Marcia Chambers Photo
One month ago Ted Kennedy, Jr., officially announced it was time for him to become the next Kennedy to seek public office, specifically the Democratic candidate for state senator from Connecticut’s 12th District. Since then he has explored the six towns that make up the district, towns “with their own history, their own culture, their own philosophies,” he said.
He described his hectic plunge into the unique and very different worlds of Branford, Guilford, North Branford, Madison, Durham and Killingworth, when he made an appearance before the Branford Democratic Town Committee, (DTC) last week.
At the event in the firehouse’s community room, The DTC voted to endorse Kennedy; state Rep. Lonnie Reed, who is seeking re-election to her seat in Branford’s 102nd District; and Sean Scanlon, who if elected as the 98th Assembly candidate would represent Stony Creek and Pine Orchard in Branford and Guilford. Scanlon is seeking the seat held for two decades by Pat Widlitz, co-chair of the powerful finance and bonding committee, who announced her retirement last month.
Meanwhile, a Republican candidate has emerged: Cindy Cartier announced she will run against Scanlon.
And Republicans plan to announce Thursday afternoon a challenger to Kennedy. The announcement will take place at 4 p.m. on the Town Green in Madison, on the steps of Memorial Town Hall.
The Branford DTC’s “endorsement” last week is not the party’s formal endorsement. That comes later at separate “conventions” for each candidate.
Since his announcement a month ago, Kennedy, 52, has crisscrossed the 12th Districts. What he has learned firsthand, he told the audience, is that Connecticut is not Washington, D.C.
“One of the reasons why I am so excited about going into politics, hopefully to elected office with your help here in Connecticut, is that we are a state, and a group of towns, that can really work together.”
He said he believed that spirit, at least some of it, has been lost in Washington these days: “I don’t think it has been lost here in Connecticut. I think people are pragmatic and what we have here is not the toxic atmosphere of D.C.
“So I have been talking to people. I really believe that one of my strengths is as a collaborator. We need people in government who can collaborate and work together. I grew up in a family that imbued with me with the principles of the Democratic Party, to stand up for fairness, for people, for what’s right.
“I learned this from my father [the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy], who was incredibly successful in his legislative career, that it is possible to do. When I grew up in Washington, D.C., on many evenings, over at our house for dinner were his Republican colleagues. They talked together. They tried to understand ways in which they could work together. And I believe some of that has been lost in Washington.”
He told the DTC what it has long known, that most of the voters in the 12th District are registered as unaffiliated or independent.
Those are the people, he added, “that we need in order to win.”
Marcia Chambers Photo
Before arriving that night at the DTC meeting, Kennedy told the audience, he was up in Durham planning an organizational meeting. Earlier he was at the North Branford Democratic Committee for a fundraiser. [Pictured are the DTC officers. Chris Sullivan, DTC chair, is standing.]
Kennedy Seeks Public Financing
Kennedy is participating in Connecticut’s public financing program. He began that effort the night he announced his candidacy at the Blackstone Memorial Library.
“We all know that money pollutes the political process. There really is no other word for it. You see it much more around the country. And as a result of Supreme Court, decisions dollars are being funneled into politics.
“We want to make this campaign about people. So I am going to be organizing about 20 house parties. My goal is to raise $15,000 from 300 people. I am committed to raising all the money I need from this district. Friends who live outside the district say, ‘Ted, we want to contribute to you,’ and I say, ‘Do me a favor and contribute to the state Democratic Party or the local Democratic parties in these towns.’”
Students for Kennedy
He also told the crowd that this campaign is about “the young people in our community.”
He has started a “Students for Kennedy Leadership Program” in which high school and college students may apply to work as interns in campaign operations across the district.
There are internships for a minimum of 10 hours a week. Three intern sessions are listed for either 6, 8 or 10 week periods, primarily during the summer months.
Several people in the audience asked him questions or commented on his thoughts.
One commentator agreed that while there is divisiveness in Washington. “It doesn’t feel that way here in Connecticut. The uncommitted, the independents, that is what they want to hear, that public officials will reach out to the other side.”
Kennedy agreed. “I think people really want people in government who will be fair, who will listen to all the different points of view, who will not just throw out arguments but actually listen to what people are saying about their concerns.”
He also told the Eagle afterwards that there may well be a Republicans for Kennedy committee during his campaign.
As his talk ended, Bill Horne, long active in environmental issues in the town, stood to ask the Branford DTC to endorse Kennedy’s campaign.
By unanimous voice vote it did so.
Marcia Chambers Photo
The DTC also endorsed Reed (pictured), who was in Hartford at a late-night legislative session. The legislative season ends today.
Earlier, the DTC endorsed Scanlon, who now works for U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. Scanlon, 27, came by to talk to the DTC before he was endorsed. He spoke of his life and political goals and how he got started in politics. Click here to read about that.
Cindy Cartier Opposes Scanlon
Marcia Chambers Photo
At the time he spoke Scanlon (pictured) had no opponent. But this week Guilford Selectperson Cartier officially declared she will run against Scanlon.
Had state Sen. Ed Meyer not retired, she seemed poised to run against him again (in past campaign she sought to unseat both Meyer and Widlitz), but when Kennedy stepped up to seek Meyer’s seat, Cartier retreated. Cartier will formally announce her candidacy for state representative Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at the Guilford Community Center.
Cartier has more name recognition than Scanlon. But Scanlon managed to achieve public financing in a record four days and told the DTC that he plans to visit 8,000 homes during the campaign.
While the Branford Dems “endorsed” the three candidates, their official confirmation takes place at upcoming DTC conventions. Scanlon’s convention is on May 20 in Guilford. Kennedy’s convention will take place on Monday, May 19, in Madison. Reed’s convention takes place on Tuesday May 20, at a place yet to be announced.
The Republican House and Senate conventions take place next week. So far only Cartier has officially announced she is seeking to run for state representative No candidates have formally announced against Kennedy or Reed.
What was clear that night at the DTC was that a new political team has emerged, one with a Kennedy name on the ticket.
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