Courtney Close To A Decision
by Christine Stuart | Jan 28, 2011 2:50pm
(8) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Congress, Election 2012
U.S. Rep. Joseph Courtney, who has expressed interest in the seat U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman will be vacating, said he’s going to make his decision soon.
“I’m not going to torture people,” Courtney said Friday after a meeting with his colleagues in Hartford.
Courtney, the fairly moderate Democrat from the state’s Congressional District, who is currently serving his third-term said Lieberman’s retirement decision was sped up considerably. That created a snowball affect forcing those who had their minds made up jump in the race earlier than anticipated.
First to announce, even before Lieberman’s announcement, was former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, who was followed by U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy.
Some in the Democratic party are anxious about pitting two sitting Congressman against one another in a primary for the seat, while others believe primaries make the candidate who emerges stronger to challenge the handful of Republicans being named. No Republican has announced they will seek the seat.
Courtney seems to have beat out Murphy in CTNewsjunkie’s first unofficial, and unscientific poll on the race, which ran for six days last week.
Also House Speaker Chris Donovan of Meriden said Friday that he’s interested in running for Murphy’s seat in the 5th Congressional District, but isn’t close to making up his mind.
He said it was an unfortunate coincidence that he happened to be in Washington D.C. for a redistricting conference last week when the game of political musical chairs started because people may have assumed he was down their looking for support for a possible run. He said that wasn’t the case.
Tags: Senate 2012, Courtney, Murphy, Lieberman
(8) Comments
posted by: ... | January 28, 2011 4:25pm
I would really like to see a more moderate democrat known to work well with Republicans like Courtney running for the Senate than Murphy, who appears more party-line on his voting records.
But I wish both of them the best of luck in the primary, as well as any other primary candidates of either party. 2012 will be a arduous year for sure!
posted by: AndersonScooper | January 28, 2011 5:37pm
C’mon. In terms of that poll, Team Courtney clearly stuffed the ballot box after no one was looking. Two days in Murphy was leading among active CTNJ readers with at 40% of the overall vote, and at least twice that of any other candidate.
posted by: hawkeye | January 28, 2011 7:05pm
Neither Joe Courtney or Chris Murphy, will defeat Susan Bysiewicz, despite any early wishful-forecast polling, they may provide.
Susan Bysiewicz is the best candidate, and will be a winner in Congress, in 2112.
posted by: kevinc526 | January 29, 2011 8:38am
Courtney is my representative and I have volunteered for him every campaign. I would love to help him become our next Senator. However I do not want a moderate Senator. I want a truly progressive Senator to represent a progressive state like CT. I am on board with Courtney unless I find out Murphy will be more progressive than him.
I have been happy with most of Courtney’s votes but I would like to see him become a more outspoken advocate for progressive issues.
posted by: saramerica | January 29, 2011 8:16pm
Curious Hawkeye. Are you saying Suzy B is the best candidate because you think she will win, or because you think she’s the one Republicans can beat because she’s so damaged from her annus horribilus?
posted by: ... | January 30, 2011 12:50am
I agree with you kevin to an extent. While I do want him a tad moderate, but fairly progressive as well on policy terms, I want my Senator, whoever wins, to be more open to compromise and negotiations than Chris Murphy or Susan might be.
posted by: hawkeye | January 30, 2011 4:54pm
JonesAC12:You generally submit comments that I can accept, I disagree with: “I want my Senator, whoever wins, to be more open to comprimise, and negotiations, than Chris Murphy and Susan Bysiewicz, might be.”
Bysiewicz would I feel, vote for what she fealt was the best for her constituents, While Murphy would tend to vote, along party line dictates, which you also contended,in your personal analysis of him, which I can agree with you on.
That’s why, as a Republican, I like Susan Bysiewicz, for our next Senator from Connecticut! Susan is our best bet, for the people! We can’t afford to send any more party politicians to Congress, so “Let’s start cruisin’ with Susan in 2112!”