CT Politics
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal tells the AP this morning that he’s definitely running to succeed Dodd, and is making his own announcement at state Democratic headquarters in Hartford at 2:30 this afternoon, according to a state party operative.I already speculated below what it meant for Simmons and McMahon that Dodd was departing. There won't be much in the way of polling immediately. However, my expectation is that Blumenthal will sit somewhere between 57% and 60% in the initial poll over both Simmons and McMahon. His popularity as AG translates well into a mood of reform. The Democrats reversal illustrates how quickly politics changes. I doubt he wins by that margin in November. But in a state so solidly for the Democrats, such a win wouldn't surprise me eitherBlumenthal's quick turnaround -- launching his campaign hours after Dodd announces his retirement -- underscores the fact that Blumenthal is Dodd's handpicked favorite, and has the backing of the entire Democratic establishment, both in Washington and Connecticut.
Part of this is due to the utter implosion of the Connecticut GOP. Ten years ago the governor was a Republican and the Congressional delegation was split evenly between Democrats and Republicans at three apiece. With redistricting, the Republicans held a 3-2 advantage with Rob Simmons, Chris Shays and Nancy Johnson holding the suburban districts and John Larson and Rosa DeLauro representing districts one (Hartford) and three (New Haven). The governor at the time, John Rowland was considered an up and comer in the national GOP scene. Rowland stock was so high at one point that he was regarded with Tom Ridge as a frontrunner to head the Department of Homeland Security. The wheels began to come off in 2001 when Rowland protege Phil Giordano was arrested and then convicted in 2003 of 14 counts related to sex with children. By the time of Giordano's conviction his mentor was himself under investigation for corruption. He resigned the governorship in 2004 and spent a little under a year in federal prison under a plea arrangement.
By 2006 only Rell, her Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele and Chris Shays remained. The CT GOP lost a golden opportunity to capture a Senate seat as the Democrats attempted to purge Joe Lieberman due to his stance on the War in Iraq. The Republican candidate, Alan Schlesinger, managed 10 percent of the vote as many Republicans pulled the lever for Joe Lieberman, rather than put forward a credible alternative to Lieberman and the Democrats' nominee Ned LaMont. The ten percent for Schlesinger was considered a moral victory, as his poll numbers suggested he wouldn't crack double digits.
Shays lost in 2008 completing the removal of all Republicans from the CT Congressional ranks. Simmons, while popular and only narrowly defeated in 2006 chose not to seek a rematch in 2008 against Joe Courtney. He and Shays remain viable candidates for statewide office. The other GOP front runner to face Blumenthal, Linda McMahon, is a newcomer to the political arena. Her past contributions to Democrats was fodder for her rivals for a time. She is hardly a standard bearer for a vigorous and robust Republican party. But that makes her perfect for Connecticut, which has no vigorous and robust Republican party.
no commentsWell not likely, but the forthcoming announcement that CT senior Senator Chris Dodd will follow his conjoined twin on the take Byron Dorgan in a hasty retreat to the exits. Dodd's decision to not seek re-election proves we get results! Ha. Not really. Our poison penned piece proves that the swirling clouds were impossible for Senator Dodd to ignore. He becomes Senator Lame Duck Dodd - a fitting moniker for someone whose fall from power was as comical as the character the name echoes - Long Duck Dong.
Dodd's announcement will cap a 24 hour stretch where four prominent Democrats are announcing they will choose not to face the voters and step aside with their dignity intact. A curious measure of dignity, not losing at the ballot box is dignified. Al Davis may be a doddering old fool in his own right, but his mantra - "Just win, baby" - has become a national ideology. Resurrecting dinosaurs like Walter Mondale (in Minnesota after Paul Wellstone's tragic death) and Frank Lautenberg (in New Jersey after Robert Torricelli political immolation) to try to hold seats for the incumbent party (Mondale lost, Lautenberg won) has become a common practice. Dodd got out early, rather than waiting for the poll numbers to be carved in stone.
Politico is acknowledging the 2010 mid-terms may be a historically bad election for an incumbent party. But they make one notable miscalculation:
Democrats are now facing their bleakest election outlook in years—and the very real possibility the party will lose its 60-40 Senate supermajority after the November elections. On the House side, the prospect of heavy 20-30 seat losses is already looking increasingly likely.The loss of the supermajority may be two weeks away as Scott Brown is within striking distance of Martha Coakley in the special election to replace the late Ted Kennedy. Special elections turn on the strangest of factors, and in the height of the anti-incumbent, anti-Democrat wave that washes the electorate, now is not the time to run as a typical Massachusetts liberal, even in Massachusetts.
Back home in Connecticut, Dodd's retirment may actually be the best news the Democrats could get. The CT GOP remains in shambles with but one credible, electable official at the statewide level - Governor Jodi Rell. And she, too, has opted out of the next campaign, choosing to not seek re-election in 2010. The Post piece I cite above suggests Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will seek the Democrat nomination to replace Dodd. Very quickly, the leads that challengers Rob Simmons and Linda McMahon had enjoyed in the polls will evaporate. That's because Simmons and McMahon primary attribute was their un-Doddness. With Dodd sticking a fork in himself, that benefit ceases to be relevant. The Democrats may have staunched their hemorrhaging, as Ed Driscoll notes several sources who say the beating Dodd was taking and the closeness of the race in Massachusetts is prompting the Democrats to act. And act quickly.
I'll be following the story through the day, so check back for updates.
no commentsWith the start of 2010, TetreaultVision will begin looking at the mid-term elections, in particular the senior Senator of my home state, Connecticut. In 2006, Chris Dodd was busy campaigning against junior Senator Joe Lieberman on the basis that his 18 years in the Senate were enough. As Connecticut residents have discovered, what applies for you and me is not meaningful to Senator Dodd, and clearly his nearly 30 years in the Senate are not enough as he considers his run for re-election this fall. Dodd's penchant for preferred status is not limited to Senate tenure. His sweetheart mortgages from Countrywide - a company over whom Senator Dodd has theoretical regulatory oversight - in addition to his Irish Cottage - which he consistently low-balled the value of on his ethics disclosures - have illustrated how necessary through and incessant oversight of our Senators is. These Doddering Old Fool Updates will seek to do just that.
Senator Dodd has topped an important year end top 25 list. And no it's not a good list to be on if you are an incumbent Senator entering an election cycle when the mood of the electorate is at best angry and at worst chomping at the bit to throw the rascals out. NBC Connecticut 30, echoing the New York Times, points out the potential escape hatch for Senator Dodd.
The race is so tough that some Democrats have discussed – in private anyway – the possibility of Dodd stepping away and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal stepping into the raceSeems the Democrats are pinning their hopes purely on what might best be described as wishful thinking. Dodd has enjoyed a structural advantage in Connecticut, built on years of service by both himself and his father before him.[...]
To date, that has not happened, so Democrats are putting their hopes in a contentious and expensive Republican primary to take the heat off Dodd, the Times reports.
Like Father, Like Son
Thomas Dodd was a Connecticut Senator between 1959 and 1971, serving two terms before being censured and subsequently defeated in 1970. The act that prompted his censure was an ethics scandal.Connecticut voters have begun to register their dismay with Dodd's action that enrich himself and show him as a bought representative.
In addition to taking money from companies he oversees, he also has turned a blind eye to the epic failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the federal government's enfants terrible, whose insolvency should be the top priority of the Senate Banking Committee, which Dodd chairs. (Hint: it's not)
In spite of this spotty record, and the appearance of impropriety - an appearance that rather than refuting, Senator Dodd has allowed to persist, when he and he alone could release the documents that would exonerate him of the swirling ethical charges - a program Associate with the Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG) has written to The Day of New London to defend the Senator on the take.
As the article titled "Senate OKs health care measure, reaching milestone," published Dec. 24, notes, on the eve of this Christmas Sen. Chris Dodd helped pass comprehensive health care reform. Connecticut residents could not have received a better holiday gift.Jenn Hatch of West Hartford sounds positively glowing about the accomplishments of Senator Dodd. But if the bill passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve was in the public interest, would the unseemly $100 million subsidy to fund the construction of a medical center need to be written into the law, by Dodd himself. ConnPirg's mission statement reads:
ConnPIRG is an advocate for the public interest. When consumers are cheated or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, ConnPIRG speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. ConnPIRG's mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects consumers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government.It's hard to fathom how Dodd's fealty to his benefactors, like Countrywide don't uniquely disqualify him from the support of ConnPIRG. What's to say that pharmaceutical or insurance interests, who have significant presences in Connecticut, won't decide to buy off Senator Dodd in the future to ensure that future legislation affecting their industries are favorable, like Countrywide did?
The answer is absolutely nothing. When Congress is for sale, restricting the scope of their power is essential to ensure that the so-called special interests cannot run roughshod over the rights of citizens. If ConnPIRG was really interested in advocating for the public interest and protecting the voices of ordinary citizens from being drowned out by special interest lobbyists they'd stay as far away from Dodd as possible. He may support you today, but that's because somebody else hasn't met his price, yet.
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