Juan Candelaria is a Democratic member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing New Haven's 95th District since 2003. Notable achievements include serving as the first Latino Deputy Speaker starting in 2017, leading efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, and advancing driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants.

Juan Candelaria has represented New Haven's 95th District in the Connecticut House since 2003. A Democrat, he previously served as a New Haven Alderman from 2001-2002 and Town Committee Ward Chair from 1999-2005, and remains a member of New Haven’s Town Committee. He held the leadership role of Deputy Speaker from 2017 onward, becoming the first Latino in that position, and previously served as Deputy Democratic Leader. Candelaria chairs the Black and Latino Caucus since 2013 and is involved in organizations like the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators , Connecticut State Hispanic Caucus, and National Conference of State Legislators. He serves on the Appropriations, Education, and General Law Committees. Key achievements include spearheading recreational marijuana legalization , passing laws for driver's licenses using birth certificates or foreign IDs for undocumented immigrants, in-state tuition for undocumented students , and extending bilingual education to six years. He has supported voter registration for youth and Latinos, the Spanish American Merchants Association for state funding, and community groups like Centro San Jose and Hill Development Corporation. Professionally, he worked in business development and as a Sales Manager at TD Bank North.

Education and Political Experience

Specific details on formal education are not listed in available records. His political experience includes New Haven Town Committee Ward Chair , Alderman , and Connecticut House Representative for District 95 since 2003, with re-election in 2024. He brings private-sector managerial and marketing experience, earning promotions and accolades.