A Blowout

Perkins Wins Primary;

Will Face McLachlan

Councilman Duane Perkins won the Democratic primary over Terry Tierney yesterday. He did so by a very wide margin earning about eighty-six percent of the vote.

Perkins received 1,007 votes compared to Tierney's 159 votes. Turnout was very low, only at around ten percent.

Perkins will now face Republican Mike McLachlan in the general election.

Democratic Senate Primary

The News-Times had a nice article on the Democratic Senate primary in the paper the other day. You can read it here.

Duane Perkins was the endorsed candidate from Democrats, receiving their backing at their May convention. He currently is a member of the Common Council in Danbury representing the fifth ward. Challenging him is Terry Tierney, who had to collect over 600 signatures to force the primary. He is a real estate developer, but also a very active Democrat.

Perkins is definitely the favorite to win. He is the only one with lawn signs, and also has TV ads up. Tierney does have good name recognition in Danbury, but that might not be enough.

Based on his strength in Danbury, Tierney may actually be the better candidate to challenge Republican Mike McLachlan, who also has very good Danbury recognition. However, it appears as though Perkins will win this race, but anything is possible.

The Italian Festival

This past weekend was the annual Italian Festival. Like usual it was a good event with delicious food. It was also a time for many local candidates to show up and try to introduce themselves to the voters. I was there on both Friday and Sunday and will report on what I saw.

Friday night started out slow, but picked up by about 6:30. The place had David Cappiello for Congress balloons scattered all over the area. Also, his headquarters is located right in front of where the festival took place, so there were many signs out for him as well. Chris Murphy had no representation that night.

Cappiello himself was not there, but many Council members were. I spotted Republicans Mary Teicholz, Coleen Stanley, Shay Nagersheth, and Phil Curran. Also Democrat Fred Visconti. Others might have been there, I just didn't see them. Also walking around was Town Clerk Lori Kaback.

As for local candidates, I saw Republican State Representative Jan Giegler, who is running for a fourth term. I also spotted Republican State Senate nominee Mike McLachlan, and Terry Tierney, who is a Democrat running in a State Senate primary to see who challenges McLachlan.

As I mentioned I was not there on Saturday night, but I have heard that State Senator David Cappiello was there along with City Treasurer Dan Jowdy and Mike McLachlan. Others were probably there I just didn't hear about them.

On Sunday, the crowd was smaller, but it was also the Democrats afternoon. Congressman Chris Murphy was there along with State Representative Bob Godfrey, State Senate candidate Duane Perkins, former Mayor Gene Eriquez, and Town Committee Chairman Joe DaSilva. The Republicans in attendance were Jan Giegler, Mike McLachlan, and Dan Jowdy.

Once again, this is only what I saw and heard, other people were probably there but I just didn't see them. Just so everyone knows, I will be continuing to analyze the Danbury House races, but I will also be writing a post on the Democratic Senate primary which is next Tuesday. Stay tuned!

The 2nd District

Jason Bartlett (D-Inc.)

vs.

Melanie O'Brien (R)

In my opinion this is going to be the best of the four house races. The reason being that Republicans want it back, and Democrats want to keep it.

Jason Bartlett is currently representing the district, after he was elected to it in 2006 by about 54%. He previously ran unsuccessful for the spot in 2002 and narrowly lost in 2004. Republican Hank Bielawa beat him both times. This year, Republicans went with Melanie O'Brien who is an attorney in Bethel.

O'Brien is a very appealing candidate and perhaps the best choice the GOP could of gone with. However, Bartlett is a strong candidate and has good name recognition. He is always in the newspaper and his name is quite known. O'Brien does not have that on her side. She does however have the ability to do well. She has a very personable quality to her that could go very far. If O'Brien does a lot of door knocking and outreach in the community, then maybe she could pull off a win.

Of course Bartlett has a slightly upper hand being the incumbent, but he is far from a shoe in. This district is made up of three towns, Redding, Danbury, and Bethel. I believe Redding tilts Republican, while Bethel tilts Democratic. However, since O'Brien is from Bethel it could make for an interesting race in that town. Also, Danbury is more of a battle ground, with probably no clear favorite.

As of right now, this race is a toss-up.

What's To Come

As I have mentioned I will be analyzing the State Senate and four State Representative races. I have decided to hold off on the Senate, and start with the House seats. After I do those, I will then write on the Democratic Senate primary, which is only a few weeks away. With the election only three and a half months away, the time has come to start closely looking at these races.

Independent Senate Candidate

Manuel Bataguas has gotten the required 150 signatures needed to get his name on the State Senate ballot this November. You can read it here.

Bataguas tried to get the Democratic nomination, but failed and did not decide to pursue their endorsement. He is now going to appear on the ballot most likely as an independent.

The 24th Senate seat has become very interesting. The Democrats are in the middle of a primary battle between Councilman Duane Perkins, who got the nomination, and Danbury resident Terry Tierney. It will take place on August 12th. The winner of that will face Bataguas and Republican Mike McLachlan.

I will have more detailed analysis on the primary and Senate races in general, as well as the local House races within the coming weeks.

Fundraising Numbers

In the race for the fifth district, both Chris Murphy and David Cappiello have released their second quarter fundraising numbers. Here is what they raised, how much they have raised in total, and how much cash they have on hand.

Raised Second Quarter
Murphy - $515,000
Cappiello - $446,000

Raised In Total
Murphy - $2.275 million
Cappiello - $1.114 million

Cash on Hand
Murphy - $1.9 million
Cappiello - $710,646

Getting Campaign Cash

The News-Times ran an article today regarding the new campaign finance laws. You can read it here.

This year, state candidates can become a part of the new Citizen Elections Program. A candidate for the house needs to raise $5,000 from at least 150 people within the town or towns they represent. They will then get $25,000, which will give them $30,000 for the entire campaign. A senate candidate needs to raise $15,000 from at least 300 people. They will then get $85,000 to give them $100,000 for the campaign.

In Danbury, the only candidate who has officially received their money is Republican Mike McLachlan who is running for the State Senate. It is likely that the incumbent house members will get their money soon, as it is always easier for an incumbent to raise money. However, this will give challengers more of a level playing field. They won't have to worry about facing a well financed incumbent.

We will have to see if this ends up having a big role in the election.

Happy Fourth of July

Wishing everyone a wonderful July 4th as we celebrate the birthday of the greatest nation on earth. America will always be the beacon of hope, and we thank and honor the founding fathers who fought for the many freedoms we hold so close.

Some Polls

Quinnipiac has come out with a lot of polls this week, and here's a wrap up of them.

First of all, Barack Obama has a big lead over John McCain in Connecticut. Obama leads the Arizona Senator 56%-35%. A poll last month had McCain within 3% in our state, but it appears as though our residents have went back to their Democratic ways. The McCain camp has said that they want to target New Hampshire and possibly Connecticut as their two Northeastern states. As for Obama, it looks very good for him here.

Next, Jodi Rell is still popular, but not as much as she used to be. There was a time where 80% of our state approved of her job. In March the number was 76%, but it is now down to a 65% approval. The tough economic times for residents is likely to lead to her numbers going down, but all things considered she is still in good shape.

Also, Joe Lieberman and Chris Dodd lost some ground as well. Lieberman's approval has dropped to just 45%. He polls the worst with Democrats, which he used to be, probably because of his strong and vocal support for Republican John McCain. Dodd is approved by 51% of the state, which is the same as three months ago.

Connecticut may go blue in presidential elections, but it is really a purple state. The last poll I'll report on was which baseball team Connecticut residents like the best. In an essential tie, the Red Sox picked up 41% and the Yankees got 40%. Between New York Yankees blue and Boston Red Sox red, Connecticut is clearly a purple state.

A Senate Primary

Democrats Perkins, Tierney To Battle It Out

Republican Mike McLachlan will have to wait until August 13th to see who his Democratic opponent will be. Terry Tierney has announced that he has collected the 615 necessary signatures in order to force a primary against Councilman Duane Perkins.

Perkins was nominated by the Democrats in May. He has the support of many high ranked Democratic officials, such as former Congressman Jim Maloney and Danbury Democratic Town Committee Chairman Joe DaSilva.

Tierney however feels that he is best prepared to lead and has the knowledge to address the challenging issues we face. The primary will be held on August 12th. Perkins would appear to be the front runner based on the fact that he was nominated, but Tierney is known in Danbury. It may be the other towns of Bethel, New Fairfield, and Sherman that truly decide who will have the chance to face McLachlan. This should be fun to watch!

Your Predictions

With the beginning of the summer starting, it is time to evaluate the different races that will be decided this fall. Take this time to make predictions!

For President will John McCain be able to overcome President Bush, or will Barack Obama be swept in by a new crowd of voters?

For Congress will Chris Murphy repeat his impressive victory from two years ago, or will David Cappiello prove many people wrong?

For State Senate will Mike McLachlan be able to keep the seat Republican, or will Duane Perkins put it in Democratic control after over a decade absence?

For State Representative will incumbents Jason Bartlett, Joe Taborsak, Bob Godfrey, and Jan Giegler claim victory, or will Melanie O'Brien, Ted Farah, Roger Palanzo, and Bill Melillo take them out?

Let's hear what you think!

Who Will Be The Next VP?

We already know that come next January, we will have either John McCain or Barack Obama leading our country. However, we are still unsure of who will be in second command. Another words, who are those two candidates going to pick as their running mates? The following are a list of just some of the names mentioned as possible Vice Presidential picks.

John McCain's Running Mate
Mitt Romney
Mike Huckabee
Charlie Crist
Tim Pawlenty
Joe Lieberman
Rudy Giuliani
Condoleezza Rice
Bobby Jindal
Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Tom Ridge

Barack Obama's Running Mate
Hillary Clinton
Joe Biden
Chris Dodd
Ed Rendell
Kathleen Sebelius
Jim Webb
Chuck Hagel
John Edwards
Bill Richardson
Wesley Clark

Now, many other names have been mentioned, but these are some of the ones that keep being said. Both McCain and Obama will have a very big decision to make on who they want to share the ticket with. Will they look at who can carry a swing state, who shares their values, or who can help in different regions of the country? We will wait and see what happens, but it will be a very tough decision for both candidates to make.

A Journalism Legend

Tim Russert

1950-2008

Yesterday Tim Russert, the longtime host of Meet the Press, suddenly died of a heart attack at the age of 58. Russert is mostly known for his Sunday morning show, but is also NBC News chief correspondent. He has surely made a name for himself and has influenced the way many of us look at politics.

It is extremely unfortunate that Russert had to pass at the moment he did, while not being able to cover the best presidential election ever. He would have loved it.

Today we honor his life, his service, and his passion of politics. May God Bless Tim Russert, and our prayers go out to his family and friends.

A Million Dollars

David Cappiello's campaign for Congress has announced that it has raised over a million dollars. It appears, based on Cappiello's statement, that he wanted to reach the one million dollar mark by June 30th. That is the end of the second fundraising quarter.

Congressman Chris Murphy had raised 1.8 million at the end of the first quarter. It is expected he will definitely pass the 2 million dollar mark by the end of the month. The interesting question we will have to see is how much cash the candidates have on hand.

Are We In Play?

Late last week, Rasmussen Reports released a presidential poll for Connecticut. It showed Barack Obama with a 47%-44% lead. This is a very small margin considering that he was up by double digits a month ago. Does this mean that John McCain has a shot at winning our state?

Well, I think it would be very difficult, but McCain has always done well in Connecticut. He won the primary this year, but also in 2000. If McCain wants to change the electoral map, like he says, then our state may be in play.

As of today, Obama would win Connecticut, but November is a long time away.

South Dakota & Montana Primary Results

Obama Wins Nomination

Clinton To End Campaign

Well, it's all over. At least the primary that is. Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination the other night, claiming many super delegates who chose in the final day of primaries. Hillary Clinton did not end her bid that night, but her campaign has announced that she will suspend her quest and endorse Obama on Saturday. She did manage to win South Dakota, as these were the results:

Clinton: 55%
Obama: 45%

However, the night ended with the last state going for Obama. He won the first contest in Iowa and after a lot of stuff happened in between, he won the last contest in Montana. These were the results:

Obama: 57%
Clinton: 41%

Now that this race is over the questions start over whether Clinton will be Obama's running mate. It's viewed as a dream ticket, but also can be seen as Obama going against his "change" message. Also, questions start over who John McCain will select.


However, time will tell what will happen. It's just nice to finally be in general election mode as we await one of the most exciting presidential campaigns ever between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. It will be a fun ride from here!

Puerto Rico Primary Results

Clinton Wins Big

Yesterday, Hillary Clinton easily defeated Barack Obama in the Puerto Rico primary. Here were the results:

Clinton: 68%
Obama: 32%

Tomorrow are the final two primaries in the race. Obama clearly has the delegate lead, and is within nearly forty to clinch. With super delegates running to him, Obama may be able to clinch the nomination this week. Some say Clinton may take her fight to the convention, but the possibility seems very unlikely. It will be interesting to see what she does, but it is likely that we won't be seeing any fireworks. However anything is possible!

State Representative Candidates

With the month of May gone, we now know who will be facing each other in the four State Representative races in Danbury. Here's what they look like:

2nd District
Melanie O'Brien (R)
Jason Bartlett (D-Inc.)

109th District
Ted Farah (R)
Joe Taborsak (D-Inc.)

110th District
Roger Palanzo (R)
Bob Godfrey (D-Inc.)

138th District
Jan Giegler (R-Inc.)
Bill Melillo (D)

As the month continues I am going to write about each of these races and analyze them. Some have the potential to get interesting, especially the 2nd district in my opinion.

Possible Primary

Councilman Duane Perkins might of won the nomination to take on Republican Mike McLachlan in the 24th State Senate race, but he may face another dilemma. Democrat Terry Tierney, who challenged Perkins for the nomination, has said that he filed the necessary paperwork to force a primary.

If he does force a primary, by getting the 615 signatures he needs, it will be held in August. Perkins won the nomination, by a very big margin. Teirney said that it was important to unite the party, however he has now said, the he is by far the best person for the job.

This could get very interesting.

Happy Memorial Day

May God Bless all of our American heroes who have given their lives for our freedom. It is their sacrifice that has made our country what it is today, and we should honor those who fought and those who continue to fight.

Kentucky & Oregon Primary Results

Obama Inches Closer,

Clinton Continues Fight

Barack Obama secured the majority of pledged delegates the other night. He also is less than 100 away from reaching the magic number of 2,026. He was able to do this with a big win in Oregon. Here were the results:

Obama: 58%

Clinton: 42%

Despite his win, Hillary Clinton won the state of Kentucky in a total blowout. Here were those results:

Clinton: 65%

Obama: 30%

Clinton has pledged to continue her fight, however her chances of winning the nomination are very small. There are three more contests left, with all voting done on June 3rd. It should be interesting to see what happens after that day.

Perkins Gets Senate Nod

Councilman Duane Perkins, Democrat of the fifth ward, was nominated last night as the Democratic nominee for the 24th State Senate race. You can read it here.

Perkins beat Democrats Terry Tierney and Manuel Bataguas. Perkins got 26 delegates compared to four for Tierney and one for Bataguas. In order to of forced a primary, Tierney needed five delegates. However, he could collect 1,000 signatures to force a primary, which he said he might consider.

It doesn't seem that likely though, as Tierney said it was important to unite the party in order to win back the seat. The last Democrat to hold this seat was Jim Maloney, who was then elected to Congress in 1994. Since then, the district was represented by Republicans Mark Neilsen and now by David Cappiello.

If things stand, Perkins will face Republican Mike McLachlan in November.

Democratic Dilemma

Terry Tierney, an active Danbury Democrat, has announced that he is running for the 24th State Senate seat.

Tierney is just another Democratic candidate who wants to be the nominee of their party. Councilman Duane Perkins also announced his intention to run, as well as Manuel Bataguas. The Democratic convention is tomorrow night.

Perkins claims to have enough support to be nominated, however their is a possibility of a primary, which would occur in August. Whoever is the nominee will face Republican Mike McLachlan. This could get interesting.

West Virginia Primary Results

Clinton Scores Blowout Win

Most people have come to the conclusion that Barack Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee. However, Hillary Clinton still thinks she has a shot and the results in West Virginia show that many people still really like and want Clinton. Here were the results:

Clinton: 67%
Obama: 26%

Now, this is not likely to hurt Obama's chance at taking on John McCain, but if Clinton could continue to win a few of the upcoming contests like this (which she may) then she has every right to stay in the race. We will wait and see.

Cappiello Ready For Murphy

Yesterday, Republicans in the fifth district nominated State Senator David Cappiello to run for Congress against incumbent Democrat Chris Murphy. You can read it here.

Cappiello has served the 24th State Senate district for the past ten years, while serving four years in the State House prior to that. He announced in April of 2007 his intention to run for this seat.

Murphy's political career is one very similar to Cappiello. He served four years in the State Senate, and prior to that he served four years in the State House. Murphy defeated twenty-four year incumbent Nancy Johnson in 2006 by twelve percentage points to become our Congressman.

This race is anticipated to be a very high profiled one once again. Cappiello has raised close to one million dollars, while Murphy has raised close to two million. This should be fun to watch.

Democrats Show Senate Interest

Earlier this week I reported that Duane Perkins, Council member of the fifth ward, was seeking the Democratic nomination for the 24th State Senate seat. The News-Times ran a story on this which you can read here.

Manuel Bataguas is also vying for the nomination, however, Perkins is the only one who has filed his candidacy with the Secretary of State. Democrats pick their nominee on May 19th. Republicans are likely to nominate Mike McLachlan at their May 13th convention.

This is the first time since 1998, when David Cappiello was elected, that the 24th Senate seat is open with no incumbent running.

NC & IN Primary Results

Obama,

Clinton

Split

He could of done better, but he did pretty darn good. Barack Obama scored a nice fourteen percent win over Hillary Clinton in North Carolina. Helped by a strong African American vote, Obama won by a big margin. This victory because of its size is really a very big disappointment for Hillary Clinton. Here were the results:

Obama: 56%
Clinton: 42%

In Indiana, many thought Hillary Clinton could win by high single digits, despite being a close race for the last few weeks. Clinton managed a win by just two percent, not nearly as good as she would of liked. Here were the results:

Clinton: 51%
Obama: 49%

So now what? Well, Clinton says she is not leaving the race until the Democratic nominee is selected. She should win West Virginia on Tuesday, and might close the delegate gap slightly by the end of the month. However, I believe it will take a miracle and a lot of good luck for her to be the nominee. Anything is possible, but Obama is the closest he has ever been at taking on John McCain one on one.

Nomination Month

This month nominations will take place for Congress, State Senate, and State Representative seats. That means that we will know who is running for every spot, and what we can expect to see this November.

Here is what we already know, although it is not yet official. Also some breaking news in the State Senate race as I just found a Democratic candidate file paperwork to open a campaign committee.

Congress - 5th District
Chris Murphy (D-Incumbent)
David Cappiello (R-Challenger)
(Possible nomination and primary challenge by Republican Tony Nania)

State Senate - 24th District
Mike McLachlan (R)
Duane Perkins (D)

State Representative -

2nd District
Jason Bartlett (D-Incumbent)
Melanie O'Brien (R-Challenger)

109th District
Joe Taborsak (D-Incumbent)

110th District
Bob Godfrey (D-Incumbent)

138th District
Jan Giegler (R-Incumbent)
William Melillo (D-Challenger)

Second District Candidate

This is sort of old news, but I have not reported on it yet on this blog. Melanie O'Brien, a former attorney, has announced her intention to run against State Representative Jason Bartlett.

Bartlett represents the second district, which includes a small section of Danbury. He ran for the seat unsuccessfully in 2002 and 2004. In 2006, he won with about 54% of the vote.

It should be interesting to see how O'Brien does, and how competitive this seat is. It usually is always an good race to watch in the second district.

Pennsylvania Primary Results

Clinton Wins

By Double Digits

As the final days neared many was wondering if Hilary Clinton could nail down the win in Pennsylvania. She did, and by ten points. These were the results:

Clinton: 55%
Obama: 45%

What does this mean? Well, she picked up a few delegates but nothing major. However, she has gained momentum and keeps saying how the tide is changing.

The next contests are in two weeks as Indiana and North Carolina votes. Clinton has a slight edge in Indiana and Barack Obama has a nice lead in North Carolina. If Clinton could manage to win both, she would have a very credible case to make. If they both win one, then things probably remains the same. However, if Obama win them both, it may be enough to convince the super delegates that he should be the nominee.

Money Numbers

Last week, both Chris Murphy and David Cappiello released their fundraising numbers for the first quarter of 2008. Here is a rounded number of what they raised, how much they raised in total, and how much they have on hand.

Quarter One
Murphy: $400,000
Cappiello: $255,000

In Total
Murphy: $1.75 million
Cappiello: $652,000

Cash on Hand
Murphy: $1.55 million
Cappiello: $420,000

Open Forum

I won't be here this week, but that doesn't mean that the political discussion can't continue. This is going to be an open forum, where you can talk about any political issues that you'd like.

You could talk about the presidential race, the race for Congress between Chris Murphy and David Cappiello. The race for State Senate and the State Rep. seats. What do you think is going to happen this November?

Danbury Day

Yesterday was Danbury Day at the capitol in Hartford. You can read the article here.

This was the first time that our city was given a special day of honor at the capitol, something that hopefully will become a tradition. Many legislators wore hats in order to celebrate Danbury, also known as "Hat City".

It appears as though it was a very nice ceremony as four Danbury icons were honored. They were John Esposito, a Democratic Council member of the fourth ward, who is the longest serving member in the history of our city. Michael Seri, the former Democratic Town Clerk, was honored as well. Robert Noche, former Republican Town Committee chair, and Evo Butera, a retired assessor for Danbury, were also honored.

Like I said, I hope this becomes an annual event because it is truly great for Danbury.

The Journey Ends

Last night the UConn women lost to Stanford 82-73. The Huskies gave up to many three-pointers and just couldn't make the big shots.

Overall, this was a very good season for them. After losing two starters, the Huskies came out in full force and were determined to reach the Final Four, which they did.

They lost a few seniors, but they should be a very good team next year, and should be ranked pretty high. They will definitely be national championship material.

However, we move on, and now this blog will once again go back to reporting on politics full force. Many local candidates will be starting to announce their candidacies, so this should be a pretty fun ride until November.

UConn-66 Rutgers-56

Huskies Rally To Reach Final Four

What a game it was. At a time UConn was down by 14 points and looked like they would suffer another disappointing exit. However, the rallied back and fought hard to beat Rutgers by a final score of 66-56.

The Huskies made all 12 of their last free-throws which secured the game for them. They didn't take the lead until less than seven minutes in the game.

UConn will now face Stanford in the Final Four on Sunday at 7:00. Many want to see UConn face Tennessee in the championship game, but both would have to win this weekend.

Whatever happens, this is truly a great time for the state of Connecticut. Just two more wins, and UConn will become national champions.

UConn-78 Old Dominion-63

Huskies Advance To Play

Rival Rutgers In Elite Eight

The UConn women beat Old Dominion yesterday by a final score of 78-63. The Huskies looked very good and ready to play tomorrow night.

UConn will be playing Rutgers, their Big East rival, tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. Rutgers is the only team to beat UConn this year doing so back in February 73-71. However, the Huskies were able to easily defeat them later in the season.

It should be a very good game, and remember if UConn wins, they are headed to the Final Four somewhere they haven't been since 2004. Just three more wins, and the championship comes back to Connecticut.

Democrats Beat McCain In CT

Quinnipiac has come out with new presidential polls in our state. Here were the results:

Barack Obama: 52%
John McCain: 35%

Hillary Clinton: 45%
John McCain: 42%

About two weeks ago I reported on polls done by Rasmussen Reports. They had Obama up by 12% and Clinton up by 3%, very similar to these results.

What is becoming clear in Connecticut is that Obama should not have much of a problem beating McCain, but if Clinton is the nominee, then our state will probably be competitive.

UConn-89 Texas-55

Huskies Advance

To Sweet Sixteen

Tuesday, the UConn women's basketball team came one step closer to going back to the Final Four. The Huskies beat Texas 89-55. They looked brilliant and were always on top.

Their next game will be on Sunday at 12 noon against Old Dominion. If they win that game, UConn will advance to the elite eight. Many are hoping that they will play Rutgers, who will also have to win this weekend, because the two teams are Big East rivals.

UConn has to win four more games and they will be national champions, however the games will only get harder.

UConn-89 Cornell-47

Huskies Advance

To Second Round

With the UConn men losing on Friday, all Connecticut fans turned to the women to give them a game that ended with a win. Well, they didn't disappoint.

Yesterday, UConn beat Cornell 89-47. The Huskies are ranked number one and Cornell was a sixteenth seed. They will now play Texas tomorrow nightat 9:00 p.m.

After a stellar first round game, UConn will now hope to continue to shine. Just five more wins, and the championship will come back to Connecticut!

Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter. Enjoy the day!

State Representative Candidate

According to the State Elections and Enforcement Commission website, William Melillo, has created a campaign committee for State Representative in the 138th district.

Melillo ran unsuccessfully for the Common Council at Large last November. He would face incumbent Republican Jan Giegler, who has served the district since being elected in 2002.

Giegler had a tough fight to win the seat winning by only 16 votes. However, she won nearly 60% of the vote in 2006. Despite a landslide year for Democrats, Giegler was able to earn 55% of the vote to win a third term in 2006.

The Journey Begins

I did this last year so I though I'd do it again. It is once again March Madness. Here in Connecticut we are one of the biggest basketball fans because of our spectacular UConn teams. However, I believe that here in our state the interest is so high because of the UConn women. So just like last year I am going to track the games and hopefully it will end with another national championship for the UConn women.

The last time they won it all was in 2004 after winning their third in a row. They have not made it to the final four since. This year they are the overall number one seed in the Greensboro Region. They will play their first game on Sunday against number sixteen Cornell. The time is yet to be determined.

They are the clear front runner to win the national championship. Hopefully this is the year to bring the title back to Connecticut. Just six more wins and they will!

Connecticut Presidential Polls

Rasmussen Reports has polled Connecticut voters on how they would vote this November. Personally, this is in my opinion one of the best polling sources, they were dead on in 2004. Barack Obama has a nice lead over John McCain, but Hillary Clinton and McCain are in a dead heat. Here were the results:

John McCain: 38%
Barack Obama: 50%

John McCain: 44%
Hillary Clinton: 47%

What's interesting is that McCain does so well against Hillary despite her being the Senator from New York. Obama does have a twelve point lead, but that could decrease if McCain does what he says, and competes in northeast.

This should be interesting. I've always thought that if McCain or Rudy Giuliani were the GOP nominee that our state would get competitive. I think Connecticut will get some more attention this year, something we haven't seen in a long time.

Rell Shows Support For Cappiello

Yesterday, Governor Jodi Rell was the featured speaker at a campaign fundraiser for State Senator David Cappiello's congressional campaign. You can read the story here.

The Governor told the crowd, which included many high ranking Republican officials in our area, to get out the word and vote. She also said Cappiello is one of the hardest working people she knows.

Tony Nania, a former State Representative, has formed an exploratory committee to run against Cappiello for the Republican nomination to face freshman Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy. However, Cappiello has gained the support of many Republicans in the fifth district and now has the Governor's backing. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Can Connecticut Turn Red?

With John McCain locking up the Republican nomination, many are speculating to what type of a strategy his campaign will put together in order to win this November.

Most people are talking about possible VP picks, and boy can that be tough. There are so many options McCain could go with.

However, McCain's campaign has been discussing how they will compete in every part of the country and have a 50 state strategy. McCain himself has said that he wants to compete in California, the largest Democratic state in the country. With this news, you could guess that McCain will also campaign in Connecticut.

Our state has not gone to the GOP since George Bush won it in 1988. More recently, Gore won big over Bush in 2000, and Kerry beat Bush by about ten points in 2004. McCain, who is viewed as a maverick, attracts well to independents. He is the type of Republican that could win our state.

Personally, I feel McCain can make New Jersey very competitive and also Pennsylvania. New Hampshire could also go for him if he works hard. Winning just one of these states, and holding almost every state Bush held in 2004, McCain could be in good shape. However, Democrats have been excellent at getting the vote out, and not all the states Bush won in 2004 are safe.

So, could Connecticut go red this year. If the election was today, it wouldn't, but November is a very long time away.

McLachlan Kicks Off Senate Bid

Michael McLachlan announced yesterday that he is running for the State Senate. You can read the article here.

McLachlan is currently Mayor Boughton's chief of staff. He has gained the support of just about every Republican official in our area.

The seat is currently held by David Cappiello, who is running for Congress this year. He has served the 24th senatorial district for the past ten years.

As of now, McLachlan is the only candidate in the race. He appears to clearly become the official Republican nominee. Also, no Democrats have publicly come out to show interest in the seat. This is the first time in over a decade that the Democrats could have a decent shot at winning the seat.

McLachlan also has put up a website. You can view it here.

Super Tuesday II Results

Clinton Makes Comeback

McCain Clinches Nomination

Yesterday was a big day for Hillary Clinton. She won Rhode Island, and the very critical states of Ohio and Texas. Barack Obama won Vermont, which he was expected to carry. Here are the Democratic results:

Ohio

Clinton: 54%

Obama: 44%

Texas

Clinton: 51%

Obama: 48%

Rhode Island

Clinton: 58%

Obama: 40%

Vermont

Obama: 59%

Clinton: 39%

On the Republican side John McCain clinched the nomination by gaining the 1,191 delegates needed to be the nominee. He won 60% of the vote in Ohio, 51% in Texas, 65% in Rhode Island, and 72% in Vermont. Mike Huckabee officially withdrew and threw his support behind McCain.

McCain is waiting to see who his opponent will be. Obama still leads Clinton by over 100 delegates. However, momentum is on her side. The next very big contest isn't until April 22nd in Pennsylvania, about seven weeks away. This is going to be intense and very fun to watch.

Bloomberg Will Not Run For President

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that he will not be running for President. You can read it here.

Bloomberg mentioned that he may endorse a candidate if one shows that they will put politics aside and work in a bi-partisan manner. Both John McCain and Barack Obama appeal to independents, and both always talk about unity.

A Bloomberg endorsement would only help either one. He could also give them a lot of money. And don't forget about Hillary, she's not out yet. She may of had a bad February with the primaries, but she just announced that she did well with the money. Texas and Ohio are critical for her.

Saadi Says No To Senate Bid

Councilman Tom Saadi announced today that he will not run for the 24th State Senate seat. You can read it here.

The seat is open because current Senator David Cappiello is running for Congress. Saadi is currently the minority leader on the Common Council. As of now, the only candidate running for the seat is Republican Michael McLachlan, Mayor Boughton's chief of staff. Few names have been mentioned for the Democrats, however if one plans on running I believe they will announce fairly soon.

Dodd Endorses Obama

Senator Chris Dodd endorsed Barack Obama for President today. You can read it here.

As most of you know, Dodd ran himself for the Democratic nomination, but dropped out after the Iowa Caucus. It's interesting to note that Dodd ran on a message of needing the experience to be President in order to bring the change that we need. This is sort of what Hillary Clinton's motto has been. However, Dodd has not picked her, and went to Obama. Also, Dodd may be considered on the short list for Vice President, if Obama is the nominee. We'll wait and see.

This is another step forward in showing that many high officials are endorsing Obama instead of Clinton. This Tuesday is going to be a huge test for her. I don't see how she can possibly be the nominee without winning Ohio. It will be a very BIG day!

Nader's Running Again

Ralph Nader has decided to run for President again. You can read it here.

Nader is running as an Independent. He is most known as for possibly taking away the presidency from Al Gore in 2000. It should be interesting to see what his impact will be. It may hurt the Democrats slightly, but probably not anything big.

Vice President Rell?

Today's News-Times has a very interesting article regarding the possibility of Governor Jodi Rell becomg John McCain's running mate. You can read it here.

McCain is all but officially the Republican candidate. He will have a very, very tough choice to make regarding his vice presidential candidate. Some believe he should pick a very conservative person as his running mate, but some think a moderate like Rell or others would really add to the independent support that McCain will need.

I don't think Rell will be his pick, but it is fun to speculate about. His choice will be a very interesting decision to watch.

Happy President's Day

Today is President's Day and we have the chance to honor the men who have served our nation. It is funny to think that next President's Day we will have a new leader. Here's to the pride of all of our previous Presidents, and to a successful and respectful election as we choose our next.

Local Races

I have been very quiet on the local races that will occur this November. The presidential race is just so exciting, and very fun to watch. However, the time has come to put a post up on the Danbury races.

First of all, I belive the best race to watch will probably be the race for the State Senate. David Cappiello is not running because he is running for Congress, so this leaves the seat open. A Republican has held the seat (24th district) for over a decade. This may be the Democrats first realistic chance to take the seat in many years. However, the question will be if they can.

It appears as though Mike McLaughlin, Mayor Mark Boughton's chief of staff, will be the Republican candidate. No real Democrats have been rumored to run. Depending on who does for them will make this race either a good or bad one to watch.

As for the races for State Representative, it is a little early to predict. First of all, I have not heard of anybody considering challenging the incumbents. The safest seat, as of now, is probably the 110th district, where very popular Bob Godfrey serves. The weakest is hard to say, but the 2nd district has traditionally been closer, where Jason Bartlett currently represents. However, Bartlett had an impressive victory in 2006, and Godfrey cliamed another landslide win.

The 109th district is currently represented by Joe Taborsak, who ended up winning by a nice margin in 2006, in a race that was expected to be close. The 138th district has traditionally been the most Republican of the four districts. It is the only one served by a Republican, Jan Giegler. She did fairy well in 2006 considering it was a very Democratic year.

As candidates start to emerge I will continue to write more. Some of these races could be very interesting depending on the candidates.

Boughton Goes To McCain

Mayor Boughton has now endorsed John McCain for President. You can read it here on his blog.

Boughton served as co-chairman of Mitt Romney's campign in our state. However, Romney left the race on Thursday. With his departure, Boughtn has now gone to the all but official Republican nominee.

The mayor had the following to say about Senator McCain:

"He is American hero. I don't agree with everything he stands for but in general, I believe he will make an outstanding President."

With McCain the likely nominee, it should be interesting to see how competetive he is in our state. I do believe it will be much closer than it has been in the past few elections.

Danbury Primary Results

Danbury Republicans followed what the rest of the state did. They overwhemingly picked John McCain. Here are the GOP results in our city:

1. McCain: 1,084 (49%)
2. Romney: 787 (36%)
3. Huckabee: 144 (7%)

On the Democratic side, Danbury was one of the bright spots for Hillary Clinton. She won our city narrowly, despite Barack Obama winning our state. Here are their results:

1. Clinton: 2,373 (51%)
2. Obama: 2,125 (46%)

Connecticut Democrats made our state the only northeastern one to not go in favor of Clinton. McCain has all but locked up the nomination. It will be interesting to see how our city goes in November. They were very nice to President Bush in 2004, and McCain is much more moderate than him. This means that McCain may not only have a decent shot at winning Danbury, but also Connecticut. We will just have to wait and see.

Connecticut Primary Results

McCain Wins Big

Obama Narrowly Claims Victory

On Tuesday, Connecticut voters went to select who they would like represent their party for President. John McCain scored a big win in our state, and Barack Obama pulled off a surprising win. Here were the Republican results:

1. McCain: 52%
2. Romney: 33%
3. Huckabee: 7%
4. Paul: 4%

Hillary Clinton had a nice lead going into our primary, but she lost it. Here were the Democratic results:

1. Obama: 51%
2. Clinton: 47%

McCain has all but officially become the GOP nominee, and Republicans in our state showed that. Obama and Clinton are in a very tough battle which will last for a while. More results about Super Tuesday and Danbury will be coming soon.

Super Bowl XLII: Giants or Patriots?

Super Tuesday may be in just two days, but today is SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! It's time to take a break from politics and focus on a great football games. Can the Patriots get their perfect season, or will the Giants continue their impressive run and deny them it? We will wait and see. Enjoy the game! (GO GIANTS!)

Florida Primary Results

McCain Becomes Front-Runner

Giuliani, Edwards Withdraw

Gee, what a wild tenty-four hours! Yesterday Florida voters went to the polls and voted in their party's primary. On the Republican side, John McCain won an impressive victory over Mitt Romney. This now gives him a lead in delegates, and gives him the front-runner status. Here are the GOP results:

1. McCain: 36%
2. Romney: 31%
3. Giuliani: 15%
4. Huckabee: 14%
5. Paul: 3%

After a bad showing, coming in third, Rudy Giuliani dropped out of the race today. Once the national front-runner, he skipped the early primaries to focus directly on Florida, however it did not work out for him. Giuliani publically endorsed McCain today, saying he will help him in whatever way he wants. What I found interesting was when McCain said Giuliani will join him in the campaign as his right hand man. Do we see a possible GOP ticket brewing?

On the Democratic side, no delegates were at stake because they got punished. However Hillary Clinton did win. Here are their results:

1. Clinton: 50%
2. Obama: 33%
3. Edwards: 14%

Today, John Edwards also withdrew from the race saying it was time for him to leave. He has not endorsed a candidate. This now sets up a tough battle between Clinton and Obama. It should get very fun! Super Tuesday is almost here!

Rell Endorses McCain

Governor Jodi Rell has endorsed John McCain in his quest to become the Republican nominee for President.

Rell has stayed neutral up until now, indicating at times that she may choose McCain or Rudy Giuliani. The Governor is pro-choice, which is what may have delayed her announcement. However, with Giuliani fading, the McCain endorsement makes a lot of sense.

This now gives McCain a very strong base here in Connecticut. Not only does he have Governor Rell, but he also has Senator Joe Lieberman and Congressman Chris Shays. Lt. Governor Mike Fedele announced today that he too supports the Arizona Senator. He also leads in the latest poll by double digits. McCain won our state in 2000.

South Carolina Democratic Primary Results

Obama Wins Huge

Democrats went out to vote yesterday in South Carolina. They chose Barack Obama by a huge margin. Hillary Clinton came in second and John Edwards in third. Here are the numbers:

1. Obama: 55%
2. Clinton: 27%
3. Edwards: 18%

This was a big win for Obama, as he now gains momentum going into Super Tuesday on Feb. 5th. It should be interesting what happens based on this win. Many expected him to win, however I believe the strength of his victory was what surprised a lot of people.

Some wonder how much race had to do with this primary contest. Interesting enough Obama won the African American vote huge, and actually Edwards won the vote from white voters. It was a very interesting day in South Carolina, and it is going to only get more fun from here.

Murphy, Cappiello Release Numbers

Congressman Chris Murphy and State Senator David Cappiello have released their fourth quarter fundraising numbers.

Murphy raised about 331 K. He raised a total of 1.4 million in 2007, and has 1.2 on hand. Cappiello raised about 131 K. He raised about 400 K in 2007, and has about 238 K on hand.

Going into a new year should be very interesting to watch. A possible Republican primary is being talked about, and these numbers may have a big influence on whether it happens or not. Time will only tell. Cappiello did raise a lot of money by a grassroots organization, however Murphy does have a very nice lead over him in finances.

Endorsements

I have compiled a list of who some of our state and local officials have decided to endorse for President.

Governor Jodi Rell has yet to decide on a candidate. Rumor has it that she may before our state's primary on February 5th, and that she is leaning towards either McCain or Giuliani. Senator Chris Dodd has yet to endorse anyone as well, ever since his withdrawal from the campaign. Here is a list of some of some people's endorsements that you may find interesting.

John McCain

• Senator Joe Lieberman
• Congressman Chris Shays

Rudy Giuliani

• State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney
• State House Minority Leader Larry Cafero

Mitt Romney

• Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton

Hillary Clinton

• Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
• Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy
• Bridegport Mayor Bill Finch
• State Representative Bob Godfrey
• State Representative Jason Bartlett

Barack Obama

• Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams
• Ned Lamont

Connecticut's Preference?

The Hartford Courant has released a poll regarding Connecticut primary voters preference on the Presidential candidates. The results, especially on the Republican side may surprise you.

Democrats said that they prefer Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama, by a fairly big number. Here are the results:

1. Clinton: 41%
2. Obama: 27%
3. Edwards: 9%

On the Republican side, voters went with who they did in 2000, John McCain. This is very different from older polls that had Rudy Giuliani, the hero from next door, leading. McCain has a huge double digit lead. Here are their results:

1. McCain: 39%
2. Giuliani: 16%
3. Romney: 11%

I find it weird how Giuliani has slipped so much in our state. If he were to win Florida, it could get more interesting. I know I haven't spent a lot of time covering more local stories, however this race has become so intense and interesting that I find it hard not to report on. It should be fun to see who Connecticut goes with on February 5th.