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Campaign Notebook: How Negative is the Senate Race?

News and updates from the campaign trail in Connecticut.

Senate

Even the most casual of television viewers have probably noticed the glut of negative ads related to the Senate race between Chris Murphy and Linda McMahon. It might seem like civility is a thing of the past, but that’s not necessarily true.

The Connecticut Mirror interviewed Susan Herbst, author of “Rude Democracy” and president of the University of Connecticut for some historical context.

While the Senate ads criticizing the character of the candidates might seem rude, they pale in comparison to one event Herbst called “rock-bottom.”

According to the Connecticut Mirror:

And as the politics of sectionalism in the 1850s drove the United States toward the Civil War, South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks viciously beat Massachusetts Sen. Charles Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor after the latter referred to Brooks' relative, Sen. Andrew Butler, as a pimp trying to introduce the whore of slavery to Kansas.

Third District

Rosa DeLuaro (D) is leading a discussion on Saturday in Hartford titled “Connecticut Women: Change You Want to See.” The talk begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building.

Wayne Winsley (R) is calling for the suspension of state and federal gas taxes in order to keep fuel prices down. “Whether a person has a full-time job that they must commute to; or, a person is out of work but actively seeking a job; or, commuting to a part-time job; or, commuting to school; or, going to the grocery store to purchase food for their family – we need gasoline in the tank. That’s the reality,” Winsley said.  

Fourth District

Candidate Steve Obsitnik criticizing the Democrats’ stances on Israel. Obsitnik called out opponent U.S. Rep. Jim Himes:

“Congressman Himes claims to be a friend of Israel, yet has been silent,” said Obsitnik. “He was silent when his party inexplicably dropped language from its official platform naming Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. And he’s silent now as the Obama Administration ducks a meeting with Israeli officials as they ask for stronger action to avoid a nuclear Iran.”

Himes’ campaign website details the dangers facing Israel.

Part of securing a lasting and just peace throughout the region is the creation of a viable, autonomous Palestinian state living in peace with Israel. The two-state solution is the only viable long-term solution, most likely to lead to a sustainable atmosphere of peace in the Middle East.

I support all efforts to make the hostility Israel faces a thing of the past and share the vision of two states living side by side in peace.

Fifth District

Andrew Roraback is the target of a national organization’s ire. The Register Citizen reports that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $134,000 on negative ads targeting Roraback. The group has spent more than $2 million throughout the country in this election.

Recently the DCCC commissioned a poll showing Elizabeth Esty in the lead. A poll commissioned by Roraback’s campaign showed the Republican leading. 

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
NewLondonSource May 21, 2013 at 10:24 pm
@marco: well if that's true, then at least something good came out of this and it won't go down asRead More just another naive finizio political appointee embarrassing the city.....AGAIN.
Marco Frucht May 21, 2013 at 05:59 pm
http://www.etsy.com/market/new_london_hates_you?ref=listing_tag something tells me the currentRead More controversy will help this tshirt maker along quite nicely. Way to go Mayor Finizio's haters.
Marco Frucht May 21, 2013 at 05:30 pm
I'll say the same thing here as the other places around PATCH where the Mayor is beingRead More proxy-attacked likewise: New London has had an image of hating people for a very long time. I grew up in Groton, and currently live and work in New London and my parents have worked all over New London county for something like 4 1/2 decades. I can certainly attest to that. This is why this shirt is so funny. Maybe it's right and proper that Zak apologizes for how his t-shirt choice made people feel. But I must say that most of the people hating on Zak right now are the very same people who perpetuate New London's image where people all over Groton, Waterford, Niantic, Lyme, Saybrook, Westerly, and on and on, feel it's safe to assume that New London just plain hates them. Yes, my first thought when I saw this article was hahaha. New London? That's more like a Boston or NYC mentality. But then my very next thought was wait, New London has taken Boston and NY's general hatred, snarkiness, and bitter loathing and heightened it to a veritable art form! That's all I can say about that really. And if "Richard Cranium" feels the need to throw invectives and ad hominems at me here too, oh well. We all know what she or he is all about.
Felicia Hendersen May 21, 2013 at 07:52 am
OMG this is too funny. Nice comparison.
Sue P. May 20, 2013 at 11:03 am
Very good comparison. I also wanted to add that the Ct. College students that believe what FinizioRead More has to say remind me of The Children of the Corn. After speaking with a friend we realized that Mayor Finizio is like a college student. I just wish he knew that real life does not work this way. New London has already played this game with the Giordano lady years ago. Remember her she was from Ct. College and also was going to make New London a hip city. We got homeless people and brownfields. So much for that idea. Been their done that. How about a new idea for once. Please don't think about shutting down State St. that too was a bad idea. Just ask Mr. Hyslop and Ms. Glover how their ideas worked out. It doesn't matter anyways it's all about the votes and getting your Children of the Corn on the Council. I mean come on drivers licenses for illigals who ever thought that one up.
J. Scagnetti May 20, 2013 at 10:07 am
I'd say more like G.I. Joe vs cobra, oh no wait, He man vs skeletor or maybe even the thundercats vsRead More mumra! Lol
Carol Haley May 19, 2013 at 07:14 pm
Here's the latest Spencer from the AP, if we can believe them: Traffic in southwest ConnecticutRead More could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday.
Spencer May 19, 2013 at 07:10 pm
Another blow to not only NL's but the entire Southern CT's economy! Guess who will be picking upRead More the tab?
Carol Haley May 19, 2013 at 05:26 pm
I read that Malloy is hoping Monday but there are problems with the tracks and that has to beRead More repaired. Taking a guestimate, if it isn't Monday, maybe the end of the week.
Kathleen Mitchell May 21, 2013 at 06:26 pm
Richard, When you say "The city..." to whom are you referring? At one point, there was anRead More agenda item about this issue but, as far as I know, nothing more was heard about it. Now we hear that people who haven't even worked for the city for two years are being generously rewarded via the pension plan, etc. Can you address this issue? If not here, then maybe in an email to orkenizer@gmail.com
Richard Waselik May 21, 2013 at 08:57 am
Yes. That is correct. The city has been putting unqualified people into the employees DefinedRead More Pension without following the proper process of placing the requests into the Pension Committee.
John Martin May 19, 2013 at 02:42 pm
Of course, you are assuming that the government fund managers would be responsible. So far, this hasRead More been far from the case. The Federal government has plundered Social Security for decades, the teacher and state employee funds have been systematically looted. Of course they want to open this up to anyone with dollars in their pockets. I am not opposed to a program like this - in fact, economies of scale using voluntary contributions in a well-managed plan could be quite beneficial. If the government is going to be allowed to administer the program, there needs to be stringent safeguards, the funds must be untouchable, and there should be swift and significant consequences for mismanagement. Oh, but wait - this is Connecticut. Of course people will find their dollars funding the 'progressive' agenda with no regard for the state's fiduciary, legal, and moral obligation to the contributors.
Alphonse DeLachance May 21, 2013 at 08:30 am
I cannot believe that they lied! Who could have seen this coming.
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 07:44 am
Pretty funny Spencer. But you don't want a museum there. You need something that generates taxes.Read More Museums are mostly non-profit thereby not generating any taxes. I know you were being funny. I was disgusted to read the developer couldn't show financial backing.
Kathleen Mitchell May 17, 2013 at 05:47 pm
Who would haveever thought of Wasp Spray? When you get the case of spray, be sure and drop a can offRead More at my house;>)
Jeff Brown May 17, 2013 at 03:46 pm
Good article, gonna have to pick up a case of wasp spray!
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Barbara, I agree with you. But it is probably a lot easier to get an illegal social security numberRead More than we would know. There are two ways of looking at this issue, but my resentment is that I have to pay for them.
Barbara Crocker May 17, 2013 at 07:52 am
But for state aid they would have to have a Social Security number. Bending and breaking laws isRead More how they got here in the first place. The fact that elected officials condone and encourage these laws to be broken is the biggest problem that I have with this whole debacle. "Undocumented residents" place a burden on all of us, and take jobs that could be worked by legal residents. Employers hire illegals (yes I prefer calling them what they are, to hell with being politically correct) because it saves them money, not because "no one else would work these jobs". This is a slap in the face to all of our ancestors who came to this country and followed the rules to become citizens.
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 06:51 am
The way things have been going in the eastern part of the United States, as long as the illegals areRead More not breaking the law criminally (motor vehicle is different), they are not arrested for being illegal. Its the illegal immigrants who break the law, such as the large drug bust recently in the papers. As long as they are minding their own business, they get a pass. The only problem I have with illegals is their rush to get on state aid, food stamps, etc. I don't think we should have to support those that choose to live in this country illegally. Becoming a US citizen is not cheap. It is expensive, but it is something that they must work for.
Spencer May 16, 2013 at 04:42 pm
Perhaps because people who vote continue to vote the same way they have for years--and expect to getRead More different results when they do so?