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Simmons: Romney Will Take Connecticut

by Thomas MacMillan | Aug 31, 2012 9:15 am

(5) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Politics, Campaign 2012

From the floor of the Republican National Convention, Connecticut delegate Rob Simmons broke with GOP orthodoxy to speak up for gay rights, then took a second unorthodox stance—predicting a Romney victory in Connecticut this year.

Simmons offered his thoughts on the floor of the Tampa Bay Times Forum Thursday evening, where he was seated with the rest of the Connecticut Republican delegation to hear former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s official acceptance of the GOP nomination for president.

Click the play arrow to hear Simmons, a former Army colonel and U.S. Rep, opine.

Asked about his favorite moment in the convention so far, Simmons mentioned hearing Condoleeza Rice describing growing up in the Jim Crow South, where she couldn’t get served at the local Woolworths, but nevertheless went on to become the Secretary of State.

Simmons then offered a primer on Republican involvement in the civil rights struggle. Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, signed the Emancipation Proclamation, “which immediately broke the chains of slavery,” he said.

He pivoted to criticize Vice-President Joe Biden for his comment earlier this month to a crowd that included a large number of black people, when speaking about Republicans wanting to deregulate Wall Street: “They’re going to put y’all back in chains.”

“So my message to Joe Biden is, ‘Y’all ain’t gonna be back in chains,’” Simmons said. “We broke the chains of slavery.”

Other “economic chains,” in the form of welfare and food stamps, have been created by Democrats and remain to be broken, Simmons said. 

Asked about another civil rights struggle—gay rights—Simmons (at left in photo) said he has no problem with gays in the military. He noted Connecticut allows gay marriage. “So what’s the problem here?”

Asked if he thinks the Republican Party as a whole shares his beliefs on gay rights, Simmons said, “We’re Connecticut Republicans. We come from Connecticut. We’ve got 50 states. Different states have different views, but you know what? We all have one view in common: It’s time for Barack Obama to take a hike.”

Connecticut could be a key part of making that vision a reality, Simmons said. “Connecticut plays a huge role. We’re about to nominate a New England governor from a neighboring state.”

“I think we’re going to surprise the country,” said Leora Levy (at right in photo), another Connecticut delegate sitting with Simmons. “Linda McMahon will be our next senator, and her coattails are going to put Mitt Romney over the top in Connecticut.”

“You see, if you believe the dream, the dream can come true,” Simmons said. “And we believe the dream.”

Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy scoffed at the notion of a Romney victory when asked, during a New Haven visit Wednesday, about surprisingly tightening polls in the state. Obama won Connecticut by 26 points four years ago; the most recent Quinnipiac poll showed only an 8-point lead over Romney.

“Even Mitt Romney knows he’s not going to win Connecticut,” Malloy said.

Paul Bass contributed reporting.

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posted by: Jones Gore on August 31, 2012  9:32am

Rob Simmons said that those who come to the United States today come for food stamps.

He compare them to his family who came for opportunity. 

LOL

posted by: Jones Gore on August 31, 2012  9:47am

And then this Leora Levy say she is from Cuba and came legally.

Cubans don’t enter the country legally. They come over on a boat and if they can make it pass the coast guard they get amnesty. Cubans can’t apply for visa through legal channels because legal channels don’t exist for Cubans.

posted by: cedarhillresident! on August 31, 2012  11:04am

Simmons is out of his mind!

Mitt scares the HELL out of many CT republicans! They are far to smart! And WOMEN republicans are pissed at the party. They may be polite in public but are trashing him behind closed doors.

posted by: ISR on August 31, 2012  11:59am

Take Connecticut? Did he mishear, “Buy Connecticut?”

Seriously, I won’t worry until I see a single ad for Mitt.

posted by: ACR on September 1, 2012  12:09am

Rob Simmons is probably the most respected Connecticut Republican in the past 50 years.

His selfless service to country is the stuff of legend.

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