A House united

Maybe the far left is willing to let bygones be bygones after all.

Out of step at times with the liberal powerhouse MoveOn.org over the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act, fresh Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., is not expected to face any challenges from within the Democratic Party tonight when she is nominated for a second term.

The 5th District congresswoman is poised to earn her party’s endorsement by acclamation at the Waterbury Career Academy High School, clearing the decks for Esty to appear on the general election ballot in the November midterm elections.

“She has just demonstrated that she votes to represent her district and not just voting the party line,” Nancy DiNardo, chairwoman of the Connecticut Democrats, said of Esty breaking with Democrats on Obamacare.

All five Democratic House incumbents from Connecticut will be uncontested at their respective district’s nominating conventions tonight, including Reps. Jim Himes and Rosa DeLauro.

Himes, a House Financial Services committee member who some say could become the next chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will be nominated for a fourth term at Cesar Batalla School in Bridgeport.

An after-party fundraiser will be held at Matty’s Corner in the Park City for Himes, who captured 60 percent of the vote in 2012 and DiNardo said is gaining popularity.

“He’s visible. He’s always around the district and meeting with people,” DiNardo said.

Three Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination to challenge Himes, including former state Sen. Dan Debicella, of Shelton, who lost to the incumbent in 2010.

“People are disappointed in Jim Himes, who has decided to become part of the problem in Washington – embracing the culture of partisanship and the corrupting influence of money instead of being the change he promised us,” Debicella’s campaign manager, John Puskar, said in a statement.

DeLauro, the dean of Connecticut’s D.C. delegation and perennial vote getter in the 3rd District, will be nominated tonight for a 13th term at North Haven High School.

 

 

 

 

 

Neil Vigdor