COLCHESTER � Democrat Jason Paul announced Wednesday that he is running for the state House of Representatives 48th District seat long held by Colchester resident and Democrat Linda Orange, citing Orange�s vote against last year�s gun control legislation as a major reason for jumping into the race.

�Ever since our incumbent state representative stood with the NRA in opposition to common-sense restrictions on assault weapons, I said that someone needed to stand up,� Paul, 27, said.

Orange won her ninth term in the House of Representatives in November 2012, and voted last April with several other Eastern Connecticut legislators against a bill aimed at stemming gun violence in the wake of the December 2012 Newtown school shooting. The legislation ultimately passed and became law.

Orange said at the time her �no� vote was the most difficult decision of her career, and it would have been easier to go along with the bipartisan majority. She said police officers had contacted her to say they worried �the new law will lead to well-armed criminals who can outgun the police.�

Orange has long been a supporter of public safety personnel, organizations and issues in her district.

�I have a long record of serving my constituents and put a lot back into the district,� she said Wednesday.

Orange said it appeared Paul was ignoring other portions of the bill that had exemptions for voluntary mental health committals. Orange vocally opposed those measures when the bill was moving through the Legislature.

�The new law stops short of fully addressing important mental health issues,� she said. �I�m a straight shooter, and if I have a problem with a bill, I�m not afraid to say why.�

Paul, who lives in Colchester, acknowledged that the race would be tough.

�I don�t expect the campaign to be easy, but the privilege of representing this district shouldn�t be given away. It needs to be earned,� he said.

The 48th district includes most of Colchester, as well as Lebanon, Mansfield and Windham. The district was redrawn in 2011 to include Mansfield and Windham. It previously included East Haddam and a small portion of western Colchester as well.

Paul, described on his website as a progressive Democrat, said he�s eager to spend the coming months meeting voters. He recently met with the Lebanon Democratic Town Committee, and he has a fundraiser planned for Feb. 28 in West Hartford.

Paul is working on qualifying for public financing program and securing the support of delegates to the 48th Assembly District convention to be held in May.

In order to qualify for the public financing, Paul needs to raise $5,000 in small contributions of $100 or less. If he does, he�ll be eligible for at least two grants: one for the primary, and another for the general election.

He has the backing of the Connecticut High School Democrats, a 700-member organization that backed Sen. Chris Murphy in his 2012 primary.

�Jason�s strong progressive stance on gun violence prevention was an important part of why we chose to back him,� President Julian Waddell said,

A partner in a consulting firm called What�s Next, Paul graduated with a degree in political science from Brandeis University, where he served as president of the College Democrats. He is set to graduate from the University of Connecticut School of Law in May.

In 2000, he volunteered for U.S. Rep. Sam Gejdenson�s campaign in the 2nd Congressional District. He also volunteered in Susan Johnson�s run for state representative in Windham in 2008, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney�s congressional bid in 2006, Bill Curry�s campaign for governor in 2002 and President Barack Obama�s 2008 presidential bid.

He also ran the 2012 campaign for state Rep. David Alexander, D-Enfield, and was part of Jonathan Harris� unsuccessful 2010 bid for Secretary of the State.

Paul has also written political columns as �Jason the Greek� for the CT News Junkie website since 2010.

Paul�s website emphasizes his local ties. His maternal grandparents, Ernest Leff and Ada Goldberg Leff, both grew up in Colchester and graduated from Bacon Academy and the University of Connecticut. Paul spent summers at their family cottage on Amston Lake.