Rick Torres cuts a deal with Aniskovich; Simmons reported to be next
Not that Rick Torres was ever a factor in the Connecticut GOP Chairman's race, but it appears he's cut a deal with Wild Bill Aniskovich, and has endorsed him for CTGOP Chair.
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| CT Republicans will need to rethink the slippery slope they are on before its too late |
I still believe this is a foolish move on Simmons' part. His assumption that Aniskovich wouldn't eventually follow the money and stab him in the back is by far not a foregone conclusion. Simmons, instead of being above the fray is opting to choose sides - quite a gamble for someone who has so much more to lose than gain. Simmons is best to keep his mouth shut, be neutral, and avoid all entanglements during this process. But as of this writing, it looks as though he won't thus signing a suicide pact for the remainder of his political career. Tisk, Tisk.
I further expect that Doug Hageman, who is seeking a consolation prize for his valiant effort will join Wild Bill's alliance with his handful of votes. And everyone knows that Simmons and Hageman are good friends in and out of politics. Should a deal be struck, Hageman would likely secure badly-needed employment under an Aniskovich regime.
This move will result in a shock-wave of realignment within the Connecticut Republican Establishment. Former foes may find themselves lowering their swords against each other and banding together in order to defeat a far more dangerous enemy to the future of the Republican Party - Bill Aniskovich (of course, that's only if they're smart enough to do so). Wild Bill's letter to State Central Members last week created a firestorm that is continuing to spread at a rapid pace.
Besides the concern with turning the Party over to a Chairman with several known improprieties, the Aniskovich strategy seeks too surrender control of State Central from the public body politic of (mostly) citizen representatives to leaders within the Connecticut Legislature. You would think that after this last session, Republican leaders in the Statehouse would want to straighten out their own caucuses before trying to seize control of Republican State Central. Moreover, its said that Derby-Orange-Woodbridge Representative Themis Klarides, who is always embroiled in controversy (not to be taken as a compliment), is being fronted as a possible Vice Chairman under Wild Bill.
What will be interesting is how the other candidates will ultimately react to the Aniskovich surge, and the outcome. Will Art Scialabba work with Justin Clark, and/or Catherine Marx (and possibily Al Alper) to form a counter alliance? Or will they all remain independent, frozen by their own egos, and simply become crushed under by the Statehouse-run machine? And how does Pauline Kezer fit into the mix? Will she join the contest and siphon off Aniskovich supporters, or will her entry into the race have the unintended consequence of further eroding the opposition against him? And has anyone even seen the rules that Chris Healy is using to preside over this great big giant nightmare?
One thing is for certain, Joe Visconti, the de facto leader of the Connecticut Tea Party (via Liberty Unplugged) is watching all of this very carefully, and is likely to reject any Chairman who would abandon key positions on social issues, have a background of unethical (if not illegal behavior), or continue the failed practices of Chris Healy. My own fear (and for disclosure I am NOT a Tea Party member) is that Visconti might work to set up a third party thus creating additional hardships for the Connecticut Republican Party to overcome resulting in further setbacks the CTGOP.
And this, my friends, is a MAJOR concern that others should start to take an interest in.
Ok, enough for today...
I AM
THE KING
For the record, the following letter was sent out today by Bill Aniskovich to his followers:
June 12, 2011
Connecticut Republican State Central Committee:
For the past many weeks I have attempted to line up support in my run for Chairman of the State Republican Party. I am honored to have had the opportunity to get to know the other candidates better and I am especially happy at the opportunities to share my personal philosophy with many state residents.
Additionally, I think that the process has ultimately given the state party a clear opportunity to choose among many capable people who have offered themselves up to scrutiny. All of the candidates would bring unique and valuable capabilities had any one of us been able to serve. Although I felt deep in my heart that I offered an especially unique set of abilities that would have been useful to a chairman, there ultimately can be only one. In my analysis I recognized that I could not harness the necessary support to win.
However, I did spend a good amount of time accessing the other candidates and in my opinion Bill Aniskovich has a skill-set that is most competent. Bill’s legislative experience is unmatched. Bill has an exceptional track record in fundraising. Bill is a conservative. This fact alone will allow the state Republican Party to reach out to disaffected folks who feel the Party has lost its way. Bill understands my contention that Republicans have ignored minorities, the poor and urban dwellers. Bill also recognizes that we have also ignored rural communities and that we must never again ignore our natural constituencies.
If I were to think of what it is that impressed me most about Bill Aniskovich I would say it is Bill’s heart-felt and genuine sincerity. Bill will be proactive to improve the things we’ve done right and repair the things we’ve done wrong. I look forward to working hard with a person with these qualities. I believe that in time Bill will bring our great party together and that the process of rebirth begins as soon as Bill is installed as our new Chairman.
It is my sincere pleasure to endorse Bill Aniskovich for the position of Chairman of the Republican Party in our great state of Connecticut. I encourage my supporters to vote for Bill on June 28th.
Sincerely,
Rick
This original blogpost can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/
13 comments:
Visconti isn't taken seriously by anyone who matters so he's a non factor. Anything he sets up will only attract the 3% whacko vote so no need to worry about him King.
I don't see Rob Simmons as taking a major role in the State Party Chair contest.
Torres' three votes may not necessarily go to Aniskovich and Hageman's six won't count much either and as with the Torres votes, they may not all go to him. Even if Aniskovich gets all of those, that makes him about even with Marx and Clark because I respectfully disagree with your previous number of members who you think are with him. Hageman profoundly stated he's "not making deals with anyone" mostly because he doesn't have anything to "deal" with.
Themis is pretty much running unopposed for Vice Chairman, with or without Aniskovich's help/blessing. She'll be a very good vice chairman.
@ The Emperor, you are right Visconti isnt taken serious, he just bounced the current chairman with his 6 month assault on him and his corruption running the CT GOP, no juice.:)
No no, anonymous Visconti had nothing to do with "bouncing" Healy as Chairman. There are many factors that were against Chris Healy, some of them wrong and others possibly valid but Visconti and his antics were not one of them.
Visconti's latest project was Tea Party loser Monique Thomas' campaign in that special election in Stamford and he failed miserably. As I stated previously, Visconti is a non factor and is virtually hated by anyone who matters.
Regarding Rob Simmons, he said he was interested in being party chairman if people wanted him to and he wasn't going to fight for it and create bad feelings. There was no groundswell for this so he didn't pursue it, nothing wrong with that.
I believe he basically has the same attitude about a US Senate run in 2012, if people want him, he'll do it but he won't fight Linda McMahon or Chris Shays for it. Nothing wrong with that either.
Based on these facts, I really don't think he is actively involved in all the backroom drama that people think he is.
Rob is still involved trying to HELP the Republican party, not hurt it with more infighting.
Rest assured. Summons is very much in the thick of things. Like most politicians its to serve his ambition. Which isn't to say that's the sole reason. More will be revealed soon - by others
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Okay, we'll see. I disagree with you mostly because as you said, it's pretty much political suicide if he makes the moves you say he will and I think he's smart enough to not put a gun to his head.
Let's face it, no matter who the next chairman is, Republicans are huge underdogs for winning any Congressional seats or the US Senate seat in 2012.
Even if Chris Healy was perfect and everyone loved him and he walked on water, it wouldn't have changed any of the outcomes of the federal and statewide races here in Connecticut in 2010.
Yes, much of the country swung right in 2010 but Connecticut is the third or fourth most liberal state in the country.
A famous example here in Connecticut is Mansfield, the local Republicans there field quality candidates and have run excellent campaigns and we get crushed every single municipal cycle. Should we take the RTC Chair in Mansfield out back and shoot him or her? No, you do the best with the cards you're dealt.
Well Emperor, I certainly have to strongly disagree with your last post. You've been watching too much CT-N or buying into the nonsense propogated by the editors of the Hartford Courant for too long. The margin for our loss in the Governor's race was rather small, and while CT Districts 1 and 3 are difficult for us - and perhaps among the hardest districts to win in the Country, Connecticut as a whole is NOT a liberal as people claim despite that the CT electoral map is pure blue. A better, more completent Chairman could have made all the difference in the World.
Bear with me as try to 'splain. If you pull up a map of the 169 towns in the state, you will see that from a municipal standpoint - an overwhelming majority are in fact Republican. Moreover, Congressional districts 4 and 5 are traditionally Republican, and the misteps in those distrcts taken by our failed GOP leadership via resource allocation and campaign strategy did us in.
Congressional District 2 is more complex since its the district hardest hit by the recession (over there is where CT's Republican Blue Collar faithful live). Chris Healy and the GOP abandoned Daria Novak for Janet Peckinpaugh minutes after she won nomination. That divided the district into Republicans and pissed off Republicans and lead to no chance. In my book, Chris Healy and Catherine Marx own Joe Courney's re-election. The games played up at UConn with college voters upsetting the results is age old - by now, we should have a plan for dealing with this. There is NO strategy for recruitment of young Republicans. In fact for the most part, they are brushed aside as a non-factor by the short-sighted leaders at CTGOP HQ.
If Connecticut wasn't winable by Republicans as some disheartened people believe, then there would be no reason for us to put up a fight every cycle, we could do what the Hartford Courant wants us to do and just lay down our signs and go home.
Back in the 70s and 80s, people told me that Republicans would never take back Congress because "there are too many unions in the country". And then Newt Gingrich organized his leadership and won back what we were told couldn't be retaken. Connecticut was not always solid blue, in fact it was once Yankee Red. The current state of CT GOP philosophy doesn't appeal to anyone including diehard Republicans.
Connecticut Republicanism lead by Statehouse Leaders is a watered down version of the real deal. We are not "progressive" as they claim, just stupid. It's a lot easier to strike a deal than it is do to the hard work of fighting and saying no. Businesses in Connecticut have seen errosion of support for years now because at the end of the day, our Republicans vote for budgets that cut their throats.
On social issues (and I don't mean abortion - I'm personally sick of this issue), the CTGOP didn't run one commercial or put up a stink about legislation like the Bathroom Bill. CT Republicans run commercials and PSA AFTER its too late - and never as part of a strategy to win public support. That is the Chairman's fault. Perhaps if he wasn't so busy traveling around going to "meetings" he'd be here putting together a plan to take back CT.
Don't tell me it can't be done. It can be done with the right strategy, the right campaign, and the right Chairman. If CT's town's can make it happen, we can make it happen at the statehouse and at the Federal Level.
I'd be happy with a strategy to take back Districts 2,4,and 5 and the Governership along with dozens of Statehouse seats. Let's focus on that and GET IT DONE!
the people's republik of Mansfield is no bellwether or excuse for the rest of the state, "Emperor."
The first goal was to uproot Healy. The second goal is to implement an Admin that will unite the party. The third goal is to actually win some meaningful races. We cant do all three if we are bickering with one another about petty past differences or indiscretions... Almost there!!
It amazes me how 'The Emperor' in this blog is so very polite. No comeback to 'The King's' calling out Healy/Marx on pulling Peckinpaugh out in front over Novak in the 2nd district. No swearing, cussing and carrying on as he so loves to do against Tea Party Patriots members. Jekyll and Hyde, this man is. He remains, State Central member and Secretary with the backing of his fellow Republican loyalists. Perhaps his vulgarities have been edited out here?
Funny you should say this Anonymous. "The Emperor" did send a few additional posts which smell of typical State Central Leadership propaganda promoting Healy and contained insults against candidates and - yours truly. Insulting The King is an easy way to find yourself dismissed from The King's Court. Hell, not even his name is original... :) The rest of what he wrote was mere wishful thinking and conjecture and not worthy of reproduction on the back of a used piece of toliet paper, nevermind this blog. Plus the idiots at State Central have their own blogs - its just that no one reads their stale writings.
For the record, I've received numerous emails from anonymous sources with all kinds of information (and rumor). I try to comb through it before posting. But I just don't have capacity to sit here all day sift through it.
You folks in the second district have had it rough. Screwed by the Government, screwed by Healy and his minions, screwed by the economy, and now it looks like even Rob Simmons is getting into the act. I used to have respect for Rob Simmons - why he's in bed with a crook I'l never understand.
Tonight is going to be interesting... or not. We'll see who's in and who's out for round one.
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