Is GOP too far right?
Hilary Rosen and Kevin Madden get into a heated debate whether the Republican Party is too far right and the internal civil war. Even Pat Robertson thinks the Republican Party has shifted...
By: Natasha Stalian
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Is GOP too far right? - Video
A genuine two-party state legislative race may be shaping up on New Havens east side, as Republican John Cirello announced that he will seek his partys nomination to run for state representative from the 97th Assembly District.
Cirello (pictured) made the announcement Thursday morning on the 10th floor of 900 Chapel St. at the close of a regular meeting of the Chamber of Commerces Government Affairs Committee, on which he sits.
Click on the video to watch his announcement.
A Democrat, Robert Megna, has held the 97th District seat since 2000. Just as Democrats have held every New Haven state legislative seat since then, with nary a serious challenge, if any, from a Republican. The 97th District roughly covers the portion of the city east of the Quinnipiac River up to the North Haven and East Haven town lines.
It was unclear Thursday afternoon if Megna will seek reelection. He ducked calls from the Independent seeking an answer.
Cirello, a 44-year-old criminal defense attorney and civil litigator with a private practice on Temple Street, challenged Megna in 2006. Since then he has dived into civic commitments. Wednesday evening found him at a city schools science fair awards presentation; hes active in the PTO of his two kids school, Nathan Hale. Thursday morning found him at the Chamber committee, of which hes a member. This weekend hell again help organize an annual kids soapbox derby in Morris Cove. He has served on New Havens Civil Service Commission and moderated numerous elections. (Hes pictured overseeing a March 2012 recount.)
Cirello grew up in New Jersey, and came of age as a Reagan Republican. He said he has been frustrated with the national GOPs crazy rightward turn. He identified himself as a very moderate Republican. Hes pro-choice, pro-gay marriage. He voted for Barack Obama for president; he was always a John McCain fan, he said, before McCain started running for president and got crazy and appointed Sarah Palin as his running mate. He said he would seek to serve as a fiscal watchdog in Hartford, looking out for irresponsible spending. He plans to seek public financing for his campaign.
He said hes running on his bio as an active, engaged citizen: I have kids in the school system. I have a business in the city. Im on the Chamber of Commerce. My wife works at Yale. Hes also running because he believes New Haven needs representatives from two parties, he said. Whats democracy without a choice for everybody?
Republican Town Chairman Richter Elser backs Cirellos candidacy. Hopefully he can use some of the experience form the campaign he ran eight years ago to have a successful campaign this time around, Elser said of Cirello. Hes involved locally in the community. Hes interested in whats going on. I think hed be a good representative.
The 97th District was New Haven Republicans last redoubt: Republican Chris DePino held the seat until Megna knocked him out of it in the 2000 election, when Al Gore and Joe Lieberman topped the Democratic ticket. Megna (pictured at the Capitol) works as an insurance adjuster in his day job.
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Republican Seeks Megnas Seat
Published May 14. 2014 4:00AM Updated May 14. 2014 9:54AM
Republican Bruce Wilson, Jr., a Madison resident and member of its Board of Education, former small businessman, and father of three, has stepped forward to announce his candidacy for the 12th State Senate District. The district includes the towns of Branford, Durham, Guilford, Killingworth, Madison, and North Branford. He will be the Republican running against Democratic nominee Ted Kennedy, Jr.
Addressing a crowd of approximately 40 supporters in front of Madison's Memorial Town Hall, Wilson said he chose to seek this nomination and the state senate seat because he has "a growing passion for community service" and "an entire career working in manufacturing, with 20 of those years in Connecticut."
Wilson said his experience includes a career in medical devices and over-the-counter drug manufacturing. The news release announcing his candidacy says, "As CEO of Aplicare, Inc., of Meriden, Wilson successfully led the company through difficult economic times yet still increased sales and profit, and more importantly, jobs for Connecticut workers, until he successfully negotiated the sale of the company to Clorox."
At his announcement the Republican said, "I cannot stand by as Connecticut businesses are lured away...We must remove the taxes and regulations that are stifling manufacturing in Connecticut. Any policy stifling manufacturing is an anti-jobs policy."
Wilson said, "Over the last several years, poor decisions in state government have resulted in stagnant growth, a regulatory and tax environment increasingly hostile to businesses, and a fiscal condition consistently ranked among the worst in the nation. As a former small businessman and a local official, I know that the regulations and mandates passed in this state are stifling economic growth and hurting our local towns. If elected, I will work to alleviate those burdens and foster a business environment that focuses on growth and jobs."
He also promised to work to "keep educational decision-making with you, in the local community, where it belongs...I am opposed to the Common Core and I reject the idea that education is broken in the 12th State Senate District."
The statement brought applause from the audience.
When asked what issues he was likely to debate with Kennedy, Wilson said jobs, the business climate and fiscal responsibility.
"He's probably the one who is more famous, but I think I'm better able to address the issues," Wilson said.
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Republican Bruce Wilson Announces Candidacy for State Senate
#39;Morning Joe #39; Panelist: #39;I Don #39;t Know Who The Republican Party Is Anymore #39;
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By: tpmtv
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'Morning Joe' Panelist: 'I Don't Know Who The Republican Party Is Anymore' - Video
Judith Martinez is a conservative voter and her husband is Hispanic. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)
Republican Judith Martinez can barely contain her ire when she talks about gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo and his position on illegal immigration.
The Lakewood mother of seven who is married to a Latino said she shares Tancredo's frustration with some issues involving immigration. But she said the problem is the former congressman appeals to voters who want to "dehumanize" illegal immigrants.
"My husband Bryan told me if he didn't oppose everything Democrats stand for, he would be tempted to move over to the Democratic Party, because he often feels that people who look like him are not welcome in the Republican Party," Martinez said.
Former GOP Congressman Tom Tancredo at a political forum. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Her fears are not lost on key Republicans, who note that in a recent poll twice as many Latino voters had an unfavorable opinion of Tancredo than had a favorable view.
Some of the same people who want to recast the Grand Old Party as the Great Opportunity Party in an effort to attract minorities and young voters believe Tancredo spells disaster in a year that is supposed to be rough for Democrats. For weeks, behind-the-scene movers and shakers in the Republican Party have tried to talk Tancredo into dropping out of the June 24 gubernatorial primary.
They haven't gotten anywhere.
"If you want a traditional candidate and a traditional campaign you will get the traditional outcome: the Republican loses," Tancredo said. "I'm not a traditional candidate. I pride myself on that."
Tancredo wouldn't names names of those who have approached him. Likewise, Republicans involved in lobbying Tancredo wouldn't go on the record.
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Despite GOP fears, Tancredo soldiers on