The other guys...
In my Sunday column in the Norwich Bulletin I talk about the minor party candidates who will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot. Needless to say, these folks don't get a lot of press as the focus typically centers on the major party candidates. But there are quite a few "others" running in this year's election and I thought, at the very least, they deserved some mention.
So, here's a list of minor party candidates on the ballot, the position they're running for, and the Web addresses for their campaigns or their party - a chance to learn more about them and where they stand on the issues.
For governor;
Clifford Thornton, Green Party, www.votethornton.com
Joseph Zdonczyk, Concerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitizensparty.com
For lieutenant governor:
Jean de Smet, Green Party, www.votejean.com
Jose Garcia, Concerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitizensparty.com
For U.S. Senate:
Ralph Ferrucci, Green Party, www.ferrucciforsenate.org
Timonty Knibbs, Concerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitizensparty.com
For state comptroller:
Colin Bennett, Green Party, www.ctgreens.org.
Richard Connelly Jr., Libertarian Party, www.lpct.org
For secretary of the state:
S. Michael DeRosa, Green Party, www.ctgreens.org
Ken Mosher, Libertarian Party, www.lpct.org
For state treasurer:
S. David Bue, Green Party, www.ctgreens.org
Steve Edelman, Libertarian Party, www.lpct.org
Mimi Knibbs, Conerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitiizensparty.com
So, here's a list of minor party candidates on the ballot, the position they're running for, and the Web addresses for their campaigns or their party - a chance to learn more about them and where they stand on the issues.
For governor;
Clifford Thornton, Green Party, www.votethornton.com
Joseph Zdonczyk, Concerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitizensparty.com
For lieutenant governor:
Jean de Smet, Green Party, www.votejean.com
Jose Garcia, Concerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitizensparty.com
For U.S. Senate:
Ralph Ferrucci, Green Party, www.ferrucciforsenate.org
Timonty Knibbs, Concerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitizensparty.com
For state comptroller:
Colin Bennett, Green Party, www.ctgreens.org.
Richard Connelly Jr., Libertarian Party, www.lpct.org
For secretary of the state:
S. Michael DeRosa, Green Party, www.ctgreens.org
Ken Mosher, Libertarian Party, www.lpct.org
For state treasurer:
S. David Bue, Green Party, www.ctgreens.org
Steve Edelman, Libertarian Party, www.lpct.org
Mimi Knibbs, Conerned Citizens Party, www.concernedcitiizensparty.com
posted by Ray Hackett at 2:55 PM
3 Comments:
snorwich....sometimes you give us more credit than what we deserve...and than other times, not enough credit.
We do cover the minor party candidates. I did a centerpiece story - with photos and contact information - on Green Party gubernatorial candidate Clifford Thornton not too long ago in the newspaper.
I devoted my entire Sunday column this past week to the minor party candidates...
And then provided the campaign Web pages for all of them on the blog here.
Is that adequate? Hmmm...good question with no good answer. What is adequate? And simply qualifying for the ballot, is that "enough" to warrant more?
As noted in the column on Sunday, candidates need to demonstrate their candidacies are viable. Does anyone really believe at this point that the Concerned Citizens candidate running for U.S. Senate is on the same playing field as U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman or Democratic nominee Ned Lamont?
Or for that matte...shouldn't the minor party candidates in that race - at the very least - demonstrate as much support of the GOP challenger Alan Schlesinger - who is currently only getting 6-percent support in the polls.
It is a tough call - and as noted in Sunday's column - a bit subjective.
But we have achieved something. We have a conversation going on about the minor party candidates - thus some interest being generated.
snorwich...I assumed you were talking about the mainstream media and not specifically me when challenged us to spend more time with the minor party candidates.
And although on a personal level I don't disagreee with you at all on these points you raise, on a practical level it isn't quite that simple.
Part of the burden also falls to both the candidates and their parties, as well as voters. Simply doing only what you need to do to get on the ballot shouldn't be the end of it. Political candidates and parties need to actively pursue the campaign - and voters should also make themselves aware of who these folks are - especially when the information on how to do that is put out to be used (as I did in this post).
Let me make this point...the petitioning candidates had to file on Aug. 9. Since that time, with the exception of Green Party candidates Clifford Thornton, his running mate Jean de Smet and Attorney General candidate Nancy Burton - not a single petitioning candidate has made any effort to contact me - no phone calls, no press releases, no press conferences - nada.
Like I said, there is a threshold we call a demonstration of a candidacy's viability. If the efforts not going to be there, should simply qualifying to be on the ballot be enough?
Jean...that point about the polls not recording votes for the minor party candidates has been raised before.
But in this case, those votes were counted in the UConn/Hartford Courant poll.
According to the two polls..."other" candidates received 1-percent of the vote prior to the debate - and 1-percent of the vote after the debate.
I think you have a fair argument in saying that callers are not being given the "other" candidates' names - but in this case, those votes were simply dumped into the undecided column.
As for my column and other posts here trying to at least provide some coverage of the "others," I appreciate the kind words.
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