Nancy DiNardo of Trumbull, chairwoman of the Democratic State Central Committee, said this morning that big turnout, which seems to be occurring, bodes well for President Obama, US Rep Chris Murphy, US Rep Jim Himes and Elizabeth Esty. “I think again, as in 2010, Connecticut is going to be a big blue state,” she just said in a phone interview.
Archive for the ‘Campaign 2012’ Category
Another day, another $1.25 million in “independent” expenditures floods Connecticut’s U.S. Senate race
Yesterday the total spent by independent groups, supposely not affiliated with Connecticut’s US Senate candidates, was $8.5 million, according to the Federal Election Commission. Today that total is $9,782,014.
But the day is young.
The big cash was reported overnight from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, with a $517,951 media buy opposing Republican Linda McMahon; more than $450,000 from the Majority PAC of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, opposing McMahon; and $205,000 in TV ad buys for the “Don’t be fooled” ad opposing McMahon, paid for by the labor-backed Patriot Majority PAC. The largely self-funded millionaire McMahon, who’s outspending US Rep. Chris Murphy by at least 4-1 overall, is behind in independent expenditures about 8-to-1. Today’s filing in her favor includes about $57,000 in telemarketing support from the FreedomWorks for America conservative super PAC; and another $5,600 from the National Right to Life PAC, opposing Murphy.
As Romney’s schedule is affected by Hurricane Sandy, local campaign offices help with relief efforts
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan meet at the Akron-Canton airport in Ohio. Both Romney and President Obama are focusing heavily on Ohio and other swing states in the final weeks of the campaign. (Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)
As Hurricane Sandy neared East Coast on Sunday evening, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney canceled his third event of the day to be held in Virginia. Consequently, Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan attended three joint rallies in Ohio, one of the swing states in this election.
“Governor Romney’s concern is the safety and well-being of those in the path of Hurricane Sandy,” Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said early Monday morning. According to her, Romney has been in contact with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.
Originally, Romney’s schedule for today included a morning rally in Ohio, followed by events in Illinois and Iowa, finishing with a rally in Wisconsin. Ryan was expected to fly from Ohio to Florida today, where he was to hold rallies in Jacksonville, Melbourne and Lakeland.
“I want to mention that our hearts and prayers are with all the people in the storm’s path. Sandy is another devastating hurricane by all accounts, and a lot of people are going to be facing some real tough times as a result of Sandy’s fury,” Romney told supporters at his morning rally in Avon Lake, Ohio.
Late Monday morning, communications director Gail Gitcho announced more significant changes to Romney/Ryan campaign schedule, saying that Romney’s event in Wisconsin and Ryan’s events in Florida for the day have been canceled. As for Tuesday, Gitcho said:
“We are also canceling all events currently schedule for both Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan on Tuesday. Governor Romney believes this is a time for the nation and its leaders to come together to focus on those Americans who are in harms way. We will provide additional details regarding Governor Romney’s and Congressman Ryan’s schedule when they are available.”
While Romney might not be campaigning in the states most affected by the Hurricane Sandy, his campaign is being proactive and in Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, the campaign offices are collecting supplies for local relief efforts, reports CNN. In Virginia, the campaign bus is being utilized to deliver such supplies.
The campaigns are taking all necessary precautions to make sure that all of their staff are safe. Obama campaign spokesman Adam Fetcher said:
“The campaign is closely monitoring the storm and we are taking all necessary precautions to make sure our staff and volunteers are safe. Where it’s safe to do so, our historic grassroots organization is running at full speed in eastern battleground states to persuade undecided voters and get our supporters out to the polls between now and Election Day.”
As early as Saturday, Romney’s campaign encouraged its Twitter followers to support the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts by donating to the Red Cross, “Please support the #Sandy relief efforts by donating to the Red Cross. Text REDCROSS to 90999 or click here: http://rdcrss.org/PSpvi2.”
President Barack Obama, himself sent out a tweet Sunday evening, saying: “If you’re on the Eastern seaboard, please make sure to follow the instructions of your state and local officials today. Stay safe. -bo.” Late Monday morning, his campaign sent out a tweet similar to Romney’s encouraging followers to donate to Red Cross.
Jonesing for a political debate? 4th District still has two left.
So maybe you were initially relieved when the high-stakes presidential debates were finished. Maybe you wondered what was the point of the name-calling and mud-slinging that passed for the U.S. Senate debates between U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy and Republican Linda McMahon. But maybe, now, come the weekend with a mere 10 days left before Election Day, you have a hankering for a little public policy and are willing to hear a couple of candidates discussing their visions going forward on the national stage.
Well, you have two chances in the next week, as U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and his Republican challenger Steve Obsitnick debate the big issues in their third and fourth head-to-head debates. The next one is Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Clune Performing Arts Center at Wilton High School, 395 Danbury Road/Route 7. It’s free. It’s handicapped accessible. Get there a little early and write a question for the candidates. It’s sponsored by 12 local area chapters of League of Women Voters: Bridgeport, Wilton, Weston, Redding, Ridgefield, New Canaan, Westport, Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, Darien and Fairfield. It will be moderated by Kay Maxwell of Stamford, former national president of the LWV.
Then on Friday, November 2, Himes, of Greenwich and Obsitnik, of Westport, will participate in their final debate, in a 10 a.m. event in the Bridgeport Holiday Inn sponsored by the AARP.
Steve Obsitnik wrote himself $200,000 check ($333,000 in all) in 4th District race against US Rep. Jim Himes
The new Federal Election Commission filings are trickling in. Republican Steve Obsitnik’s shows that of the $669,738 raised in the three months ending September 30, $200,000 came in a loan he gave his 4th District campaign against Democratic US Rep. Jim Himes on the last day of the filing period. In fact, in total he’s loaned the campaign about $333,000, according to the FEC filings. Speaker of the House John Boehner has chipped in $4,000 and the Washington-base Freedom Project, Boehner’s PAC for a GOP majority has contributed $10,000. The Oxford Republican Town Committee wrote a $2,000 check, as did Christopher Shays’ former US Senate campaign. Wendy’s PAC sandwiched $2,500 for him. Last week the National Republican Congressional Committee designated Obsitnik, a “young gun.”
Another “young gun” state Sen. Andrew Roraback, running for the 5th CD, wrote his campaign a check for $25,000, which shows up as a loan.
Murphy has $2.2 M on hand for the final phase of the U.S. Senate throwdown
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy’s campaign reports today that the report they are filing with the Federal Election Committee today will say he raised about $3.03 million in the last quarter for the U.S. Senate race. That’s on top of $5.5 million reported at the end of July. He has $2.2 million on hand for the last weeks of the campaign.
No word yet from Republican Linda McMahon’s campaign, which had $2.4 million on hand at the July deadline and had raised about $14 million, including more than $12 million in loans to the campaign from McMahon, the wrestling tycoon who spent $50 million of her own money in 2010 in a losing U.S. Senate campaign against Richard Blumenthal.
Obsitnik: FEC report will show a half million dollar$ on hand for campaign’s final phase.
“We had a great fundraising quarter,” said Amanda Bergen, campaign spokesperson for Steve Obsitnik of Westport, the Republican trying to unseat 4th District U.S. Rep. Jim Himes. She said that Obsitnik’s Federal Election Commission report will show $669,738 raised in the third quarter. That’s on top of $725,927 previously raised. He has $502,014 on hand.
“Steve Obsitnik’s strong momentum is a result of his successful record as a small business owner and Navy veteran, and his independence,” she said in a statement. “He has term-limited himself to 8 years because he isn’t going to Washington to take expensive gifts from lobbyists like Congressman Himes does. Steve Obsitnik is going to Washington to do what he does best – create jobs, fix our fiscal mess and restore courageous leadership.”
Himes’s last filing in July showed him with about $1.7 million on hand. Today is the FEC’s filing deadline.
Wayne Winsley, Naugatuck’s long-odds challenger to US Rep. Rosa DeLauro, wins filing contest at FEC
Wayne A. Winsley, the 49-year-old private investigator and former radio personality in Bridgeport, Norwalk and Danbury, who is the Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, was the first of the state’s congressional candidates to meet the October 15 campaign-finance filing deadline with the Federal Election Commission.
Looking at the brevity of the filing, you might understand why. The Naugatuck resident has had a total of $54,018 in contributions, has spent $40,539 and had $13,465 in the bank as of the end of September. To top it off, DeLauro, the 3rd District representation since 1991, is essentially ignoring his candidacy.
The FEC website today does not yet have DeLauro’s updating filings, but her latest, from the end of June, showed her with $872,406 raised, $784,987 spent and $92,604 on hand.
