State Representative Ernest Hewett is a native of a small town in North Carolina called Cedar Grove. He moved to New London, Connecticut in 1974. He started working at General Dynamics Electric Boat Division where he was employed as a first class welder. He continued to work there for 20 straight years, before being laid off in 1994. Very concerned about what the future had in store for him, with a wife and 3 small children to raise, he knew he had to make some tough choices. He then applied for a Home Improvement License and did his first job out of the trunk of his car.
Two years after being laid off from his job at the Electric Boat, he decided to get involved in local politics. Following this decision, he was elected to a seat on the New London City Council where he chaired such committees as Public Welfare, Public Safety, Public Works and the Economic Development Committee. He served as a Deputy Mayor and in 1999, he was sworn in as New London’s 115th mayor and the fourth African-American mayor in New London’s history. He served in that capacity for three full terms. He lost his election to a fourth term by 54 votes.
Ready to retire from politics for good, he took a year off until there was an open seat in the 39th State House District, which serves the City of New London in the State House of Representatives. He decided to throw his hat in the ring. He was unable to secure a nomination from his party, so he decided to primary the endorsed candidate. In the party primary, he defeated his opponent by the 2 to 1 margin.
In the general election, he prevailed over the Republican candidate by even a wider margin. In the Connecticut General Assembly, he has served as a member and treasurer for the Black and Latino Caucus. He was also a vice-chairman of the Appropriations Committee; he chaired the Appropriations’ Transportation Subcommittee as well as the Subcommittee on Collective Bargaining.
During this term, he serves as a member of the General Assembly’s Appropriations, Judiciary, Labor and Public Employees as well as the Legislative Management Committees. He was also appointed as a Deputy Majority Leader of the State House of Representatives.
Rep. Ernest Hewett is also a member of the National Black Caucus of State Legislatures, where he is a chairman of District 1, which covers Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut. Rep. Ernest Hewett is also a member of other organizations including the New London Chapter of NAACP, Jeptha Lodge No. 11, the Elks Lodge No. 360, the New London Development Corporation, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut. He is also a member the Democratic Town Committee. In addition, he is also a president of the Town Hill Neighborhood Group.
Rep. Hewett is a 32 Degree Master Mason. Mr. Hewett is married to Patricia B. Hewett. They have been married for 30 years and have 3 children: Jasmine (25), Jessica (20) and Fredric (19).