Guide to Connecticut Politics & Government
Our guide to politics and government has entries on 200 elected officials. Click on the categories below to learn more about every member of the General Assembly, the state's congressional delegation and its statewide constitutional officers.
Congress
U.S. Sens. Christopher J. Dodd and Joseph I. Lieberman and U.S. Reps. John B. Larson of the 1st District, Joe Courtney of the 2nd, Rosa L. DeLauro of the 3rd, Jim Himes of the 4th, and Chris Murphy of the 5th comprise the state delegation.
All are Democrats, except Lieberman, who was re-elected as an independent in 2006. Republicans held three of the five House seats until wins by Courtney and Murphy in 2006. Himes completed the sweep in 2008.
Constitutional Officers
Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Lt. Gov. Michael C. Fedele, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, Treasurer Denise L. Nappier, Comptroller Nancy Wyman and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are Connecticut's statewide constitutional officers. Their terms are four years.
Only Nappier is seeking re-election in 2010. Rell is retiring. Fedele is running for governor, Wyman for lieutenant governor and Blumenthal for U.S. Senate. Bysiewicz was forced by a court decision to end her run for attorney general.
State Senate
Democrats hold 24 of 36 seats in the Senate. Republicans last won majorities in 1984 and 1994. They have not controlled the Senate in consecutive elections since 1928 and 1930.
The Senate leaders are President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams Jr. of Brooklyn, Majority Leader Martin M. Looney of New Haven and Minority Leader John P. McKinney of Fairfield. Senate terms are two years.
State House of Representatives
Democrats hold 114 of 151 seats in the House, their biggest majority since winning 118 seats in 1974. Republicans last won majorities in 1972 and 1984.
The House leaders are Speaker Christopher G. Donovan of Meriden, Majority Leader Denise W. Merrill of Mansfield and Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. of Norwalk. House terms are two years.
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With less than two weeks to go before primary day, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Peter Schiff is in the midst of an on-line drive--a "money bomb," he calls it--to raise cash to air his first televised attack ad aimed at front-runner Linda McMahon. Right now, the ad is only available online. Earlier this week, Schiff said he's not inclined to put any more of his own money into the race.
"Money is coming in." Reincarnated GOP U.S. Senate candidate Rob Simmons tells Politico he's getting financial support, although he's not actively raising funds. He's also running a private poll and considering another "public service announcement" (NOT a campaign ad) letting folks know he's on the ballot. Some supporters are ambivalent, like former U.S, Rep. Nancy Johnson: "I'm not optimistic, I'm not pessimistic. I'm kind of neutral. It's hard to predict."
For nearly 30 years, residents of a neighborhood in Haddam have been waiting for state action to clean up contamination in the groundwater that supply the wells they rely on, Nancy Eve Cohen reports on WNPR. The Department of Environmental Protection has yet to identify the source of the pollution that affects about 19 homes.
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