McMahon Courts Branford Delegates

Just days before her party’s convention, Linda McMahon, the leading Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, made an unexpected visit to the Branford Republican Town Committee in attempt to woo 11 uncommitted delegates.

Several delegates said later she had their vote.
 

The courtship took place at the committee’s meeting on Tuesday at the Canoebrook Senior Center. Branford delegates are set to attend the state Republican party convention Friday night to nominate statewide candidates going into the primary.

In her surprise visit, McMahon made a stump speech and asked for delegates’ support. The town committee decided not to endorse anyone, but several delegates said McMahon had their votes.

“We are going as individuals to the convention,” said RTC chair Ray Ingraham in an interview after the meeting. ​“We are meeting the candidates and then making up our minds.” 

McMahon”s speech centered on fiscal restraint, the economy and immigration. She spoke openly and candidly about those issues. She took questions from the audience and spoke to folks individually. 

But she retreated from questions about the big issue of the week: her campaign’s role in providing research and a video to the New York Times designed to undermine her main opponent, Democratic Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. The Times published an expose on Monday asserting that Blumenthal had mislead the public by saying that he served in Vietnam, instead of as a stateside Marines reservist. The expose centers on a video in which Blumenthal tells a veteran’s group that he ​“served in Vietnam.”

Initially the McMahon website took credit for the Times story. But it then removed the story and its association with it from the website. Blumenthal subsequently told the press he had misspoken. 

Peter Black, a Republican member of the Representative Town Meeting, asked McMahon after her talk before the Branford RTC why the website dropped the story. She said she did not want to comment on the process.

She gave a more direct answer to a television reporter for WTNH Wednesday. She said: ​“Look guys, let me just say, I’m not going to get caught up in the process of what went on yesterday. We did some research, we shared some research, it was a good project, let’s go on.” The Times did not disclose the role McMahon’s campaign played in providing research to the newspaper.

Ingraham said he had learned a day before that McMahon might visit the RTC that night. Representatives from the offices of Rob Simmons, who is also seeking the U.S. Senate seat, and Tom Foley, who is seeking the governor’s chair, also spoke. 

In other business, the Republicans formally approved the candidacy of David Goclowski, a local businessman, who is seeking the 102nd District General Assembly seat now held by Democrat Lonnie Reed. Reed is expected to formally declare her candidacy next month. She just completed her second year in office. .

Goclowski who announced his candidacy last month, was formally nominated by Robin Sandler, who served as town counsel when John Opie was first selectman. Sandler was the one who first suggested that Goclowski run. Sandler, along with Goclowski’s wife, Teresa, described the candidate as either a pit ball or a bulldog, in effect, a person with determination.

Goclowski said: ​“David comes across as arrogant, obnoxious, rough-around-the – edges.” Many people, she said refer to him as a ​“pit bull.”

But then she broke down, saying that under that exterior he was compassionate and loving. When she regained her composure she said that her husband’s ferocity and determination will help the town accomplish its goals.

The traits described by Sandler and Teresa Goclowski are in stark contrast to Rep. Reed’s bi-partisan consensus approach to effecting change.

Both Reed and Goclowski expect to run under a state public financing campaign law enacted more than two years. The law says that a candidate cannot take funds from state contractors, from lobbyists or from other special interest groups. Nor are PACs [political action committees] permitted. A candidate seeking to become a state representative must raise $5,000 from 150 contributors within his or her town. 

Under the public financing program for state assembly, a candidate must raise $5,000 from 150 people within the election district. Contributors may give $5 to the maximum of $100. 

Getting the numbers of people to sign up is usually more difficult than raising the funds. Contributors may be from either party or from an unaffiliated list.

Ingraham, who also serves as the treasurer for the Goclowski campaign, told the Eagle that so far Goclowski had received $3,000 and 70 contributors. ​“We are doing nicely,” he said. Once the goal is reached the program will give the candidate $30,000. 

A state senate candidate has to raise $15,000 from his or her district, and the funds must come from 300 or more people. If a Senate candidate raises $15,000 he or she will be able to receive $85,000 in public funds. State Senator Ed Meyer, who now holds the 12th District senate seat, is participating in the public program. So is his Republican opponent, Lisa Davenport of Durham, a newcomer to politics. Davenport is a local merchant in Glastonbury. 

Davenport came late and spoke briefly. Her purpose, she said, was to get the 30 people in the audience to contribute five dollars each to her campaign. She needs to draw those 300 contributors from the six towns in the 12th District.

She handed out forms for signatures and many signed them.

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