Sam The Man In CT-05?
State Sen. Sam Caligiuri (R) is considering a run against Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT 05) after struggling to stand out in a crowded CT SEN race.
With ex-Rep. Rob Simmons (R) leading the polls, and with WWF ex-CEO Linda McMahon (R) and ex-Ambassador Peter Foley (R) airing TV ads, there is very little room for Caligiuri to operate in the SEN race.
So it appears that CT GOP chair Chris Healy has been leading the charge to get him to switch races. "I have urged him to focus his energies on the Fifth Congressional district where I believe he would be a top candidate," Healy wrote in a release. "And while it is in no way meant to diminish the efforts of other Republican candidates, Sen. Caligiuri has established himself as a proven reformer and principled legislator."
Caligiuri sounds like he's going to make the move. "My goal has always been to best serve the people of Connecticut by reviving our economy, reforming government, and restoring fiscal responsibility," he said. "Over the coming days, I will make a decision on how I can best continue to fight for those principles and serve the people of Connecticut."
But if Caligiuri chooses to drop into the CT-05 contest, he's not going to be welcomed with open arms. Iraq vet/ex-Rep. Simmons (R) aide Justin Bernier (R) has been toiling in this Dem-leaning CD for months, and the NRCC recently added him to its "On the Radar" list of challengers. Indeed, Bernier has proven to be a strong fundraiser, and has $141K CoH for the contest. In his much higher-profile race, Caligiuri has just $111K on hand.
Murphy is an attractive target for GOPers, but hardly in any immediate danger. Pres. Obama won the seat with 56% in '08, and in that same cycle, the then-frosh Murphy easily dispatched with another popular and well-funded state Senator, taking 59%.
But Murphy won his seat in '06 by defeating a popular GOP incumbent, and some believe this seat could still be had, if all the ingredients line up for the GOP.
[TIM SAHD]
Chairman Healy needs to stay out of the primary races, and unfortunately for all of us in CT, he needs to also stay out of sight. It was bad enough when he was boasting about his exploits impersonating democrats (newsflash Chris...they doing a fine job embarrassing themselves, you don't have to help out, this however is just totally out of bounds.
Mr Bernier is running a great race and has stepped up and brought life and enthusiasm to the race and the local party. To bring someone else in because he is friends with the Chairman of the State Party is just a bad memory of how things used to be done, and probably still are in Chicago.
If Mr Healy wants to help his wife, who is on Mrs. McMahons staff, he should stop interfering and making outrageous statements and instead start leading. There are plenty of things for Republicans to be proud of, unfortunately Chairman Healy isn't one of them.
Independent candidate JOHN PISTONE will win the
5th congressional district of Connecticut.
"PUTTING PROGRESS AHEAD OF PARTY POLITICS"
www.pistoneforcongress.org