After a holiday hiatus, “The Republican Heard”, the weekly e-newsletter from the Connecticut Republican Party, will be out this afternoon, with coverage on a wide range of topics. If you aren’t already signed up to receive “The Republican Heard”, then you won’t be reading about:

• The latest news from the 32nd Senate District as they prepare to nominate a new candidate to fill the vacancy
• The new Citizens Election Program (CEP) and the ramifications of that new system
• Internship opportunities available at CTGOP
• and much more!

Sign up now at our website to begin receiving “The Republican Heard” next week!

With his political opponents attempting to stir up some dust over Senator Cappiello’s work as a loan officer, the Republican challenging Democrat one-termer Chris Murphy announced his support recently for tough new regulations on mortgage officers in the wake of the continuing troubles in subprime lending. The Danbury News-Times covered the story today. Highlights from Cappiello:

“This is not going to solve all the mortgage woes, but it’s definitely a piece of the puzzle,” said Cappiello, who has also worked as a loan officer for the last decade. “Right now, someone could come off the street and work for a mortgage company or bank with little or no experience.”

“It only makes sense that the loan officer they are dealing with has some training and education, so they can convey the right information to the customer,” he said.

-Quotes from State Sen. David Cappiello, as reported in the Danbury News-Times, by Dirk Perrefort, 11/28/2007

CNN & YouTube will host a Presidential debate tonight for the candidates running for the Republican Presidential nomination. We’ve been running ‘Debate Prep’ clips over the last week and we’ll continue to do that in the run up to the debate tonight. Here’s one from Rudy Giuliani:

In the race for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, a host of polling shows a predictably tightening race with several Republican candidates within striking distance of the front. While national polls continue to show strength for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, it is important to remember that national polling data is completely irrelevant when it comes time to choose a Republican nominee, because the primaries are held state-by-state, not nationwide (though February 5th’s Super Tuesday comes close).

Caucus-goers in Iowa will head to their local school, town hall, senior center, or sometimes even private residences to pick a nominee for President on an inevitably cold Iowa night to pick a Presidential nominee. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has held a firm lead in Iowa since the early summer, with RealClearPolitics showing a commanding lead for Governor Romney up until recently. The graph at RCP shows the story of the surging Arkansan Mike Huckabee, who has jumped up into second place as Giuliani, Thompson, and McCain have all either held or given up some of their support. Romney and Huckabee seem primed for a fight to the finish in Iowa. A clear victory for Romney in Iowa could well give him the Big Mo’ necessary to power through the New Hampshire primary on January 8th, likely making Romney the Republican nominee. A narrow victory for Romney will make New Hampshire and South Carolina all the more important. A Huckabee victory in Iowa would give their effort a massive jolt of excitement while simultaneously making Gov. Romney’s journey a much harder slog.

And just four days later, on January 8th, primary voters in New Hampshire will head to the polls to choose their favorite candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination. Equally chilly New Hampshire Republicans and independents who show up on Election Day are welcome to cast their ballots in the Granite State, which has set the scene for a unique political dynamism. They voted for John McCain in 2000, Pat Buchanan in 1996, and are still very much torn on their choice for 2008. RCP has Governor Romney well out in front in New Hampshire, with an average margin of more than 14% over the nearest rival, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Romney’s numbers have been fairly stable in New Hampshire, with a mid-October lull seemingly in his rear view mirror and a coinciding Giuiliani rise apparently on the wane. Gov. Huckabee’s numbers are creeping up in New Hampshire, though without the same yeast that is seen in the Iowa numbers. The much-anticipated candidacy of Fred Thompson seems to have boomed and busted through the past autumn, as his announcement was criticized for flaws, his candidacy pegged as haphazard, and his demeanor seemingly nonchalant about the whole thing.

The sum seems to be a strong position for Governor Romney in the early states, with Mayor Giuliani, and Governor Mike Huckabee poised to present formidible challenges to the Romney candidacy.

Connecticut’s wayward son, senior U.S. Senator Chris Dodd, is spending his free time posing a question to Republican Presidential candidates. Some would argue its the closest he’ll ever come to debating a Republican Presidential candidate. Click here to read Chairman Healy’s post about Senator Dodd.

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd’s campaign for President has always been viewed with puzzlement from the start. It is clear he could raise enough money to keep him well stocked and fed as he plodded around the country, spreading a liberal message long past its import.

Connecticut Democrats rolled their eyes, wrote out their $2,300 personal checks and gamely attended his announcement at the old State House with the type of nervous smiles last seen when former Congressman Barbara Kennelly decided to take on Governor John Rowland.

You remember that one?, where the very nice Mrs. Kennelly stood next to a sign that had one word emblazoned with an exclamation mark - “Yes!”

Well, $7 or $8 million later, Dodd is still behind none of the above and the margin of error. He looks like Hell trying to pull off a task reserved for those a few years younger and a few pounds lighter. He is puffy and slit eyed in many pictures and no one really knows why he is still doing it - except to show Joe Lieberman that he can.

Now the missed in the U.S. Senate are catching up with him, according to today’s Hartford Courant. Dodd has missed a third of the votes on the Senate floor, including many that are critical to the country’s financial operation. Not that we mind that he isn’t part of the Democratic ineptitude in Washington, but clearly the people of Connecticut elected him to do a job and that is U.S. Senator.

When Bob Dole began to evolve into a front runner in 1996, he realized he couldn’t be a U.S. Senator for Kansas and Majority Leader. Dole stepped down and allowed the people of Kansas to have a full-time Senator working on the issues they care about.

Connecticut deserves no less. Dodd has been somewhat sketchy about whether he is running again in 2010. Sen. Dodd owes it to us, the people who voted for him or didn’t vote for him, to choose - either give up the ghost and come home, or file for his pension. No hard feelings no matter what you do, Senator, just end this quixotic request before Englehardt really goes to town on you.

Good content abounds this Monday as we go, for the first time in quite some time, down the blogroll.

Don Pesci has an excellent post up, remembering the finer points of former Governor William A. O’Neill.

cttaxed.com is leading today with a thoughtful piece about the implications of a weaker U.S. dollar on Airbus and one of its prime suppliers, Pratt & Whitney.

Danbury Republican Mayor Mark Boughton explains why he is backing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

Headless Horseman bids farewell to Gov. Bill O’Neill.