Merrick Alpert, the Mystic businessman who is going up against the state's Democratic party establishment by challenging U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, reported a total of $19,619 in contributions during the third-quarter of 2009.
The campaign received 136 donations, 90 of which came from Connecticut residents. The average contribution was $144.26, according to the campaign. More than a third came online, through the candidate's website.
"I am very grateful to the 116 people who contributed to my campaign,'' Alpert said in a press release. "
Considering Alpert spent more than he raised in the second quarter from donations other than himself you do have to wonder how much money he will pour into this exercise in futility. On the one hand this campaign has raised his profile from non-existent to barely existent but will he ever get elected as a Democrat anywhere after challenging Chris Dodd? Highly doubtful.
At the occasion of the release of yet another recycled, non-newsbreaking hit on Chris Dodd by the AP yesterday, Democratic Senate candidate Merrick Alpert saw it fit to respond via Twitter in what is already quickly becoming his signature, classy fashion:
VIP = RIP
"VIP," in Merrick's pithy retelling, of course must refer to the Countrywide "VIP" program that Chris Dodd has repeatedly said he knew he was enrolled in but was told at the time was "nothing more than enhanced customer service", an assertion not contradicted by any new evidence. And by "RIP", we can infer (and hope) that Merrick is suggesting that this manufactured controversy will be only the "death" of Dodd's campaign.
Still, when musing over Alpert's thoughts on Dodd's "VIP" lifestyle (and his previous criticism of Dodd over his move to Iowa), it's worth contemplating pots, kettles, and glass half-million dollar Florida country club condominiums.
On February 6th of this year, according to the Lee (FL) County Clerk's office, Alpert sold his condo at the Gulf Harbour Yacht and Country Club in Fort Myers, Florida, for $430,000, in order to move back to Connecticut. He would announce his run for Senate three months later. I guess it does help to move back to a state if you plan to run for office in it.
Tee It Up Or Sail It Out!... From Using A Full Service Gym That Has 1 Room Just For Cardio, 1 Room Just For Weight Lifting, 1 Room Just For Aerobic Style Classes, Facials, Pedicures To A Fully Staffed Tennis & Golf Shop With Pros To Answer Every Question. Come Experience What It Feels Like To Live In A Resort.
There is a championship 6,700 yard 18 hole Chip Powell designed golf course and aqua-range. Members also enjoy the Club's private island beach and wildlife habitat, which combined with the golf course, waterfront pool & Tiki Hut, fully equipped fitness center, luxurious spa, championship tennis facility, and yacht basin, provides Members an extensive array of active amenities that enhance this fantastic Gulf Harbour Lifestyle.
It must have been quite the "VIP" Florida resort lifestyle for this supposed down-to-earth Connecticut everyman.
The second part of this months' Quinnipiac poll was released this morning, showing Chris Dodd's approval rating continuing to steadily climb as he has largely consolidated support among Democrats. Dodd's approval rating is now at 42% and 52% disapproval, compared with 38%/53% in May and 33%/58% in April. Dodd is in very good shape with Democrats, increasing his lead vs. Merrick Alpert in a hypothetical Democratic primary, from +20 to +34, and 72% of Democrats now approve of how he is doing his job.
While Dodd continues to trail Rob Simmons by about the same margin as he did in May in a head to head matchup, he is now tied with or leading all of the other GOP contenders, and there are some details in the numbers that suggest that Simmons' lead is deceiving. For example, the poll shows Simmons leading 50%-39% in the very Democratic 1st CD and, and, as even former Simmons campaign staffer Heath at CTLP admits:
Rob got plenty of Hartford-based exposure when he was in Congress, but there still is no way that when voters actually vote that Rob will be beating Dodd in the First. I would suspect at least a ten point spread in the other direction.
CONNECTICUT: It's still not good, but it's possible that Chris Dodd stopped the bleeding. He trails Rob Simmons by nine points in a new Quinnipiac poll. But his job rating has inched up a tad, and he's gained a bit among Dems. Remember, the state's so blue, Dodd can pull this off with just Dems and a few indies. Still, he has a LONG way to go.
For those reporters remaining the state's ever-shrinking mainstream media who are attempting to paint place Merrick Aplert's "FOX News style" campaign against Senator Dodd in the same light as Ned Lamont's 2006 campaign against Joe Lieberman (for example), fellow blogger CT Blue pretty much nails it.
If he [Alpert] runs as a Democrat, particularly a Democrat to Dodd's left, he gets no traction and no money. But if he runs as a Republican stalking horse, he gets plenty of free publicity via Fox and Friends, and possibly some money from right wingers looking to damage Dodd. So, in the short run, this gives him some visibility and maybe some money for a campaign that would otherwise get neither.
But publicity and money are usually only means to an end. Here's where the questions begin anew. Precisely what is Alpert trying to accomplish? If he's trying to actually win the nomination, he has already reduced his chances to zero.
In the end Dodd will have more money, and the attacks will only cause Democrats, especially activist Democrats, to circle the wagons around Dodd. After all, even those of us who would prefer to see Dodd retire gracefully feel that way more out of sorrow than anger. We like him, even if we are worried about his re-election chances. No challenger could make serious headway with Democrats with a slash and burn anti-Dodd campaign. In short, this strategy, whatever its short term benefits, guarantees that the Democratic candidate for the US Senate will not be Merrick Alpert. (Unfortunately, it also increases the chances that we will have two Republican Senators in 2011) It also guarantees that Alpert will have no future in the Democratic party. I think it's safe to say that Alpert can even forget about that town council nomination we were trying to give him.
This is not 2006, Dodd is not Joe Lieberman, and Merrick Alpert is not Ned Lamont.
Just a quick update to my diary from yesterday on Merrick Alpert's run at Dodd from the right. At about noon, I had commented that:
Alpert's initial forays seem not to be aimed at the grassroots but rather at the media (has Fox News called yet?), where the ground is likely to be much more fertile.
Just about two hours later, where was Alpert? On his "tour" of the state? Talking to Connecticut Democrats? Nope, he was doing a live interview on... Fox News (his appearance notably taking precedence for that network over the White House press briefing going on in the upper right hand corner), where he indicated that he indeed intends to keep on attacking Dodd's character using right-wing rhetoric, to the visible delight of the sitting anchors (h/t Scarce):
Yes, Fox News, the perfect place to reach the Democratic rank-and-file if you're a candidate interested in a substantive, issues-based primary and not simply assisting the GOP propaganda machine with character attacks. (An even better choice than, say, launching a primary campaign on Imus.)
Merrick Alpert, a Mystic democrat formally declared his candidacy today challenging incumbent Sen. Christopher J. Dodd to a democratic primary next year.
"I'm running for the United States Senate from Connecticut because we deserve a senator who tells it straight and who focuses on protecting our jobs and rebuilding our states economy" Alpert said.
Standing in front of his home on Burrows Street surrounded by about fifty supporters.
"Like many in Connecticut I've lost faith in Sen. Dodd. Sen. Dodd served Connecticut well for many years but not lately."
Following today's announcement Alpert initiated a statewide campaign visiting communities across the state to drum up support for his candidacy.
Primaries are, generally speaking, good things. Often one of the only spaces in American political system where voters can have a real choice and incumbents can face real accountability, primaries provide progressives and all activists with a rare chance to use real people-powered leverage to change the political debate. Connecticut has certainly been witness to this.
The best primary campaigns - even against longtime incumbents - do not hurt but help a party, allowing it to hash out internal policy debates as well as more existential questions about its own identity, and often attracting newer and younger voters to the party in the process who will stay there for a lifetime. The most damaging primary campaigns are those that shy away from providing real choices to voters on ideology or policy, drawing their lifeblood not from activist passion but character attacks, cynical sharp opportunism, and single-minded personal ambition.
Unfortunately, from all initial appearances, Merrick Alpert's just-announced campaign for Senate falls clearly in the second category. He is already attacking Senator Dodd using right-wing talking points, and is poised to continue running at Senator Dodd from the right.
It seems Alpert has been looking for a chance to run and try to move the Connecticut Democratic party to the right for at least a half-decade now. As far back as February 2004, the Greenwich Time reported on his travels across the state attempting to "create a potent voting bloc" that he - in his own words - hoped would become a "centrist, pro-jobs, pro-business coalition." Alpert was at that point a resident of Greenwich and member of the Greenwich DTC (there is apparently some election law of which I am unaware that requires all primary challengers in Connecticut to have lived in Greenwich).
His seemingly-complete website and introductory video are both almost completely bereft of any policy distinctions with Dodd - or really any mention of any issues at all (the word "economy" does not appear there anywhere as far as I can tell). Instead, his campaign has emerged as a full-bore ad hominem assault, attacking Dodd both overtly and obliquely - but always in pitch-perfect right-wing consultant-speak: for being part of a "culture of corruption", for not telling the "truth" about the AIG bonuses, for moving to Iowa during his presidential run, and apparently - while emotionally describing watching his mother reading the losses on her 401(k) statement and blaming Chris Dodd for letting it happen - even for allowing the entire economic crisis.
If you wanted to, you wouldn't have to go far to find the many ironies: an ex-Enron employee attacking someone for being part of a "culture of corruption", a recent resident of Florida attacking someone for not being around Connecticut enough, a big donor who maxed out to Dodd as recently as 2006 and who has been looking to run for something big for half a decade suddenly - by his own account - dropping that support and realizing the error of his ways the very day Dodd stepped in it on CNN and it was clear he was headed for a free-fall in the polls.
I don't think that many hard core Democrats will be interested in taking part in a campaign that will, of necessity, involve nothing but attacks on Dodd, weakening him in the general election after he wins the primary, should Merrick qualify.
If there is going to be a primary, bloggers, reporters, and Connecticut progressives need to demand one based on meaningful distinctions, and ask Alpert or anyone else why and how he thinks he would be a better and more effective Democratic Senator than Chris Dodd. As of now, an answer to that central question is looking neither imminent nor, if it ever comes, at all convincing.
Standing in front of his home in Mystic this morning, Democrat Merrick Alpert declared his intention to take on U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, a man he attacked as "part of a culture of corruption" in Washington.
Citing Dodd's controversial mortgage, his decision to move his family to Iowa to run for President and his role in the AIG bonus controversy Alpert said Dodd has "become disconnected from the people of the Connecticut."
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