Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Money
  • Election 2020
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Money
    Election 2020
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

National parties begin attacks in 5th District race, but will they work?

  • by Ana Radelat
  • August 16, 2012
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Washington — The national Republican Party is calling Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District race its “best pickup opportunity in New England.”

And a national political report has moved the race from “leaning Democrat” to pure “toss up.”

And so the name-calling has begun, with each party testing for vulnerabilities in the opposing candidates.

The national Republican Party is calling Democrat Elizabeth Esty a lightweight, while national Democrats are trying to label Republican Andrew Roraback a radical in attacks that may fizzle, or just change, as the battle for the seat deepens.

University of Connecticut political science professor Vin Moscardelli said the national parties are “trying to throw a lot of things against the wall to see what will stick.”

The 5th District seat is an open seat that will be vacated by Rep. Chris Murphy who is running for U.S. Senate, and races for open seats are usually the most competitive.

But this one has special significance to the national political parties.

The winner of the seat will either keep Connecticut’s entire House delegation in the Democratic column or give Connecticut Republicans a coveted seat in Congress that would help them grow their party, which has lost political clout in recent years.

A Roraback win would also make it harder for Democrats to pick up the additional 25 seats they need to win back the House.

With so much at stake, the national parties have plunged into the 5th District race, and their PACs (with their money) are expected to follow.

The Republican line of attack is that Esty, a one-term member of the state House, is a “second-tier candidate” and “transparent partisan politician who was voted out after one term in the state assembly,” said Nat Sillin, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee

Republicans will contrast Esty’s record with that of Roraback, who has served 12 years in the state Senate.

That may not be the strongest of political assaults, but Connecticut House Speaker Chris Donovan’s loss in Tuesday’s primary deprived the NRCC of a bigger target as Donovan’s campaign was marred by scandal.

“Not getting Donovan was good news for Democrats, but facing Roraback is the bad news,” said Nathan Gonzales of the Rothenberg Political Report.

Faced with a strong GOP candidate, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is portraying Roraback as a conservative extremist. It’s trying to tie him to the controversial budget proposed by Mitt Romney’s vice presidential nominee Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, that would transform the Medicare program into a voucher system.

“Andrew Roraback now joins Washington Republicans and Paul Ryan’s ticket to end Medicare and force seniors to pay more for their health care while giving tax breaks to millionaires,” a DCCC statement said.

Democrats have a few other plays that tie the popular, pro-choice Roraback to the national GOP, which is far more conservative than Connecticut’s Republican voters, especially on social issues like abortion, Moscardelli said.

Meanwhile, the GOP has to make the race “all about Esty” because attacking the Democratic Party and its stand on issues would backfire in a “blue” district that’s trending bluer every day, Moscardelli said.

Yet the slams on each of the candidates are hard to support.

Far from being a lightweight, Esty has a degree from Yale Law School, and attended Harvard as an undergraduate. She lost her seat in the state’s General Assembly in large part because she stuck to her opposition to the death penalty after the horrific Petit home invasion case in Cheshire. The state has repealed the death penalty since her defeat.

“Esty’s loss in the 2010 GOP wave doesn’t diminish the formidability of her candidacy this year,” said David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report.

Meanwhile, the affable Roraback was the most moderate candidate in the GOP primary, although he tacked to the right a bit in debates with his Republican rivals. The DCCC is using clips from those debates in an attack video that calls Roraback a tea party extremist.

Not true, said Gonzales, who called Roraback a moderate who is “well-regarded by Democrats and Republicans in Connecticut.” Gonzales said Roraback has to keep his distance from the national GOP to maintain his popularity.

“Roraback will need to upgrade his campaign and fundraising and will have to run well-ahead of Mitt Romney and Senate nominee Linda McMahon, but he looks like the type of New England Republican who can make this a real race,” Gonzales said.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ana Radelat

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Connecticut’s largest COVID vaccination site is now open. Here’s what you need to know.
by Jenna Carlesso

The state plans to vaccinate 7,000 to 10,000 people weekly at the former Pratt & Whitney airport at Rentschler Field.

Nursing home residents are receiving the COVID vaccination at a higher rate than their caretakers
by Dave Altimari and Jenna Carlesso

Providers attributed workers' reluctance to a variety of issues, from concerns about fertility to uncertainty about the side effects.

Legislative leaders support extension of Lamont’s emergency powers during COVID
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

The governor's emergency powers expire Feb. 9 unless he asks lawmakers for an extension within 72 hours of that date.

Weeks after the election, Secretary of the State’s efforts to monitor disinformation campaigns ended
by Kasturi Pananjady and Dave Altimari

For weeks, an intelligence analyst monitored social media for the Secretary of the State's office. Then her contract ran out.

Keeping Connecticut’s music industry alive
by Matt Fitzgibbon

By recently passing the Save Our Stages Act, a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, in its COVID relief package, Congress has temporarily protected The Constitution State’s music industry from economic free fall. But are the courts now willing to do what’s necessary to provide the permanent security it needs and deserves?

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Keeping Connecticut’s music industry alive
by Matt Fitzgibbon

By recently passing the Save Our Stages Act, a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, in its COVID relief package, Congress has temporarily protected The Constitution State’s music industry from economic free fall. But are the courts now willing to do what’s necessary to provide the permanent security it needs and deserves?

Opinion A young Black man sees a need for faster racial progress
by Eugene Z. Bertrand

I first learned that I was Black in kindergarten. More importantly, I learned of the negative connotations that come with identifying with my own skin color.

Opinion Sadly, not much has changed since Martin Luther King Jr.’s killing.
by Alberto Cortes

As we approached the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I took the time to read and watch his “I Had a Dream” speech which he  delivered on Aug. 28, 1963; and as I read through it 57 years later, I realize not much has changed.

Opinion The struggle for racial justice and equality is far from over
by Marilyn Moore

On the eve of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, I and many others are reflecting on what recently transpired at the U. S. Capitol and how it relates to the injustices that Dr. King and so many others fought to change so many years ago. It is obvious that our nation's fight for racial justice and equality is far from over. In fact, it continues to this day.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO