Rumors are circulating that former U.S. Congressman Christopher Shays, a Republican who for years represented Connecticut and more specifically Fairfield County in Washington D.C., may run for Governor.
This piece at Politico.com fanned the speculative flames and Shays during a phone interview tonight said he has not ruled it out.
“The one thing I don’t like is when I hear politicians say ‘everybody’s asking me to run.’ So let’s get this straight. I don’t have ‘everybody’ asking me to run. I have some friends close to me politically who are very smart in terms of understanding politics and what’s going on. They say that nobody is catching on. That this is a huge opportunity for me to consider running for Governor,” Shays said. “I’m not getting a lot of calls from all around the state. (These are) calls from people I think are politically astute who tell me no one is catching on.”
But Shays said: “The answer may be it’s just not practical … It’s more likely in a few weeks I”ll have thought it through and said ‘you know what? I’m not sure this makes sense’.”
And later in the conversation, after I’d asked if he was interested in a re-match with Democrat Jim Himes of Greenwich, who defeated him in 2008, Shays said: “I haven’t totally ruled that out, either, but I think it’s unlikely I would run for Governor. I think it’s unlikely I would run for Congress.”
Following his defeat Shays and his wife sold their house in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport and their condo in Washington D.C. and purchased a place on the water in Maryland. He currently serves on the Commission on Wartime Contracting.
“It’s frankly our dream home,” Shays said. “An absolute haven.”
Shays said the family may buy or rent a small place in Connecticut but no one should read any political aspirations into that.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how much I miss my constituents,” Shays said. “It’s possible I will buy property in Connecticut or rent in Connecticut and have a place. That’s very likely.”
But I also wonder if Shays has the stomach for another campaign considering his former campaign manager, Michael Sohn of Fairfield, was arrested in December for allegedly embezzling campaign funds from 2005 to 2008. Politico.com has an account of the toll the investigation was taking on the former Congressman in April, 2009.
Sorry to hear the news….but who can blame him? A nice house on the water in Maryland. Lets see, I can go to the local seafood shack, have a cold beer and some crab and watch the sun set over the Chesapeake Bay with my wife and some friends or ….. I can go to a republican town committee meeting in Bozrah.
No brainer….
Comment by Ben Davol — January 26th, 2010 @ 7:44 am
I don’t know about Shays, particularly how he would stack-up against Fedele, who is a good candidate. I don’t know what Shays is saying when he says, “No one is catching on….” If I were Fedele, I would be ticked-off.
One problem for Shays: He was no tax and spending cutter of any real significance in Washington. He just went along with the Party on all of this stuff. Connecticut needs massive spending cuts. Then, it can cut all of its high taxes.
Comment by Jigs McDonald — January 26th, 2010 @ 9:12 am
Here’s another shocker; I probably won’t run for governor either. What a tool.
Comment by Wilton Diaries — January 26th, 2010 @ 10:23 am
Shays’ comment that “no one is catching on” is probably due to the latest poll which shows republican support is only 17% for Foley and 8% for Fedele. How could Fedele be “ticked-off” about that comment when he can’t get 10% and a guy with no real political backround has double his support. If Shays threw his hat into the ring he would probably get at least 40% support right off the bat.
Comment by David — January 26th, 2010 @ 1:24 pm
Not enough junkets to 5-star hotels as governor of Connecticut.
Shays has gotten used to being a freeloader.The scrutiny of state office might reveal him for the unqualified amoral person that he is.
Comment by Alan — January 27th, 2010 @ 9:00 am
are you kidding me? this idoit kissed McGwires behind during congressional testimony (might as well tell kids its okay to use steroids) He also had a theif as his right hand man stealing hundreds of thousands (not a real people picker there Chris) Would also like to investigate the sweet deal on the Bridgeport house sale.
Comment by Mark_McGwire_says_howdy — January 27th, 2010 @ 10:13 am
If Mr. Shays were to run for anything, the first thing he would have to explain would by why anyone should vote for him when he was so incredibly clueless about the gathering financial collapse engulfing the country that occurred on his watch, and while he was a senior member of the House financial services committee. Why should anyone vote for Chris Shays who stated boldly on September 1, 2008, just hours before the American financial system began to implode that, “Our economy’s fundamentals are strong. No one can disagree with that.”
As someone who as governor would have to be a prudent steward of taxpayer funds, Shays would also have to explain how he was so oblivious for so long about the embezzlement that was going on for years in his own campaign right under his nose. He’s supposed to be responsible for overseeing what is spent, what comes in, and making sure that financial reports submitted to federal authorities are accurate. He was asleep at the wheel of his own campaign. How does that qualify him to take the reins of Connecticut’s finances, or to return to Washington to help steer the nation’s finances?
And we will be reminded that it was Chris Shays, who himself avoided the draft during the Vietnam War at least twice, including once by declaring himself a conscientious objector, who helped push this country into the disastrous and senseless war in Iraq, and who supported George Bush’s misguided policies in that war to the bitter end.
There were very good reasons why Chris Shays just barely won reelection in Fairfield County twice, though he massively outspent his opponent by over a million dollars each time, then was defeated by Jim Himes after two decades in office. Southwestern Connecticut knows Chris Shays, and that is why he was voted out of office. And that is why the voters will not welcome him back.
Comment by Sean — January 27th, 2010 @ 10:25 am
I Agree with Alan’s comments. If Shays is elected to Governor would he be able to have his trips to Iraq? He certainly showed his business credentials as a Board Member of CIT Group? Did they not go Bankrupt 6 months after he became a Board Member?
Comment by David M. Cooper — January 28th, 2010 @ 4:08 pm
Given the astounding job the Democratic majority have been doing Washington so far on the economy, jobs progress (none), leading us into the war in Afghanistan and a healthcare option that costs more and does less, I guess Sean and David would feel comfortable with someone like Dodd (shady character who personally oversaw the economic meltdown as the head of the Senate Banking Committee while taking sweetheart deals on his personal mortgage. Or Lamont, the dad-made multi-millionaire who proved that it takes more than millions to get elected.
If the Democrats actually want to win the Governorship, they better find a Republican to run for them.
Comment by Bill — January 28th, 2010 @ 10:39 pm