New Haven Independent: Ralph's At It Again

Ralph’s At It Again

by Melissa Bailey | April 25, 2008 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Perennial candidate Ralph Ferrucci (pictured) is challenging Rosa DeLauro for her U.S. Congress seat — and ditching the Green Party.

Ferrucci ran for mayor on the Green Party ticket in 2007, his fourth unsuccessful run for public office.

He wasn’t planning on announcing his new campaign yet. But he was spotted Thursday at the New Haven City Clerk’s office, taking a first step to get on the 2008 ballot. He submitted four signatures, from his parents and two of his friends, on preliminary paperwork so he can start filling out petitions for his candidacy.

This time around, Ferrucci said he’s leaving the Greens behind and running as an Independent.

“With the Independent Party, I don’t have to be as careful — I can say what I want” and not get chided by the Greens, he explained.

Connecticut’s Independents are concentrated in Waterbury, where five aldermen are party members.

Ferrucci ran against DeLauro once before, in 2004. Why is he launching a battle against the popular, nine-term incumbent Democrat in the Third U.S. Congressional District?

First out of the candidate’s mouth was a concern that the environmental-oriented Greens may indeed have chided him for emphasizing — gasoline prices.

DeLauro and other congressmen “have not done enough for working people” struggling with tough financial times and skyrocketing gas prices, he said.

Ferrucci said the gas price squeeze hits home for him: In his day job, he drives a truck for Pepperidge Farm, delivering cookies to small grocery stores. He logs 100 miles a week on his box van and doesn’t get reimbursed until tax season.

“As a truck driver, it hurts me every month,” Ferrucci said.

Mid-conversation, Ferrucci stepped in the hall to take a call on his cell phone — a call about the other Ralph who’s running on an Independent ticket. Ferrucci said he’s a statewide organizer for Ralph Nader’s presidential run. The two plan to convene this weekend, he said, when Nader visits Waterbury. He rushed off to finish running errands in the Hall of Records.

Meanwhile, Ferrucci’s old mates, the Green Party, are holding a statewide convention to nominate candidates, including a presidential candidate. Nader has ditched the party too, this year; former Georgia Democratic Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is expected to become the presidential nominee. The Greens plan to run several candidates for Congress in Connecticut, but no one is slated to challenge Ferrucci, or DeLauro, in the Third.

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Comments

Posted by: cedarhillresident | April 25, 2008 12:58 PM

Ralph I love ya but.....Rosa is my idol. But good luck!

Posted by: clem | April 25, 2008 6:24 PM

go for it ralph....this is america just hope you are a HILLARY person

Posted by: Bill Saunders | April 26, 2008 3:55 AM

Though this is America, people need to stop encouraging Ralph, who obviously suffers from some sort of undiagnosed POCD (political obsessive compulsive disorder).

The personal 'gas prize squeeze' argument is extremely uncompelling, as he told me on the phone yesterday that his delivery truck gets 24mpg -- that equates to four gallons of gas (not diesel) per week, which gets reimbursed to him at the end of the year anyway.

Many years ago a casual acquaintance shared with me a compelling aphorism that Ferucci should take to heart -- "In High School, our school motto was 'Achieve the unattainable', but we disagreed, so we changed it to 'Attain the achievable'".

Ralph might make a good alderman or State Representive, but he needs to put his ego in check and stop continually reaching for the shiny brass ring of top offices if he wants to garner any long term credibility (which may have been long blown).

In my heart of hearts, I believe that Ralph continues to run these stupid campaigns, because there is never any threat of him having to actually step to the plate and prove his true worth as a public figure (of which I believe he has potential).

Until he focuses on serving a truly local constituency, and being their public advocate his antics amount to nothing more than Sugar Cookies and Cheezy Goldfish.

Posted by: cj | April 26, 2008 7:40 PM

Ralph
why do you do this everytime there's an election....do you really think you can win...

Posted by: cedarhillresident | April 28, 2008 9:50 AM

We were talking about this on the weekend...ya know maybe Ralph will not win..(I don't think anyone can beat her....The only time she will be unseated is when she decides to retire). But Ralph is an example that anyone can run for anything! It is not some exclusive club. If you feel you can do better...you CAN run! So bravo Ralph for letting the regular guy know that!

Posted by: Darnell | April 28, 2008 5:35 PM

Cedar....Bravo!!!

Posted by: Bill Saunder | April 29, 2008 2:07 AM

Bravo, what??????

Ralph's campaigns are continually about the public attention he can garner for himself. He told me personally that while he had considered hanging up his perennial search for public office, he found the public spotlight 'too addictive' to walk away from. Nader's search for a organizational ally/lackey for this years presidential race certainly didn't help the situation any.

So, citizens, while it is within Ferrucci's right to run again, given his personal history and the circumstances at hand, can you honestly say this is a laudible use of the public process?

New Haven Independent

Ralph’s At It Again

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