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Republican candidates gather at local BBQ
Posted on 07/21/2010
By TOM EVANS Times Staff Writer NORWALK -- The Norwalk Inn Hotel & Conference Center was the site for all candidates GOP this past Sunday, where the Norwalk Republican Town Committee held a "Meet-and-Greet BBQ" fundraiser. "There are no formal speeches. This is just a chance for candidates to talk to anyone face-to-face," said Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia said. "(The primary on) Aug. 10 will be an interesting day for the party, and I'm happy I'm not running for anything. I'm happy being mayor, and I'm here to support some of my candidates." Lisa Wilson-Foley of Simsbury seeks the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, but not as part of a specific gubernatorial candidate's ticket. "I've been a small-business owner for 20 years, and it's time to get friendlier about small business and support small businesses," Wilson-Foley said before she headed off to another rally in Harwinton. "Rather than recruit more new business to the state, we need to keep the ones we have. I want to cut the red tape on small businesses." Ross Gardner is preparing to take over the attorney general's position, after incumbent Richard Blumenthal will step away to take a run at the senate seat vacated by Christopher Dodd. "I've dedicated my career to government investigations, and we need an attorney general to focus on issues critical to the state," Gardner said. "I also want to focus on being a consumer advocate for the people of Connecticut, and not bring in my own personal social agenda to the table. Connecticut is ready for an attorney general that will effectively represent the people." Norwalk businessman Rob Merkle is hoping the primary next month will change the party's course for the Congressional seat in the 4th District, currently occupied by Democrat Jim Himes, after the state GOP endorsed Dan Debicella. "I'm the one who's never been in politics, and we have to go back to being Republicans," Merkle said. "We don't know the meaning of being Republican, and we've lost about 20,000 registered Republicans over the past two or three years. They haven't left the state. They just are now Democrats or undecided. It's time to change things. We're putting up the lesser or two evils unless I'm on the ballot. Dan's an insider, and he and Himes present a choice of the lesser of two evils. The party doesn't stand for anything anymore. There are completely disenfranchised voters, and we're disgusted." For Debicella, this visit was a chance to connect with voters and party candidates in what he described as part of a large 4th District. "The big thing about being here is Norwalk is a pivotal town, and I've spent a lot of time listening and learning about the issues," Debicella said. "There are two big issues. Nationally, it's jobs and the economy, and people are not happy with the current solutions. On the local level it's traffic, which is not getting any better on the Merritt Parkway and I-95. I want to put in entrance and exit lanes, which do not cost a lot of money. I want to add lanes at choke points. We're very confident about Aug. 10. Realistically we're the only one who can beat Jim Himes. Our vision is to help the middle class and small business." Linda McMahon, the endorsed Republican candidate to fill Dodd's seat, has been out meeting the people as she also jumped from a wildly successful career running Stamford-based World Wrestling Entertainment into the equally rough political ring. "The campaign has been going really well, and I've been out talking to people, taking town walking tours, and talking to people on the street," McMahon said. "(The major issues) are all about jobs and the economy. Small businesses don't know what to expect, and community banks are concerned about financial reform. We foster this feeling of uncertainty. Businesses are not committed to hiring. Banks have money to loan, but people don't want to borrow. I'm looking forward to the primary on Aug. 10. We're taking nothing for granted. Then we'll focus our attention on Attorney General Richard Blumenthal."
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www.gallup.com/poll/141512/Congress-Ranks-Las t-Confidence...
Few Americans have much confidence in Congress and Himes is a good example for why not – incumbents such as Himes are seen as wasteful, ineffective, and untrustworthy. Himes has wasted a spectacular amount of money. In fact, his congress has grown our debt by an amount that exceed all previous congresses combined. While we are well aware of the costs, it is unclear that the expenses have helped much in terms of economic growth or job creation. Finally, voters do not appear to trust the last minute promises from incumbents to change their ways. Himes hopes that voters will ignore his wasteful and ineffective actions and instead focus on his last minute electioneering. So far, this has proved to be a tough sell.
Posted by: anonymous | Jul 22, 2010
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Posted by: andy | Aug 05, 2010
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