The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Vacant seat tempts hopefuls
Glassman announces campaign for U.S. House
Interest in the 5th Congressional District’s upcoming vacancy is expanding now that U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, of Cheshire, won’t seek a fourth term following an abuse and harassment scandal in her Washington office.
But national analysts predicted Tuesday the 41-town district in northwestern and central Connecticut should still either “Lean Democratic” or remain “Solidly Democratic” in November. The eventual Democratic candidate could do better than if Esty chose to fight for her political life this fall, they said.
The political website InsideElections.com said Republicans were unlikely to win the seat.
“In a midterm election with a Democrat in the White House, this would probably be a good Republican takeover opportunity,” Inside Elections posted. “But Repub-
licans haven’t won a race in the area in over a dozen years, and there is little indication they can pull this off in an election cycle trending against the president and the Republican Party. Esty’s exit might actually improve Democratic chances of holding the seat.”
Inside Elections is keeping the contest a “Solid Democratic” seat until the potential candidates shake out before the state’s June 8 filing deadline.
State Democratic leaders are already fielding interest from a growing list of hopefuls who will scramble for support in time for the party’s statewide convention on May 18.
Mary Glassman, the former longtime first selectman of Simsbury and a losing candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006, is first out of the gate.
“I was honored to be a public servant,” Glassman said. “It comes with a lot of responsibility. When you read about a public servant who disappoints you, it is a sad day.”
Glassman, who heads the office for regional efficiencies for the Capital Region Education Council, said she plans to talk with many 5th District constituents in the upcoming weeks while trying to raise money for the race.
State Rep. Michelle Cook, of Torrington, who had been focusing on re-election, is weighing interest.
“It was not something on my radar for obvious reasons and then some,” Cook said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. “People have called and I have had conversations. Things are moving very fast.”
Dan Roberti, who came in third in the 2012 Democratic primary behind Esty and former Speaker of the House Chris Donovan, ruled out a run on Monday.
More candidates to consider
J.R. Romano, state Republican chairman, said while Manny Santos, a former Meriden mayor, was the first to declare his candidacy to challenge Esty, others may be interested now that circumstances have changed.
“Manny was the mayor of the fourth-largest city in the district,” Romano said. “He can relate and work toward a message centered around the hard-working families of the district and how affects workers who punch a clock every day. He has a unique perspective.”
Other Republicans who might consider seeking Esty’s seat included Dan Carter, of Bethel, a former state representative who lost a challenge to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal in 2016; state Sens. Kevin Witkos, of Canton and Eric Berthel, of Watertown; as well as Mark Greenberg, who had an unsuccessful bid for the seat in 2012 and is running for the GOP nomination for state Comptroller.
Romano said he will remain neutral on candidates until the nomination process is finished.
Nick Balletto, chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, said the party has proven it has been “energized” since the recent House special election in Stratford that shifted to a Democrat after 40 years.
“While Democratic leaders were having real discussions about the severity of workplace harassment and how leaders can put an end to it, J.R. Romano was plotting the next political move for Donald Trump’s agenda in Connecticut,” Balletto said in a statement. “I am certain that the Democratic nominee for the 5th Congressional District, whoever that may be, will continue to talk about the issues that matter to voters.”
Nationally known analysts said despite the Esty scandal, the trends favor the Democratic candidate.
“Without a scandalridden incumbent, there is a potential that the Democrats might be better off in this environment,” said Geoffrey Skelley, an analyst with the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. “It’s generally held in recent midterms that the party not in power wins open seats.”
The center rates the election “Leaning Democrat.” Another site, The Cook Report, rates the open-seat race as “Likely Democratic.”
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was in near-daily contact with Esty over several days leading up to Monday’s announcement, told reporters in the state Capitol on Tuesday lessons are there for the public.
“Number one: that the standards are changing very rapidly, and that’s a good thing,” Malloy said. “That there is no excuse for the kinds of behavior that have been alleged, and the delivery of justice should be swift, at least in an employment situation. We need to universally adjust to what is a much higher and better standard of behavior in handling these sorts of things.”