The Blogster, like most reporters, is an unaffiliated voter. The candidates know this because of the lists they get from the local voter registrars. They then tailor their mailed messages accordingly. For instance, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes has sent his second over-the-top attack on his Republican challenger Dan Debicella. This time it’s a hairless cancer patient that Himes says Debicella would neglect with his “reckless” and “wrong” behavior.
So here comes a much-more subtle marketing effort. Kevin Kelly, a Stratford attorney who wants to replace Debicella, has made it none too plain about what his political affiliation may be. Looking at the two sided, glossy cardboard mailing that just showed up, you see him surrounded by his family on the front. “You deserve a government that’s on your side,” it says. “Let’s send that message to Hartford.” What might that message be? Well the district has had Republicans in the state Senate for well over 40 years.
Whatever. The bottom line is, there is no written reference to Kelly’s political affiliation on either side and there is only the teeny, tiniest little red, white and blue elephant, about a quarter of the size of a nail on my smallest fingert, denoting the Republican party. Is that the way to market to the vast unaffiliated? You betcha, Ms Palin might say.