Conroy said his six years in the Legislature have given him the “great and relevant experience” needed for the job.

“I take my role as representative very seriously,” he said. “I listen to my constituents, I am their voice at the State House on education and economic development, protecting the environment, and maintaining and improving public transportation.”

Conroy sees transportation infrastructure and water infrastructure as pressing problems after years of deferred maintenance on roads, bridges, and water pipes.

“We need a dedicated revenue source to maintain both of these things going forward into the 21st century, and I believe this is the top priority in the next session,” he said.

The second issue Conroy said he will continue to focus on is economic growth and jobs, particularly “middle class job opportunities.”

“We need to help hard-working, ambitious, diligent people willing to apply themselves grab onto that bottom rung of the middle class and pull themselves up,” he said.

Hakar, an accountant, has lived in Framingham for the past 17 years and serves on the town’s Finance Committee.

He describes himself as an activist who has a proven record of getting things done.

“I have a long history of working as an activist in this community, which is very diverse,” he said. “My opponent doesn’t have that.”

Hakar said he has opposed development projects because of concerns about their impact on well water, among other issues, and has spoken out against unfunded government mandates that he says cost the Framingham school system $20 million a year.

If elected, Hakar said, fighting to fund or eliminate unfunded state and federal mandates and protecting drinking water would be his priorities.

“I’m about getting things done and solving problems,” he said.