Connecticut Local Politics

Well it’s another day in CT and what does that mean? You got it… another candidate for Governor!
This time it’s on the GOP side, Chester First Selectman Tom Marsh,
Marsh is running on a platform of fiscal control and bipartisan leadership.
“There are very few purely republican or democratic issues. No political party ever [...]

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The new Q poll is out, pretty much verifies Blumenthal’s overall “deity” status.
Here’s the AP lede:
“Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal holds a hefty lead in a new poll over his three Republican rivals for the U.S. Senate, giving Democrats a renewed chance of retaining the seat now that Sen. Chris Dodd is out of the [...]

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I had the chance to chat with Jerry Labriola, who has announced a run for the Republican nomination for the 3rd Congressional District seat held by Rosa DeLauro (D-New Haven). The district stretches from Stratford to Middletown, from Waterbury to Guilford, with Labriola residing in Wallingford. DeLauro usually wins by a landslide, but this year’s [...]

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If you want to know exactly just how unpopular Senator Joe Lieberman in CT with his former party, consider this from the latest PPP poll
Barack Obama’s approval rating with Connecticut Republicans (15%) is higher than Lieberman’s with the state’s Democrats (14%). But if Joe’s thinking of running as a Republican, well, they don’t love him [...]

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“Who would want me?…How would they shut me up?”
CT House GOP Leader Larry Cafero answering a question if he would consider running for Lt. Governor after announcing that
he would not be throwing his hat in the GOP race for Governor.
Cafero said that he came “real close” to running but decided not to due to [...]

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Justin Bernier, one of the GOP candidates running for Congress in the 5th Congressional District speaking to Goshen RTC:
“I am still running for Congress. I am not running for governor. I am not running for Senate.”
I’m so glad he clarified, because it’s been getting mighty confusing around here what with all the musical office seeking. [...]

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Poor Lt. Gov Mike Fedele can’t get no respect. He was endorsed by Jodi Rell but then he kinda wasn’t, exactly. And now that he’s finally making his official announcement today, guess who’s raining on his parade?
Another one of those darn “Greenwich millionaires”! The Courant’s Rick Green that current GOP Senate seat contender Tom Foley [...]

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Norwich’s Mayor-elect, Peter Nystrom, has a long four years ahead of him that will really get started when he gets sworn in on December 1. 
But for the UPS driver-turned-Mayor, the days will seem as long as the years:
Mayor-elect Nystrom hopes to grab a 4:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. shift at UPS. In the afternoon he [...]

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And the plot thickens. The New Haven Independent reports that during a visit to the city this morning, State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, left the door open as to whether he, too, might throw his hat into the race for governor now that Jodi Rell has declared she won’t run for re-election.

He made the [...]

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Former Speaker James Amman on Governor M. Jodi Rell’s decision not to run for re-election and how it affects his chances in the 2010 Governor’s race:
“It’s as I predicted, but no one listens to me because I’m a has-been,” Amann quipped, adding that with Rell out and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on record as not [...]

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Update by Heath, 6:41pm:  Governor Jodi Rell announced at a press conference this evening that she would not run for re-election in 2010. 
According to CTNewsJunkie, the Governor was near tears as she explained to reporters that she’s enjoyed her years as Governor:
“I want to thank the people of Connecticut for allowing me the honor of [...]

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At the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, it is said that a woman shouted a question at Benjamin Franklin: “Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”
To which Mr. Franklin replied, “A republic, madame, if you can keep it.”
It’s Election Day – Go vote.

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Middletown DTC issued a press release yesterday reporting some unkosher happenings in the mayoral campaign there, specifically targeting seniors in town. The Committee is getting reports from seniors that they have been told by people “close to Republican Sebastian Guiliano’s campaign” that “Guiliano is a Democrat” – presumably to trick elderly Democrats into voting [...]

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No, no, there isn’t a mayoral election in Bridgeport this year! Sorry. But if you’re Mayor Bill Finch, you’re probably a little relieved that that’s the case. Check out this great new poll from Only in Bridgeport (you aren’t reading OIB? WHY? Get on that right away) showing Finch trailing his rival 40%-37%. That’s within [...]

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Republican Mayor Tim Stewart appeared with his Democratic challenger, State Rep. Tim O’Brien, on Tuesday night at a debate sponsored by the Connecticut League of Women Voters.
While many observers (including the NB Herald reporter, apparently) anticipated a rhetorical brawl between the two men, what actually occurred was somewhat subdued:
What was expected to be a brouhaha [...]

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Now that’s a headline I never thought I would read or write. But the 3rd quarter fund raising reports for the municipal elections here showed a shift in the fund raising momentum in favor of the Democrats.
Current Selectman Lin Lavery, who is running against incumbent Peter Tesei for the First Selectman spot, topped Tesei [...]

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Stamford Mayor Dannel P Malloy has raised $101, 698 for his exploratory committee for governor in the third quarter to Sept. 30th, bringing the total raised since his committee was formed Feb 3rd to $373,583 according to a press release from his campaign.
In this quarter, Malloy received contributions from 629 individuals, for a total of [...]

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Trumbull is the scene for what could be one of the closest municipal races in the state this year.  Democratic incumbent Raymond Baldwin is being challenged by Republican Tim Herbst in the race for First Selectman. 
The two men squared off in their first debate of the campaign season last night.  Herbst, 29, is running on his 11 year experience as [...]

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Mayor Ryan Bingham squared off against his opponents in the first debate of Torrington’s municipal campaign yesterday evening.
Bingham, the 26 year old two-term incumbent, is running for his third term as Mayor against two challengers, Democrat Samuel E. Slaiby, 62, and petitioning candidate Tom Iffland.
According to the Republican-American, taxes and spending was the most divisive point [...]

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10:34pm: Jarjura wins in Waterbury by an unofficial total of 186 votes.
10:00pm: A recount is needed in Cromwell.
9:18pm: The Rep-Am reports that Morris First Selectman Karen D. Paradis defeated her GOP opponent by 3 votes.
9:13pm: I’m getting a report that Scott Jackson is the big winner tonight in the Hamden Democratic mayoral primary.
9:09pm: It [...]

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