Endorsements for Connecticut Senate

by: Barbara Richards

Fri Oct 17, 2008 at 17:05:24 PM EDT

The endorsements for the Senate appear below the fold, in order by district.  The ones for the House of Representatives will be posted on MLN within a short time.

The listings in bold and italics are the districts where a hard-fought contest is predicted, and for most of those candidates there is information on how to contact their campaigns so that people can easily choose to volunteer where their work might make a big difference.  

For incumbents, endorsements are based on the Democracy/Humanity Rating - a percentage of "Good" votes on 8 key issues.  For challengers the selection of candidates is based on a mixture of conversations with friends who are active in politics and discussions with the candidates themselves.

There is still time to revise this endorsement list and to add further information before the election.  Comments posted by MLN contributors or sent to the email address on the website will help in this process.  Thank you.

Fonfara, John W. - District S01 (Hartford , Wethersfield ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent

Coleman, Eric D. - District S02 (Bloomfield , Hartford , Windsor ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent

LeBeau, Gary D. - District S03 (East Hartford , East Windsor , Ellington , South Windsor ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - No Republican opponent - He does not need volunteers but if you would like to contact him feel free to call at (860)528-5818Senator LeBeau has been a strong and effective leader on issues of economic development and has been instrumental in the formation of a task force on fatherhood.

Handley, Mary Ann - District S04 (Bolton , Glastonbury , Manchester , Marlborough ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent.  To volunteer contact (860)617-5000.Senator Handley has been a strong and effective leader on issues of health care and higher education, among others.

Harris, Jonathan A. - District S05 (Bloomfield , Burlington , Farmington , West Hartford ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent -Senator Harris has been a strong and effective leader on issues of human services, among others.

DeFronzo, Donald J. - District S06 (Berlin , Farmington , New Britain ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - No Republican Opponent - Senator Defronzo has been a strong and effective leader on issues of transportation, among others.

House, Arthur H. - District S08 (Avon , Barkhamsted, Canton , Colebrook , Granby, Hartland , Harwinton , New Hartford , Norfolk , Simsbury , Torrington ) - Running as a Democrat against incumbent House Republican Kevin Witkos, who has a Democracy-Humanity Rating of 0.  To volunteer go to http://www.houseforsenate.com/.  There is an enormous difference between these two candidates.  This race is very important.

Harp, Toni N. - District S10 (New Haven, West Haven) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent.  To volunteer contact (203)507-3695, 251 Alden Avenue, New Haven, CT 06515.Senator Harp has been a strong and effective leader on issues of health care, among others.

Looney, Martin - District S11 (Hamden, New Haven) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - No Republican opponent.  If you would like to get in touch with Senator Looney feel free to call him at (203)468-8829.Senator Looney is the Majority Leader of the Senate, a very important position and one he has filled with intelligence and decency. He has been a strong and consistent supporter of democratic and humane legislative proposals.  One particular emphasis has been the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Meyer, Edward - District S12 (Branford , Durham , Guilford , Killingworth , Madison , North Branford ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent.  To volunteer contact Jacquelin Kozin at (203)980-6466.Senator Meyer is the Chair of the very important Environment Committee of the legislature, and has also been a strong leader on issues of ethics.

Gaffey, Thomas P. - District S13 (Cheshire , Meriden , Middlefield , Middletown ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 83 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent

Slossberg, Gayle S. - District S14 (Milford , Orange, West Haven) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 83 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent - To volunteer go to www.friendsofgayle.com.

Crisco, Joseph J. Jr. - District S17 (Ansonia , Beacon Falls , Bethany , Derby , Hamden , Naugatuck , Woodbridge ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 86 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent

Maynard, Andrew M.  - District S18 (Griswold , Groton, North Stonington , Plainfield , Preston , Sterling , Stonington , Voluntown ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent.  To volunteer contact maynardforstatesenate@gmail.com

Prague, Edith G. - District S19 (Andover , Bozrah , Columbia , Franklin , Hebron , Lebanon , Ledyard , Lisbon , Montville Part , Norwich , Sprague ) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - No Republican Opponent.  Senator Prague does not need any volunteers but if you wish to talk with her for any reason please feel free to call her at home: 860-228-9280.Senator Prague is one of the most courageous and honorable legislators in the General Assembly.  She has stood up honestly and forthrightly for many important issues.

Stillman, Andrea L. - District S20 (East Lyme, Montville, New London, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Salem, Waterford) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent.  To volunteer contact 860-443-8568.

Andersen, Janice  - District S21 (Monroe, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford) - Running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Dan Debicella, who has a Democracy-Humanity Rating of 0 and was extremely active in opposing most of the democratic and humane bills this website has supported. To volunteer contact (203)375-6455, or janiceandersen@gmail.com.This is a very important race. Please help if you can.  Janice is an excellent candidate with a long history of public service.  If elected she intends to focus especially on issues of quality health care and education.

Musto, Anthony J.  - District S22 (Bridgeport, Monroe, Trumbull) - Running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Robert Russo, who has a Democracy-Humanity Rating of 0.  To volunteer contact Angel Depara at 203-275-8551.

Gomes, Edwin A. - District S23 (Bridgeport, Stratford) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent - Senator Gomes has a long history as a union and community activist and has strongly supported working people during his time in the Senate.

Perkins, Duane E.  - District S24 (Bethel, Danbury, New Fairfield, Sherman) - Running for an open seat - Has Republican opponent - To volunteer contact Deperkins2008@yahoo.com.As a member of the City Counil Duane Perkins took a courageous stand in voting against Mayor Boughton's proposal to involve local police in immigration enforcement.  His main opponent is an assistant to the Mayor and supported the proposal.

Hartwell, John - District S26 (Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, Wilton) - Running as a Democrat against incumbent House Republican Toni Boucher, who has a Democracy-Humanity Rating of 17.  To volunteer go to http://www.johnhartwell2008.com/.  John Hartwell is an excellent candidate and this is a very important race.

       McDonald, Andrew J. - District S27 (Darien, Stamford) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 86 - Incumbent Democrat - No Republican opponent

Goldberg, Martin A.  - District S28 (Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston) - Running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican John McKinney, who has a Democracy-Humanity Rating of 29.

Williams, Donald E. Jr. - District S29 (Brooklyn, Canterbury, Killingly, Mansfield, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson, Windham) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 100 - Incumbent Democrat - Has Republican opponent - Senator Williams is the leader of the Senate and has done an excellent job in that position.

Colapietro, Thomas A. - District S31 (Bristol, Harwinton, Plainville, Plymouth) - Democracy-Humanity Rating 86 - Incumbent Democrat - No Republican opponent

McCarthy, John  - District S32 (Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Middlebury, Oxford, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury, Thomaston, Watertown, Woodbury) - Running as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Robert J. Kane.  To volunteer go to www.friendsofjohnmccarthy.com.