Posted inPolitics

Blue wave could propel Conn. Democrats into powerful jobs

WASHINGTON — A blue wave that wrests control of the U.S. House from the GOP would propel Connecticut’s Democratic House members — who are favored to win another term — out of a political wilderness and into positions of power. But while they may be able to advance their political agendas, the prospects of a continued GOP-controlled Senate would limit their new power.

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GOP congressional challengers facing the power of incumbency

When she went to the state Republican Party convention in May as a delegate from Manchester, Jennifer Nye had no plans to challenge John Larson, who has represented the Hartford-area 1st Congressional District since 1999. But now Nye belongs to an exclusive club. She’s one of several underfunded GOP candidates vying for Congress in Connecticut this year.

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Himes uses war chest to help other Dems, Arora raises less than $9k over summer

WASHINGTON – Democratic Rep. Jim Himes is spending more money on the races of other Democratic candidates than he is on his own, while his Republican challenger Harry Arora, raised less than $9,000 in campaign cash this summer. Himes donated to the campaigns of more than 70 House Democrats in the last quarter, the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission show.

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Voter registration continues to surge in Conn., especially among young adults

Following a national trend, voter registration continues to soar in Connecticut, especially among young voters, who traditionally have weak participation in elections. “It’s tremendous,” said Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill. “I feel like I’ve been waiting all my life for young people to turn out and now they have.”

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New ‘atlas’ tracks social media sentiment for Lamont, Stefanowski, other candidates

WASHINGTON – A new political tool that tracks sentiment on social media every day showed that more people said nice things about Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont than his Republican rival Bob Stefanowski . But the Political Atlas said Stefanowski had Lamont beat when it came to “favorability” which also took into account how many times his name was mentioned on social media.

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Connecticut seeing surge of voter registrations since 2016 election

Connecticut residents are registering to vote at an unprecedented rate in a non-presidential election cycle, indicating increased interest in politics since President Donald Trump won the White House, analysts say. According to data from the Connecticut Secretary of State’s office, from the 2016 election through June of this year, 81,908 new voters registered as Democrats, compared to 43,390 who registered as Republicans.

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GOP congressional candidates willing to swim against political tide

Congressional candidates in Connecticut are bracing for next year’s mid-term elections, which could shift power in the U.S. House and Senate and serve as a referendum on Donald Trump’s presidency. Former State Rep. Dan Carter, 49, who lost a challenge last year to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, is among those testing the waters for a run against Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty.