Monday, October 02, 2006

Cleaning the desk...

The fax machines and e-mails are piling up, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to try and do a little housecleaning.

CBIA...the state's largest business trade organization...released its endorsements in the General Assembly races last week - with a few surprises. Here's a look at how the business group looked at the eastern Connecticut General Assembly match-ups:

Endorsed in the state Senate races:
Senate President Pro Tem Don Williams, D-Brooklyn.
Sen. Eileen Daily, D-Westbrook.
State Rep. Lenny Winkler, R-Groton (seeking the 18th Senatorial District seat being vacated by Sen. Cathy Cook).
Republican challenger Matthew Daly in the 19th Senatorial District (the seat now held by Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia, who is seeking re-election.)
And Republican incumbent Sen. Tony Guglielmo, R-Stafford Springs.

On the House side:

Republican challenger Heather Sherman Bond gets the nod to fill Winkler's seat in Groton's 41 Assembly District race.
State Rep. Tom Reynolds, D-Ledyard (running unopposed)
State Rep. Michael Caron, R-Killingly.
State Rep. Steve Mikutel, D-Griswold.
State Rep. Jack Malone, D-Norwich.
State Rep. Michael Alberts, R-Woodstock (in what is considered the most competitive House races this year in this part of the state).
And State Rep. Shawn Johnston, D-Thompson (also running unopposed)

You can see the entire list of CBIA endorsements at www.ctbizvotes.com

I've said in the past that I don't put a lot of weight on endorsements from groups and organizations. I've always felt that your next neighbor, bowling buddy or the person working next to you in the office is likely to have more of an influence than groups But I must admit, a few of these nods are a bit interesting, especially where incumbents were passed over in lieu of backing a challenger.

2 Comments:

Blogger Bill Jenkins said...

I know why you're thinking that Mike Alberts' race is "the most competitive House races this year in this part of the state" but I can think of at least four others that are at least and if not more "competitive"

Heather Bond - 41st
Paul Formica - 37th
Pam Sawyer - 55th
John Crooks - 47th

The only CBIA nod to a challenger is Matthew Daly which actually doesn't surprise me at all since the CBIA doesn't really like Senator Prague.

1:40 PM  
Blogger Ray Hackett said...

Bill...I agree with you on those other races having the potential to be good ones. In fact, one of my Sunday columns a few weeks ago I made the same point - and listed those same races as "ones to watch" - with the exception of the Pam Sawyer race which is slightly outside our main readership area of the newspaper.

Bonnie...and I agree with you that part of the burden belongs to the candidates...and they need to be out there meeting with folks.

10:41 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home