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Christopher Hendricks: 
--Candidate for State Rep. of 11th District of Bristol--

Currently an attorney, Chris Hendricks has built quite the resume in Bristol County. A graduate of New Bedford High School and area resident since 2000, Hendricks has interned for the District Attorney's Office and for State Senator Mark Montigny.

Hendricks explains that he got interested in running because of a passion he's developed for “going to bat for people in tough situations.” Something that he says was picked up through years of defending people in workers compensation lawsuits.

Hendricks also says that he wants to run because of what he calls “a lack of leadership” across the country, particularly within the district from current State Rep. Bob Koczera.

“I've lived in the district since about the year 2000. I have rarely seen Mr. Koczera out at community discussions, trying to solve problems, trying to get the community involved, and trying to solve issues,” stated Hendricks. "I just think he's too absent, quite frankly. When you get voted in and you disappear up to Boston that's just not a way a democracy should be run. The last thing we need it tepid leadership.”

The biggest issue, Hendricks says, is the opioid crisis that's gripped the nation as well as the City of New Bedford. A recovered alcoholic and sober since 2009, Hendricks says the most crucial challenge is ending the stigma surrounding addiction.

“Probably the most pressing issue to me is the opioid crisis. We have a huge substance abuse problem in this country. I've been in the recovery community on and off since I was a young man and have been sober since 2009. So I understand what is needed and I understand that if we're going to solve this issue we're going to need to take the stigma out of addiction, once and for all,” Hendricks explained. “I think we have to make the necessities of life easy and available for people in recovery because when you have someone coming out of detox or prison and they're coming down off drugs or alcohol most of these people don't have a place to sleep or a place to go.”

The hopeful for Representative is also an advocate for an increasing focus and aggregation of funds towards vocational schools and education, saying “I think we have to focus on those who do not want to go to college and I think we're doing a huge disservice by not investing in vocational training.”