.com/2rmXv1gd9m

— JT Lewis (@thejtlewis) July 15, 2019

Hwang has served in the Senate since 2015 and previously in the House of Representatives.

Lewis recently finished his freshman year at the University of Connecticut and says he’s running for office to honor his late brother, Jesse Lewis, one of the 20 first graders killed in 2012.

In his video, Lewis accuses political leaders of falling short of stopping the violence his family experienced. Lewis participated in a 2018 discussion on school security with President Donald Trump.