Greenwich Time - Democrats Kick Off Campaign

News Article

By Neil Vigdor

Returning to theme of change trumpeted by Barack Obama, Greenwich Democrats celebrated the opening of their campaign headquarters last night with a call for new leadership from top to bottom, from Hartford to Washington, D.C.

The 90-minute campaign kick-off at 205 Railroad Ave. drew about 50 energized rank-and-file party members, who heard impassioned appeals from a number of Democratic standard-bearers, including state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, 4th District congressional hopeful Jim Himes and former Senate nominee Ned Lamont, all Greenwich residents.

"You know, I think the Republicans are in for some surprises this fall," Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal went on to tell local Democrats that if they needed motivation to work hard on the party's behalf, they should think about the impact of the upcoming election on the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, civil rights and liberties.

That's when Senate President Pro Tempore Donald Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, another party leader in attendance, interrupted.

"And Sarah Palin, a heartbeat away from the presidency," Williams said to laughter.

Williams made his own appeal to the partisan crowd, telling them that it was very important for them to get one of their own elected to the General Assembly, where Greenwich Democrats have been absent since 1940 in the Senate and 1912 in the House.

"Things are changing in Connecticut, but things are changing in Fairfield County," Williams said.

Edward Krumeich Jr., the Democratic candidate in the 151st House District, picked right up on that theme.

"It matters who we send to Hartford. For too long, Greenwich has had no voice in the majority," said Krumeich, who two years ago came within 132 votes of unseating longtime incumbent Claudia "Dolly" Powers in the 151st.

Powers is retiring at the end of the year, setting up a hotly contested race between Krumeich and former town GOP Chairman Alfred Camillo in the district, which includes eastern Greenwich, Riverside, North Mianus, Cos Cob and part of downtown.

"If we pull this off, we are going to make history," said Krumeich, a Greenwich attorney who is the senior-most member of the Board of Estimate and Taxation.

Mark Diamond, the Democratic candidate in the 36th Senate District, which includes Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan, used the occasion last night to solicit donations for his campaign.

He needs to raise $15,000 from 300 individual donors by Oct. 10 to qualify for public financing for his campaign, a threshold that Diamond said he still hasn't reached in his race against Greenwich Republican L. Scott Frantz.

Diamond then echoed Krumeich's comments about electing one of the party's own to the General Assembly, warning that Greenwich could be negatively impacted financially from the decisions made by the Democratic-controlled legislature.

"The only chance you have of not getting taxed to death and continue getting the money you get is to send a Democrat up there," said Diamond, a lawyer from Stamford and member of the city's Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.

One of the most emotional pleas of the night came from Himes, the former chairman of the Democratic Town Committee who is challenging 21-year incumbent U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.

"Each and every one of you is going to fight for your country over the next four weeks," Himes said.

Not everyone in the audience last night was a card-carrying Democrat, however.

Ross Ogden, who wore a "Republicans for Obama "sticker and described himself as a registered GOP member, stood in the back of the campaign headquarters.

While he is undecided in the General Assembly and congressional races, Ogden said he is resolute in his choice for president.

"I'm just fed up with the Republican administration in Washington," Ogden said. "I think it's time for a change."

Source