Community Corner

DTC Says Y-E-S to Bysiewicz

The East Haven Democratic Town Committee Monday night endorsed former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz in her 2012 U.S. Senate bid.

She branded herself as a Washington outsider wanting to march into the U.S. Senate next year to say no to K Street lobbyists. To say no to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To say yes to a national energy policy. To say yes to creating jobs at home.

Monday evening, former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz gave that litany of reasons to East Haven Democrats in her quest for the seat occupied by , the Democrat-turned-independent who decided to call it quits.

The East Haven Democratic Town Committee agreed, and from its seats in the Hagaman Library gave the candidate their unanimous thumbs-up in an unusually early endorsement for the 2012 race. Enfield Democrats have also thrown their weight behind Bysiewicz.  

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"Susan has been in office all these years. She's always supported East Haven. I think she has earned our support," said DTC Chair Gene Ruocco.

Democratic U.S. Congressman Chris Murphy, 37, has also announced  his intention to grab Lieberman's long-held seat. Murphy has been endorsed by Connecticut's Washington delegation, including Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. (Republican Linda McMahon, the World Wrestling Entertainment tycoon and defeated 2010 Senate candidate, has indicated strong interest in the post.)

Find out what's happening in East Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The Washington establishment is clearly with Chris Murphy," said Bysiewicz, 49, "but the grassroots support in Connecticut is with me." In addition to the two town committees, Bysiewicz said 600 elected state officials are behind her.

Bysiewicz drew a distinction between her and Murphy, both former state representatives, who share an almost identical, ideological, Democratic platform.

"What do I bring that's different than some of the other candidates in the race? I have shown that I can fight and win in some of the toughest fights that you might find at the state and the national level," she said.

"When I was in the state legislature, I was appalled that lobbyists paid for many of the legislators' campaigns, lock, stock and barrel. And I was very disturbed that many of the legislators were wined and dined by lobbyists. And I fought that, and it didn't make me popular with my colleagues," said Bysiewicz.

After getting her East Haven endorsement, Bysiewicz told Patch what else sets her apart from her opponent.

She said while she hasn't "sat and listened to a lot of his speeches," she's the candidate with the most. She said she practiced law longer than Murphy, also an attorney. As an elected official, Bysiewicz said she "ran a large state agency where we did more with less," while Murphy is just a keg in the congressional wheel. And she's been raising children for a longer time.

"The difference is, I haven't just voted yes and no on legislative bills," said Bysiewicz of her days in the General Assembly.


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