Democrats have won all the major races. We are sending Jim Himes back to the House; we are sending Dick Blumenthal to the Senate. Dan Malloy and Nancy Wyman will be our Connecticut Governor and Lt. Governor. George Jepsen is our Attorney General, Kevin Lembo is our Comptroller, Denise Merrill is our Secretary of State, and Denise Nappier is our Treasurer.

Where we have failed is to return our fine State Representative Peggy Reeves to the Connecticut House and to elect John Hartwell to the Connecticut Senate. These two warriors for Wilton will be sorely missed for what they could have done in Hartford.

We want to thank each of you who has worked in every way on so many campaigns to elect our team of Democrats this fall, and wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.

• Governor – Dan Malloy
• Lt. Governor – Nancy Wyman
• Secretary of State – Denise Merrill
• Attorney General – George Jepsen
• Treasurer – Denise Nappier
• Comptroller – Kevin Lembo
• U.S. Senate – Richard Blumenthal
• U.S. Congress – Jim Himes
• State Assembly – Peggy Reeves
• State Senate – John Harwell
• Registrar of Voters – Carole Young-Kleinfeld

Debates in Our Area

Come out and support our candidates. Remember, (D) is for drive forward and (R) is for reverse!

• Thursday, October 7, 7:45 – 10:00 amU.S. Senate – Richard Blumenthal (D) & Linda McMahon (R)
  112 Main Street, Norwalk
• Thursday, October 7, 7:30 – 9:30 pmState Senate – John Hartwell (D) & Toni Boucher (R)
  Ridgfield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge Road
• Tuesday, October 12, 6:00 – 8:00 pmState Assembly – State Representative Peggy Reeves (D) & Gail Lavielle (R)
  Wilton Library
• Wednesday, October 13, 7:00 – 9:30 pmState Senate – John Hartwell (D) & Toni Boucher (R)
  Westport Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue
• Sunday, October 24, 4:00 – 5:30 pmU.S Congress –Representative Jim Himes (D) & Dan Debecilla (R)
  Wilton High School, Clune Center
• Thursday, October 28, 7:00 – 8:00 pmState Assembly – State Representative Peggy Reeves (D) & Gail Lavielle (R)
  Norwalk City Hall

Televised Debates

• Gubernatorial – Dan Malloy (D) and Tom Foley (R)
  Oct. 4 (Fox 61), Oct. 13 (WTNH), Oct. 19 (WFSB, CPTV, WNPR) and Oct. 29 (NBC30)
• Senatorial – Richard Blumental (D) and Linda McMahon (R)
  Oct. 5 (Fox 61), Oct. 7 (Cablevision 12), and Oct. 12 (WTNH)

Let’s take a quick look around the country at the primary races, and the choices made by the GOP. This is no longer a party that recognizes or makes room for the values of New England moderates.

I understand that proud traditions fade slowly, but I also think there comes a point where folks ought to recognize the writing on the wall. Consider these notes from campaigns now underway:

Kentucky:

Republican primary voters in Kentucky ignored the GOP establishment and overwhelmingly selected Rand Paul to run for the US Senate. He promptly drew enormous scrutiny and criticism for… saying what he really believes. He is certain that the federal government should stand by and allow businesses to deny black people a seat at a restaurant table or a night in a hotel. Sure, he backpedaled his response and endorsed the Civil Rights Act (I’m sure his Profile in Courage award will be forthcoming).

But the fact is: he espoused a view of government that probably doesn’t comport with that of the New England branch of the Republican party. In fact, it was the New England Republicans (and others outside the South) of 1964 who gave the Civil Rights Act the margins needed to overcome near-uniform resistance from Southern Democrats — the same folks who are now overwhelmingly Republican. But the Civil Rights Act controversy wasn’t the strangest thing Rand Paul had to say in the weeks following his primary victory. He is iffy on the 14th Amendment. That is truly amazing. Children born in the US to immigrant parents, regardless of whether they are here legally or not, are US citizens. This is nothing novel. The Supreme Court settled that question, oh, 100 years ago. Yet Rand Paul – and the state senator from Arizona who wrote the controversial, recently-enacted immigration legislation – think there’s something wrong with a fundamental element of our Constitution that has long defined who an American is.

So in Kentucky, you have a GOP electorate endorsing a candidate for US Senate, who is skeptical of parts of the Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment. If your party is leaving you…

Maine:

At state conventions, delegates endorse candidates. But they also draft and endorse a state party platform. Up in Maine, the Republican delegates adopted a platform that is shocking. It’s only four pages. I urge you to go read it. If you think the Tea Party types are some isolated fringe group that has nothing to do with the traditions of New England Republicans, consider that in a New England state, the Republican party now espouses these views:

• Repeal and prohibit any participation in efforts to create a one world government.
• Reject the UN Treaty on Rights of the Child.
• Investigate collusion between government and industry in the global warming myth
• Pass and implement Fed bill #1207 (Introduced by Ron Paul), to Audit the Federal Reserve, as the first step in Ending the Fed
• Return to the principles of Austrian Economics

Bonus points if you know what Austrian Economics is all about (here’s a hint: Ron Paul has written six books on the subject). There’s more: Tenther stuff, specific targeting of ACORN, and “Reject[ing] any effort to give foreign citizens the right to vote” (What? Huh? Did I miss something in the news lately?). And I love the bit where they specify that “Congress can no longer vote themselves a pay raise.” That is specifically addressed in the 27th Amendment. Sure, it took 202 years to ratify, but it’s there. For all the professed reverence for the Constitution, they sure are quick to toss aside the parts that conflict with policy they want to impose while taking the country back (how far back always remains unclear).

This is in New England. Do you think Olympia Snowe is grateful that her term isn’t up in 2010? If your party is leaving you…

Nevada:

Chickens. A serious Republican Senate candidate wants you to pay for your health care with chickens. OK, I admit I’m over-simplifying. But it’s funny stuff. The candidate for US Senate who was most likely to end up challenging Harry Reid in November made a pretty colossal error and suggested that barter was a way to help keep health care costs down. She went on to say that decades ago, a farmer might offer to pay a doctor with a chicken, and that’s something we should look at now. Now, instead of saying “Look, I was merely saying people do all sorts of things to pay for the sky-high health care costs that we need to address, but I was not suggesting that actual barter is a real solution to this problem,” she dug in deeper. Her lead in the GOP field evaporated, opening the door to the Tea Party-endorsed Sharron Angle.

Again, in a race for the US Senate, the party seems like it’s going to nominate the candidate with the views that have nothing to do with reasonable, centrist, moderate governance. According to Angle, Social Security is “a broken system without much to recommend it.” She favors phasing it out. Good luck with that. She also wants to repeal the 16th Amendment (boy these Constitution-lovers sure do hate those pesky Amendments!). That’s the income tax. And while a state senator in Nevada, “she wanted female inmates to enter a drug rehabilitation program devised by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.”

So in Nevada, you have the chicken-barter slip-up leading to the political ascendancy of a candidate who wants to literally eliminate the tax code and social security. That is not someone serious about governing in the 21st century. If your party is leaving you…

Oregon:

This one is a little off the beaten path, but, the race for the House seat in Oregon’s Fourth Congressional district is instructive. One of my basic arguments is: you can’t identify a serious Democratic contender for a House seat that is this far outside the mainstream. Yet, you can find lots of candidates like Oregon’s Arthur Robinson on the GOP side. Mr. Robinson is nominated to challenge Democratic incumbent Peter DeFazio. Mr. Robinson will lose. DeFazio had no challenger in 2008, and has won with 20- or 30-point margins in previous contests. So perhaps the local GOP is just giving the nod to the only guy who wanted to take on the task. But, do you think a modern political party should put forth a nominee who says:

Home schooling is no more than a tool that can be used to keep a child out of the World.

If a young person is kept out of the World, the Lord will raise him (or her). Little else is necessary. The links to the Lord are already built into the child. He will follow those links and will directly help the child. All children receive this help. Parents really need do very little in addition.

He’s also an avid climate-change denier, and doesn’t think schools (or homeschoolers) should use any books published after 1950.

Can you find me ANY nominated Democratic candidate in any of the 435 districts in the US whose views on ANY aspect or function of the government are similarly extreme? I doubt it. Please try. If your party is leaving you…

Alabama:

This ad says everything you need to know about the heart of the modern Republican party. Now, this guy did lose in his primary, so his own party’s voters rejected this pitch. Thank heaven. But I think the ad demonstrates where the the base of the Republican party has shifted to in the last few decades. Sorry, folks. The center of the GOP is in the culturally distinct South.

Again, show me the ad from a statewide Democratic campaign (or federal campaign) ANYWHERE in the nation that is so out-of-step with the political norms and values of Connecticut voters. You just don’t see this sort of thing in Democratic campaigns, because Democrats are now the centrist, moderate party in this country. We have a left-wing and a conservative wing (and folks all along the spectrum in between). But the GOP is now reduced to a right-wing and a ultra-right-wing. If your party is leaving you…

And, of course, Connecticut:

The Republicans in Connecticut threw moderate Rob Simmons under the bus. A primary between him and Linda McMahon would have been beneficial, I think. But the Republican establishment in this state took a look at a moderate with a career in public service, including experience in the Congress and a woman with a career in (you can’t make this stuff up) TV wrestling whose only work experiences are promoting violence, sexism, and stereotypes to young people, and chose the latter. If you haven’t seen the WWE videos of simulated rape and necrophilia, or the depiction of a mentally disabled “character,” you haven’t yet seen the work of Linda McMahon.

There is no room in Connecticut’s Republican party for moderates, it seems. Even here in New Canaan – at the Memorial Day parade (which is supposed to be respected as a non-partisan event recognizing the solemn nature of the observance) – at least one member of the RTC was out there circulating petitions for Rob Merkle in the race for Congress. Apparently, Dan Debicella isn’t ultra-right-wing enough for some on the RTC.

To the other, moderate New Canaan Republicans, I continue to make the case: if your party is leaving you, it’s time to leave your party.

U.S. Senate

Richard Blumenthal

In his 20 years as Attorney General of Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal helped lead the fight against Big Tobacco, forced health insurance reforms, and drove reductions in pharmaceutical drug prices. He served 4 terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives and clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court. Blumenthal is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School.more…

U.S. Congress – 4^th District

Jim Himes

Congressman Jim Himes was elected to his first term in 2008. He serves on the House Committees on Financial Services and Homeland Security. He attended Harvard and earned a Rhodes Scholarship. Himes began his career in the financial industry, where he focused on Latin America and telecommunications. Prior to serving in Congress, he ran a nonprofit focused on housing and urban poverty.more…

State Senate – 26^th District

John Hartwell

Westport resident John Hartwell is challenging Toni Boucher for the 26th district Senate seat, spanning Wilton, Westport, Weston, Ridgefield, Redding, New Canaan and Bethel. Hartwell worked at Chase Manhattan Bank and holds an MBA from Yale. He serves on the Metro-North Rail Commuter Council, chairs the Westport Water Quality Initiative and is on the board of Earthplace.more…

State Assembly – 143^rd District (Wilton / Norwalk)

Peggy Reeves

Representative Peggy Reeves is running for a 2nd term. She is a member of the legislature’s Government Administration and Elections, Judiciary, and Transportation Committees. From 1994–2008 she was Wilton’s Registrar of Voters. Reeves is Chairman of the Salvation Army’s Wilton Unit and past-president of the Wilton League of Woman Voters. She holds a J.D. Degree from Pace.more…

Registrar of Voters – Wilton

Carole Young-Kleinfeld

Carole Young-Kleinfeld is running for re-election as Wilton’s Registrar of Voters (D), having served as Deputy Registrar from 2004-2008. She has led training state-wide on election auditing procedures and electronic voting and testified for the legislature as an expert on fair elections processes. She sits on the Area Nine Cable Council and is a member of the Wilton League of Woman Voters.more…

Governor

Dan Malloy

Serving for 14 years at its mayor, Dan Malloy led the transformation of Stamford. During his tenure, the city was named one of the 10 best places to live in the nation. He hopes to bring the same resolve and creatity to Hartford to tackle Connecticut’s biggest problems: economic and job growth, clean energy and transportation, and education. Malloy holds a J.D. from Boston College. more….

Lieutenant Governor

Nancy Wyman

Since 1994, Nancy Wyman has served as Connecticut’s State Comptroller. She was the first woman elected to that role, and has signficantly streamlined operations to enhance efficiency, accountability, and public service. In addition to paying the state’s bills and keeping its books, Wyman has a strong record advocating for health issues while working to keep costs down.more….

Attorney General

George Jepsen

For more than 26 years George Jepsen has been a hands-on lawyer for the people of Connecticut. He was staff counsel for the carpenters’ union, then entered private practice where he represented an array of small businesses. He served for 16 years in the Connecticut General Assembly – the last 6 as the Senate’s Majority Leader. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and holds a masters in public policy. more….

Secretary of State

Denise Merrill

In her seventeen years in the House Majority Leader Denise Merrill has held a number of leadership roles including Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. She is an attorney with a background in training, focused on civic education. She serves on the board of the National Conference of State Legislatures and co-chaired its Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education.more….

State Treasurer

Denise Nappier

First elected in 1998, Denise Nappier serves as Connecticut’s chief financial officer, overseeing $50 billion in state funds – including the $26 billion Connecticut Retirement Plan (one of the nation’s top performing state pension funds). Her innovative leadership has saved the state hundreds of millions of dollars; the asset recovery and loss prevention program she created recouped over $1 billion.more….

State Comptroller

Kevin Lembo

Under Kevin’s Leadership as State Healthcare Advocate, Connecticut residents saved $20 million. Prior to being named to lead the office of Healthcare Advocate, Lembo worked for 6 years with Connecticut State Comptroller Nancy Wyman on issues including GAAP accounting standards, the Rainy Day Fund, and state health insurance. Kevin holds a Masters in Public Administration.more….

Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” played as Senate-nominee Dick Blumenthal ascended the podium.

And the Nominees are…

• U.S.Senate: Richard Blumenthal
• Governor: Dan Malloy
• Lt. Governor: Nancy Wyman
• Secretary of State: Denise Merrill
• Attorney General: George Jepsen
• State Treasurer: Denise Nappier
• State Comptroller: Kevin Lembo

Wilton Dems Convention Tweetcast Makes Splash

Delegate Thomas Dec live-tweeted the convention on behalf of the WDTC. Tom posted 60 tweets and photos documenting the activities on the floor as events unfolded. This “tweetcast” was picked up and “re-tweeted” by the New Canaan Democrats, as well as two aggregators of political tweets (USDemocrats and CanadaDems) and several progressives from around the state. Leveraging this network, Tom’s live convention coverage reached over 4,000 twitter users!

• Read Tom’s WDTC State Convention tweetcast
• View Tom’s photos from the floor

Convention Slideshow

Delegate Sharon Lewis Grace, past Wilton DTC Chair and Secretary, is also a darn good photographer! She captured the highlights of the convention, as seen from the floor.

• View as slideshow »

State Representative Peggy Reeves, Marcia Spivak, and Jean Rexford are hosting a brunch in support of Attorney General Richard Blumenthal – Candidate for U.S. Senate.

The brunch will be held on Sunday, June 6 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the home of Monica and Burton Spivak, located at 35 Wicks End Lane in Wilton.

All supporters are welcome. Suggested contributions are $150 per individual.

Please RSVP to Joe Kelley.

The Wilton Democratic caucus held at Town Hall on March 23^rd was attended by 55 registered Democrats – young and old, new residents of Wilton as well as long time residents. All were in good spirits after the passage of the Heath Care bill by Congress on Sunday and it’s signing by President Obama.

It was an orderly and efficient caucus, which began at 7:40 p.m. and concluded at 8:10 p.m. Delegates were elected to represent the town at the following conventions:

• 4^th Congressional District | TBD – May 10
• Judge of Probate | TBD – May 11
• State Convention – Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State | Hartford, May 21 (evening) – May 22 (all day)
• State Senate – 26^th District | TBD – May 24
• State House of Representatives – 143^rd District | TBD – May 25
• State House of Representatives – 125^th District | New Caanan Town Hall – May 25, 7:30 pm

Our State Convention delegates are an interesting mix. We have a very young voter in Tom Dec who graduated from Wilton High School last May and is now a freshman at UCONN Stamford. He will move on this fall to Cornell University’s School of Industrial Relations to finish his college degree. He has worked this year on the Stamford Mayoral race and is now an intern in Congressman Jim Himes’ Stamford office. Tom is very interested in government and politics. He brought several Democrat college friends with him to the caucus to root him on.

We also have a newcomer to Wilton on our list, but an old-hand at politics in Norwalk. Walter Briggs has just moved to Wilton from Norwalk. Walter ran for mayor of Norwalk several years ago. He is also the former Chair of the Norwalk DTC and Chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. We look forward to his service in Wilton.

Peggy Reeves, our Wilton State Representative to the General Assembly, will be a delegate as well as Ted Hoffstatter, a Wilton Selectman.

Sharon Grace, former DTC Chair, Charlie Lewis and Ernie Ricco, DTC members, as well as Deborah McFadden, DTC vice chair, and John Kalamarides, DTC chair, fill out the remaining slots.

State delegates meet April 26 to select representatives for a two year term to serve on Democratic State Central Committee. The Wilton DTC has endorsed Ted Hoffstatter for another two year term. He serves the six town 26th State Senatorial District of Wilton, New Canaan, Westport, Ridgefield, Weston, Redding, and part of Bethel.

Rep. Peggy Reeves, WDTC Chair John Kalamarides, and Majority Leader Denise Merrill

At the March 3^rd meeting of the Wilton Democratic Town Committee, State Representative Peggy Reeves of the 143^rd Assembly District introduced Denise Merrill, currently the majority leader of the CT House of Representatives, who is running for the office of CT Secretary of State.

Denise Merrill has been State Representative for Mansfield and Chaplin for 17 years, and is currently House Majority Leader; she previously chaired the Appropriations Committee. Before entering public service, she was an attorney and teacher specializing in developing curricula on constitutional issues.

Merrill sees the position of Secretary of State as having the two-fold obligation of promoting involvement in civic life by ensuring fair and accurate elections and helping to create jobs by streamlining the corporate registration process for companies doing business in the state. Her focus, if elected, would be on modernizing the corporate registration process, which currently has no online mechanism.

Merrill strongly supports the Citizen’s Election program, noting that it engendered the biggest change in Hartford in decades, by ushering in a wave of representatives like Peggy Reeves, who can focus solely on serving their constituents, rather than raising money from special interests.

Learn more about the Democrats who have formed exploratory committees for 2010 state-wide elected office:

Connecticut State Offices

United States Offices