It’s still July — but the November election is just 99 days away.
Senator Chris Murphy came to Westport Democratic Party headquarters today, to inspire volunteers for down-ballot races.
Will Haskell — a recent college graduate, running against Toni Boucher for State Senate in the 26th district — introduced the senator, noting that he’d knocked on doors during Murphy’s first US Senate run.
Murphy is only 44 years old. But that’s twice as old as Haskell. Acknowledging the introduction — and his own early days in politics — Murphy said: “I was Will Haskell!”
US Senator Chris Murphy, earlier today at Westport Democratic Party headquarters.
I am glad Senator Chris Murphy said that, because that is virtually the same thought that came to my mind when I first heard Will Haskell and spoke to him. I at first dismissed him because of his age, but then when I met him, I remember thinking, “This young man is a brilliant exception like Senator Chris Murphy, who started serving his state at the same age.”
For folks who have not had the opportunity to meet Will Haskell yet, make sure you meet him now. How could anyone compose a concert at 4? Mozart did it, because he was exceptional. You meet Will and you immediately realize, “I have just met an exceptional young man who will make great contributions to this country.”
I too met him he volunteered to deliver Easter Meals on wheels with his mom that I prepare for the Westport seniors. I was so impressed by him. He has my “I’m a democrat and I’m a proud mom” vote!
And young candidates are key to getting young voters we need!
CT in a financial death spiral. Home prices in Westport dropping. Massive budget deficit of $4.5 BILLION starting July 1 2019. Education funding and funding for seniors in Ct cut and dropping to ZERO.
And now we have a candidate from westport running for State Senate, with no experience. You can’t make this up.
I am sure the typical will respond.
Think of him as an outsider, a rebel against the entrenched political establishment! 🙂
A rebel with no experience and knowledge of the problems in Ct. Is that what we need right now? Really? Do you just not care?
A wish of both political parties is to elect those who aren’t tied to the establishment, and thus accurately represent the voters of their district. Will is exactly that– He is an incredibly bright, well spoken candidate who grew up in Westport, so he does understand the issues that we face. Additionally, he knocks on 50 doors a day in the 26th district to speak directly to voters about the issues that matter to them, no matter their political affiliation. It might be beneficial to take some time to understand what Will stands for and his ideas for improving our state before attacking him based on his lack of experience– after all, the current president of the United States had no political experience or an innate understanding of how to solve Americans’ problems going into the election.
Yeah. And look how swell that is working out. 😂
Frankly, I’d be deathly afraid of the country (or state) being run by people I graduated with within a couple of years of our graduation. Difficult enough to come to grips with the fact that some of them are running the country 35 years after. Best description at the time would have been smart, eager, optimistic, idealistic but largely clueless.
Will, of course, could be an exception. Don’t know him nor his opponent.
You have decided that because you and the friends and peers you went to school with is kinds of shallow. You should make it a point to meet him and talk to him. I was impressed with his knowledge, intelligence, and his ideas for governing this state after a 20 minute conversation. Don’t label your age group incapable of fixing what’s broken in our govt. the experienced guys have done a great job of sinking us deeper and deeper into debt and frankly Trump’s new tax bill is going to kill RE sales and the economy further and further. Go vote and think with your head, not necessarily like your grandparents who were’nt faced with anything like this fiscal budget and immoral decisions!
This was in response to a young woman who said she woulldn’t Vote for anyone her age. I don’t see that post now!
Everyone needs to gain experience, and he seems willing and eager to listen to us as residents. A lack of experience doesn’t also mean a lack of knowledge of the problems.
My FIL is a state representative in another state, and they are besieged with the assistance of experts and consultants, and I imagine it’s no different for those in Hartford. While there is a learning curve to how the legislature operates, I don’t think that means he will fail. I think what you mean, is that he’s not advocating the solutions YOU want to see enacted, which is why you’re frantic with worry over his candidacy.
Bart, I know that you care a lot, just like the rest of us do. (I don’t think anyone would bother to comment on this blog, if they didn’t.) I appreciate your involvement, your concern, and your respectful discourse. I do happen to think that we need to see some kind of change and I appreciate Will’s willingness to jump in and become involved, presenting solid solutions to specific issues, not just opposition to a party or individual.
Kyle. I appreciate your response. There is a clear difference in my opinion, between someone who has been in business for years and has experience in leadership, and someone who appears to have no experience.
Maybe you can help me understand the experience and leadership you think Will Haskel brings to the CT legislature. Maybe you could also help me understand how much Mr Haskel has spent understanding the issues in Ct and what his policies will be towards the state worker pensions and medical benefits that are bankrupting CT.
Thank you.
NOTE: I deleted Kyle’s comment, because he declined to provide his full name. He had asked Bart why he opposed Will Haskell based on lack of experience, but support Greg Kraut who has never held political office, and only lived in Connecticut for a couple of years.
what is the address of democrisc. headquarters I live in Westport. >
1757 Post Road East – opposite Stop & Shop
“The Republican Party in Connecticut is not your Father’s Republican Party, it’s Donald Trumps Party.”
Senator Chris Murphy
Mr Senator- I am a Republican, my values are not of Donald Trumps. I have never met you. I hear your a good guy. Why are you “pre judging” myself and others when you don’t even know us?
Hopefully someday if I am fortunate enough to meet you, I will shake your hand and we can discuss issues, values and most likely understand why we both camp in different Political Parties.
We can discuss how both the Republican National Party and Democratic National Party let us all down by playing into big business, big pharma. Taking the big cash first, protecting interests of these donors first – then some crumbs to the people.
Trump saw the crack “the system” forgot to fill in and jumped on it.
Mr Senator, please don’t “pre judge” me or others who happen to be Republicans. We care about our state and are simply trying to fix it.
Thank you for your continued service and visits to our town.
Jimmy, that quote from the Senator refers to the Republican party, not Republicans. Former Republican strategist Steve Schmidt said as much when he declared, “Today I renounce my membership in the Republican Party. It is fully the party of Trump.” https://www.thewrap.com/steve-schmidt-leaves-republican-party-gop/
69% of Westporters voted against Trump in 2016 (and I am sure even more would vote against him now), making it abundantly clear that quite a lot of Westport Republicans voted against Trump in 2016. A very large percent of Westport Republicans despise the way Trump has conducted himself and rue the fact that the national GOP has enabled him. On the CT state side, it is appalling that the five Republicans candidates for CT’s governor have stated that they would give Trump an “A” for the job he is doing.
I am glad my uncle, who lost a part of his body in World War II, did not live to see the day when a U.S. president would see Americans protesting a bunch of Neo Nazis and KKKers marching in Charlottesville and declare that there were good people marching on both sides. Really? What good person marches with Neo Nazis and KKKers? America lead the way in WWII against Nazism, and now we have a president who confuses Neo Nazi supporters with ‘good people’?
Isn’t this the same president who excoriates our allies and the post-WWII world order such as the G7, NATO and the EU, just days before he undermines national intelligence agencies by shilling for Putin’s denial of interfering in our elections? Don’t you find it shocking that, moments later, Putin admitted he directed Russian officials to “help” Trump win, and then Trump’s White House doctored the transcript to remove evidence that Putin publicly admitted to the very conduct of election interference that Trump claimed Putin privately denied? It’s like Trump has taken a page from the former Soviet’s practice of historical revisionism. Do you support that kind of conduct, Jimmy? Do you understand that there is a prosecution in the DC US Attorney’s office right now against Butina that charges the Russia government funneled money through the NRA to help Trump win? Do you have any idea how dangerous the NRA dark money in your Party’s politics are?
There is a reason that thinking Republicans like George Will, Steve Schmidt and Joe Scarborough have left the Republican party. There is a reason former Secretary of State Colin Powell (GOP) says he despises the direction of today’s Republican Party’s swing to the far right. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/255501-powell-i-stay-republican-to-annoy-gop
Perhaps you should acquaint yourself with the article former AG Mike Mukasey (GOP) just submitted today to the Wall Street Journal describing just how dangerous Trump is on the global front, and the danger for NATO and Europe presented by Putin’s puppeteering of Trump. See https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-putin-and-the-montenegro-question-1532989476 .
Good for Attorney General Mukasey! Patriotism before party — something perhaps other Westport Republicans are also considering. Perhaps rather than licking wounds over well-deserved criticism of the GOP, you should ask yourself why staunch Republican Mukasey is sending out an international red flare about how dangerous Trump’s policies are to the world order. Even Dick Cheney said Russia’s cyber warfare is an act of war against our nation.
Perhaps, Jimmy, you should refocus your outrage more constructively.
Instead of inquiring why most Americans are disgusted with Trump and the Party that is enabling him, you would better serve your country by demanding that your Party return to the nobler principles of its founders, like the first GOP vice president, Hamlin. See http://bangordailynews.com/2008/10/30/opinion/the-republican-party-from-hannibal-to-cannibal/ .
I have voted for Republicans in the past and I know you understand I am focussed like a laser on fiscal responsibility. But until I see your party reclaim itself from far right wing and pro-Putin stances, I and most Westporters –including Republicans — will be running far away from your Party. In November, I will be voting for a Democratic firewall in the CT state legislature for state laws that protect against the incursion of the Trump administration on reasonable gun control and reproductive rights.
Don’t waste your energy feeling sorry for yourself that senators, strategists, writers and Westporters are correctly decrying the direction of your Party under Trump; they are right. What should make you sad instead is your Party’s abandonment of its initial principles.
~ Kristan Hamlin
Kristin – no outrage here. Just pointed out what Senator Murphy said.
I just simply pointed out, that “prejudging” Republicans as “Trump Supporters” is getting old.
We saw it here on this blog early this week the attack on Jim Marpe. Our town consists of good people who happen to be members of both parties.
The Trump card attacks are getting old. If that is the agenda this fall instead of Connecticut issues and how they will impact our town for some, then so be it.
Jimmy, I know from my conversations with you that you are not a Trump supporter and most of my Westport Republican friends are not, either.
I want to address your point above that “Trump card attacks are getting old. If that is the agenda this fall instead of Connecticut issues and how they will impact our town for some, then so be it.”
Here is why Trump and his GOP enablers are directly relevant to local and state-level elections this autumn:
First, I was flabbergasted to learn that all five Republican candidates for CT Governor said they would give Trump an “A”. If that’s who they are, that is all I need to know about their values and their judgment.
Second, while you may think that Trump is “beside the point” to the issues facing CT, that is incorrect. His policies and Supreme Ct nominations could potentially threaten CT citizens’ rights to reproductive choices and our state’s gun control legislation. See, e.g., https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ct-congressional-delegation-planned-parenthood-of-southern-new-england-oppose-trump-administrations-planned-changes-to-title-x-program
The GOP’s failure to take action legislatively to protect against Russian election interference could mean that the Russians will continue to interfere with our elections –perhaps this time also in CT — thereby depriving Americans of their core right in a democracy to choose their own government. I want CT officials who stand up for vigorous electoral safeguards.
Please read this article about what Supreme Ct nominee Kavanaugh would mean for the reasonable gun control legislation we passed in CT after Sandy Hook. The slaughter of our children is absolutely something that affects Connecticut and we should be entitled to try to keep our CT citizens safe with reasonable gun control legislation.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/07/heres-how-kavanaugh-could-deal-a-big-blow-to-gun-control/ .
I am voting for a Democratic firewall in the state legislature to pass state legislation to protect our rights against incursions coming out of Trump and his GOP enablers in Washington.
Personally, I am a moderate and believe strongly in fiscal responsibility. Half-baked ideas from a GOP parvenu about how to deal with the SEBAC union may sound good to people who don’t understand how section 7 of the NLRA works, but some of those ideas would simply leave us taxpayers holding the bag again. Remember when GOP governor and criminal convict Rowland played cowboy with the unions and managed to have imposed $125 million in fines on CT taxpayers in penalties for Rowland’s violations? http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-rowland-keeps-hurting-state-20160927-story.html We CT taxpayers are all still suffering because of GOP Rowland’s failure to fund pensions. A shoot first and aim later approach is not the kind of steady judgment that I want to see in the CT legislature.
Trump’s tax law eliminated more than two-third’s of my property tax deduction. If you think Trump and his GOP enablers are not affecting people in CT directly, think again.
Kristin- as always, appreciate your views and comments. I look forward to Jonathan, Greg, Toni, and Will debating over the issues and challenges that face our state.
You and I will have our own debates, as always with respect.