On Saturday, May 10, Republicans from all over Connecticut gathered in their respective Congressional Districts to nominate Republican candidates for U.S. Congress.  With Sen. John McCain at the top of the ticket and Congressional approval ratings at a strong 21%, fielding a full slate of candidates will hold Congressional Democrats accountable for their mistakes over the past 16 months.

We’ve already reported on the rousing nomination of First Congressional District candidate Joe Visconti.  His Convention was well received by many of the delegates in attendance, with most commenting about it being the “most energetic” Convention they had seen in years.  In Eastern Connecticut’s Second Congressional District, Captain Sean Sullivan was nominated to challenge one-term Congressman Joe Courtney.  In accepting the nomination by unanimous voice vote, Sullivan used a humorous story from his submarine days to make the case for his candidacy:

“I am reminded of a time in command of a submarine when we were conducting exercises in the southern Gulf of Thailand. The ship was sitting on the surface in shallow waters and a large tanker approached with constant bearing and decreasing range. If you are a mariner, you know constant bearing, decreasing range is no good. Ultimately, the range will be zero and a collision will ruin your day.

My supply officer was the contact coordinator. Navy Supply Officers are affectionately known as “Chop”. They put on a great meal, but most are not great mariners.

On this occasion, my Chop called to the bridge with a recommended course change to the east. It was a good course to avoid the tanker and all the other ships in the area. It was a textbook course change for collision avoidance. Only one problem. If we turned to the east, we’d run aground on Vietnam! I did not take that recommendation.”  - Sean Sullivan, May 10, 2008

In the Third Congressional District, Boaz ItsHaky, a Bethany acupuncturist, is the Republican nominee.  Bo has a diverse array of interests and a compelling personal story - growing up on a kibbutz in Israel, serving in the IDF, and then migrating to the United States.  A Member of the Republican State Central Committee from the 17th State Senate District, Bo will continue his great service to his Party and to his adopted nation.  Hopefully the voters of the 3rd Congressional District will “Go with Bo” on Election Day.

Connecticut’s Republican Congressman Christopher Shays was nominated once again in the Fourth CD at Darien Town Hall on Saturday evening.  In accepting the nomination, Congressman Shays commented about the 2006 results, saying: “The last election left me as a caucus of one,” U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays of Bridgeport said in his speech accepting the nomination. “Democrats didn’t really win the election of 2006. Republicans lost that election because we lost our way.”  Shays, the only Republican Congressman from New England, will fight hard to keep his seat from Democratic challenger Jim Himes.

And in the Fifth Congressional District, State Sen. David Cappiello was nominated to face one-term Congressman Chris Murphy.  The 5th had been the one anticipated contested Convention in the State as late as Wednesday of last week.  But the announcement that former State Rep. Tony Nania would not challenge Cappiello ended that storyline.  Cappiello commented that, “The people of Connecticut are tired of a do-nothing Congress that has failed to address their needs, and worse, has an unacceptable habit of saying one thing but doing another.”  Look for Cappiello to wage an aggressive bid for Congress against Rep. Murphy this fall.

West Hartford Town Councilor Joseph Visconti received the Republican nomination for Congress this morning during a packed First Congressional District Convention in the West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium.  Delegates from all 26 towns in the First Congressional District were on hand to nominate Joe Visconti by unanimous voice vote.

The Convention opened with Temporary Chairman Art Mocabee calling the proceedings to order and welcoming many of the dignitaries, including Mayor Jeff Wright of Newington, Mayor Lou Spadaccini of Manchester, and Mayor Ryan Bingham of Torrington, who was unable to attend the Convention.  The Convention mood was upbeat - with many of the delegates enthused with Visconti’s infectious sense of humor and boundless energy.  You would never have guessed that this was the Convention for a Party that hadn’t held the First Congressional District seat since 1956, and hadn’t really fielded a credible candidate since Kevin O’Connor in 1998.

Visconti’s nomination was made by Ralph Capenera, who is running for the 9th State Senate seat (Cromwell, Newington, Middletown, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfield) against Sen. Paul Doyle.  In nominating Visconti, Capenera told the Convention about the “can do” spirit that Joe Visconti and his father, Joe Sr. brought to every construction project they had, including numerous renovation projects for Capenera and his family.  Capenera referenced the recent passing of Joe Sr., saying, “I know he is looking down on us now from Heaven.”  Theresa McGrath, candidate for State House against Rep. Beth Bye in the 19th District (portions of West Hartford, Avon, and Farmington), seconded Visconti’s nomination, calling him a “good friend” and “a fighter”.

In his acceptance speech, Joe Visconti sounded themes that all First District residents can identify with: the need for a new Representative in Washington, D.C. who is a career citizen, not a career politician.  He called for a fiscal policy that doesn’t waste federal tax dollars on pork barrel projects and massive growth to the size of government.  Visconti talked about the national need for a more sensible and humane immigration policy.  And he wants to end “corporate welfare”.  These principles drew the delegates to their feet in enthusiastic applause.

And so, for the first time in a decade, Congressman John Larson - whom Chairman Healy recently admonished with the famous line from Animal House, “”Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son,” - will now be challenged by a credible, energetic candidate who wants to have a real debate about the future of the United States.  After 50 years, it’s time for change in the 1st Congressional District.

Check out the photos from the Convention at the CTGOP Photo Gallery.  Also, visit Joe Visconti’s cool new website for more from him.

Arguably the most interesting storyline of the 2008 Congressional Conventions was in the 5th Congressional District face-off between former State Rep. Anthony Nania and State Sen. David Cappiello.  Sen. Cappiello announced his bid for Congress and had already raised a significant sum of money when rumors began circulating about a Nania challenge in August ‘07.  Speculation continued to run rampant as website domains were reserved and Republican Town Committees were visited during the winter months. 

In recent weeks, however, the effort seemed to wane as the fundraising tallies for the two gentlemen headed in opposite directions - with Cappiello’s coffers growing while Nania’s fell flat.  It still came as a surprise, however, when former State Rep. Nania informed Chairman Healy that he would not be mounting a Convention challenge to Cappiello yesterday.  His gracious exit from the race clears the way for Cappiello’s nomination tomorrow.

Republicans all across Connecticut will gather in their various Congressional Districts this Saturday, May 10th, to nominate candidates for Congress.  The First Congressional District Convention will be held at West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium, at 10am.  It is anticipated that West Hartford Councilor Joseph Visconti will be nominated.  Former Commander Sean Sullivan will stand for nomination in the 2nd Congressional District.  And in the Fourth District, Congressman Christopher Shays will be re-nominated for another term in Congress.

West Hartford Town Councilor Joe Visconti announced his candidacy yesterday in a daylong bus tour of Connecticut’s First Congressional District.  Visconti will challenge Rep. John Larson in the November election.  The Visconti Announcement Tour visited Torrington, Bristol, Hartford, and Manchester during the course of the day.

The highlights from the tour are positive for Visconti’s effort.  From the Bristol Press:

Visconti said the man he aims to unseat, 10-year incumbent Democrat John Larson, “is part of the establishment” and hasn’t done enough to bring down spending and taxes.

From the Torrington Register-Citizen:

“After more than 50 years of one-party dominance, today marks the beginning of Connecticut’s recovery…where special interest groups no longer dictate policy and where all residents have an opportunity to realize the American Dream,” Visconti began.

The best line of the day easily belonged to the Register-Citizen, when they took Rep. Larson to task for not showing up in Torrington. Must be too far a drive.

A new candidate came to town Thursday, hoping to win over voters who may never have even seen his incumbent competition.

The Hartford Courant’s On Background blog also covered Visconti’s announcement:

One of the House’s leading Democrats, five-term Rep. John Larson, may actually have somebody who wants his job. It seems that Joseph Visconti, a Republican member of the West Hartford town council, wants to shove the son of East Hartford right out of his 1st District throne.

If you get a free minute, check out Joe Visconti’s new website.  You can also see a few of the pictures from Visconti’s Manchester announcement here.