2012 CTGOP Election Summary

We're going to take a few days to analyze the campaign results before publishing our thoughts on Campaign 2012.  Obviously, there's a lot of work to be done to repair our brand.  It's The King's view that it's going to take some new faces and a new skill-set to bring about the degree of change required to make the Connecticut Republican Party mildly competitive once again.

From what we are hearing, the search to sacrifice a a few scapegoats to pay for the crimes of the many is in full swing.  The truth is that the entire CTGOP apparatus is culpable for where we are today - which is nowhere, sucking wind, and peering out from a long dark tunnel.

I AM

THE KING

Election Day! (Thank God!)

Hooray! Election Day is finally here!

For my own part, The King is glad that after two years of making hundreds of phone calls, conducting literature drops, and helping with generally campaigning across multiple districts that we will finally see, race-by-race, either the pay-off for hard work, or punishment for a comedy of errors.

I think we've said all we've needed to say about our political races in Connecticut.  We all know this is a pretty drab place to live if you're a loyal, red-blooded Republican.  But to underscore the point, I would urge readers to go out and vote for Republicans in all districts and races who you believe have conducted themselves with honor and dignity during this cycle.   

The King also urges voters to "Leave the Line Blank" in the Connecticut Senate Race.  Linda McMahon has lost The King's vote, and the vote of so many of the Party faithful for her betrayal of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan by supporting Barack Obama in her campaign commercials and literature.  Moreover, she has intentionally hurt several federal and local candidates by pushing the Independent line which has been detrimental for both federal and state Republicans.  Let's pray this is the last campaign that we will ever have to see Linda McMahon a part of in The Nutmeg State. 

Again, please don't sit out the election - go to the polls and vote for state and federal Republican candidates, but don't vote for Chris Murphy (obviously), and PLEASE go out of your way to NOT VOTE FOR Linda McMahon.  Leave the Line Blank.  Make this a teachable moment for Linda McMahon, and our spineless CTGOP Chairman Jerry Labriola.

And if old friend - Andrew Roraback takes the win tonight (as expected), everyone should recognize that he and his staff, and his army of tireless volunteers won the campaign the hard way - with hard work, elbow grease, and dedication.  Yes, there was a last minute infusion of cash from a strange source in New York, but the truth is that Andrew and his team have been changing hearts and minds since he won the State Convention earlier this year.  And we should all be grateful that Andrew stayed above the noise, ran a positive campaign, and that he didn't allow State Party incompetence damages his campaign.   Although a little presumptuous at this point on Election Day, let me offer congratulations to Andrew Roraback and his team for a job well done!

Above all else, this is the race that counts!

Now that we've got that off our chest, let's look at the race which is the single most important  contest this evening.

Here is what to watch regarding the Romney-Obama Race:

Virginia:  This is the first state to watch with 13 electoral votes up for grabs here.  This state will be an early indicator of what we might expect during the night.  If Mitt loses Virginia it doesn't mean it's game over, but there would need to be some serious surprises elsewhere to make up ground.

North Carolina:  This state used to be a lock for Republicans, but Obama managed to win it in 2008.  Sadly, the demographic changes have made this state more of a swing state which will remain in play for decades to come.  North Carolina boasts 15 electoral votes.  As of the last poll sample taken this week, Romney leads here.  If Mitt loses here, it will indicate that polling samples are nearly useless.

Florida:  The Gator State is a critical key piece of the puzzle with 29 delegates - the largest number of swing state delegates on the electoral map.  Romney has won seven polls, Obama has won four, and there was one tie.  This state leans Romney.

New Hampshire:  New England's last and only remaining red state (turned blue in 2008) will be interesting to watch, not because of its four electoral votes, but because the Presidential contest is in a dead heat.  If Mitt Romney wins in New Hampshire, it could mean a big night for the Romney camp.  Obama is expected to win New Hampshire given the demographic changes from the influx of MassHoles to the Granite State which has watered down Republicanism over the past 12 years.

Ohio: If you haven't noticed, the entire political universe has been rotating around Ohio over the last three weeks.  With 18 electoral votes in a state dubbed Main Street America,  pollsters claim that this state is a must win for candidates - unless neighboring Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) partially counter-balances an outcome in Ohio.    

Iowa: This state has 6 electoral votes.  Again, this state is not a deal breaker for either candidate, but certainly will help frame the night in terms of trending.

Nevada: This state is considered a swing state by the media, but The King sees this state as under control by Democrats - given the combination of the Latino community, the culinary community, and the gambling lobby.  The majority of these groups are reported to have already voted during the early voting process, so I'm not expecting a win for Mitt here, but a close voting percentage will be interesting for discussions on trending.

Pennsylvania: This state could be an interesting battleground state with 20 electoral votes - which I've always assumed would go to Obama since I don't believe Mitt Romney has won a single poll based on all results posted a RealClearPolitics.com.  What makes this state "in-play" is that the race has moved within the margin of error for the last few weeks.  A Mitt Romney win here would be an incredible upset, and would likely signal a landslide win for Romney-Ryan.

The King's Prediction:  Romney by a larger than expected margin.  The national media will be eating humble pie for months to come while our local media will likely gloat.

Realistically, you have to expect plenty of shenanigans along the way  - so be prepared to sit long in your seats, it could be a long night!

I AM 

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Linda McMahon's Door Hangers Spark Anger

Most political junkies have already seen the door hanger (to the left) being distributed all over Connecticut by McMahon's  ground forces. As you can see Linda McMahon is continuing to push her selfish agenda to get herself and Barack Obama elected.  The Romney Camp can't be happy with this traitorous act - no matter how they try to package it.

See this article from the Hartford Courant for details.  

It's too bad our CTGOP Chairman Jerry Labriola has become an all-to-willing lap-dog for the McMahon Campaign.  Does Chairman Labriola actually think that Linda McMahon's support for Barack Obama will help the ground game for Republicans running in Congressional Races since she's promoting the Independent line?  I can't see how that will help candidates like John Decker in CT-01?  Maybe he aught to get out of the plastic bubble he's created for himself and take in some oxygen.  

Two weeks ago, when asked about the McMahon-Obama commercial Labriola told the Press, "no comment".  Yesterday he followed the carefully prepared script given to him by the McMahon Campaign, which will allow him to get back in Linda's good graces (for the next 24 hours) and drink warm beer at her pity party on Tuesday night. 

Poor Labriola - he's really lost the plot - which of course is supposed to be getting ALL REPUBLICANS elected regardless of positioning on the ballot - not cutting everyone off at the knees for an unlikable Senate Candidate who's 9-points down, and killing the rest of the GOP field.  Labriola has become an utter disgrace!  Hey Jerry - Linda McMahon left the Party long ago, the band can stop playing now.

As a friend of mine who's a prominent national Republican pollster told me yesterday over the phone, "You people really have your problems in Connecticut.  Your Chairman and your Candidate are both a joke."

He has no idea.

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Catapulting Andrew Roraback to Victory

There are not many bright spots for the beleaguered Connecticut Republican Party this election cycle, but alas - there is at least one race where Republicans will likely make a gain.  The 5th Congressional District - perhaps where the last visible bastion of Connecticut Yankee Republicanism can be found - is on track to elect State Senator Andrew Roraback to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday.  And all things being equal, this will be a great outcome for what has been a rough year for the State GOP.

While Andrew isn't exactly the choice of the social conservative wing of the CTGOP, he is a decent family man with a strong record of representing his constituents with honor and decency.  A case in point is that despite his own personal convictions on the issue, he switched positions to cast a vote against Repeal of the Death Penalty which won him points with those of us sympathetic to the Petit Family, and all victims of homicide crime. Even if his vote was somewhat political, as claimed by his rival Lisa Wilson-Foley, he cast the right vote for the right reasons, and on behalf of is entire constituency. (Note that his opponent Elizabeth Esty, who has a long record of being soft on crime, voted to coddle murderers and criminals and relieve them from facing absolute justice).  With Andrew, you can say that it's one thing to say he stands for certain principles, but its quite another to be able to deep dive into his extensive record and see that he's never wavered during his multi-year term.

From a fiscal standpoint, Roraback has been responsible with taxpayers money during his twelve year tenure, and being raised on wishy-washy Episcopalianism, one would expect him to continue to strike a balance between social responsibility and fiscal restraint.  This is certainly a stark contrast to his opponent Elizabeth Esty who is publicly on record saying that she is willing to send the elderly and those on hardship who can't afford tax increases packing beyond the Cheshire Town Line.  It's hard to find a candidate with less compassion for people than Elizabeth Esty.  And if you've ever had a chance to talk with her in person, like I have, you know that she comes across too direct, and very mean. 

Queen Elizabeth Esty: "All of you old fools can move out of 
Cheshire, and Connecticut if you can't afford it!"

It's sort of remarkable if you think about it.  Normally, Republicans get a bad rap for being so tight with the penny that Democrats almost always twist our candidates' records so to play the class warfare card to their advantage during every race, but with Esty's voting record of cutting the elderly off at the knees at every turn during her two year stint in Hartford, she's removed any credibility she has on social welfare.  Democrats are probably furious about not having a stronger candidate like Chris Donovan on the ballot, but scandals can seem to egulf both parties from time to time.

The Roraback folks are looking for some help in the final days of the campaign to ensure victory.  If you haven't already volunteered your time, this is a great opportunity to become part of the winning team.  The Campaign is in need of people to make calls from their phone bank, go door-to-door to conduct literature drops and help get out the vote, and work the polls on Election Day.   If you'd like to help, please call the Roraback Campaign at 860-626-7244.  And tell them The King sent you. Let's catapult Andrew to victory.

Final Note

Lastly, with a concerted effort with all hands on deck, Andrew should sail comfortably to a solid win on Tuesday. However, there is one real note of concern that's generating plenty of angst amongst Roraback Campaign staffers.  Having watched the Republican base backlash from Linda McMahon's tie-in political ad supporting Barack Obama, there is another ad being broadcast on television by American Unity Pac that is causing alarm.

Dissatisfied with trying to ruin just Mitt Romney's chances in
Connecticut, Linda McMahon is setting her sights on
killing Andrew Roraback's campaign

There is real reason for concern.  At one point, Linda McMahon boasted more than a 10-point lead over Chris Murphy in CT-5.  After her pro-Obama commercial aired, polls showed her trailing by 6-points in the District.  The last thing Andrew Roraback needs is for Linda McMahon to anchor herself to his surge and sink his ship before he crosses the finish line.  The concern is so real that one Roraback person told The King, "Every time that commercial airs, Andrew runs to the bathroom and vomits ... if we lose this thing [race] by a few points, it will attributed to this stupid commercial ... she'll climb over, on-top of everyone to get her face out there.  And everyone is suffering because of it."

We pray that this doesn't turn out to be the case.  Andrew should look in his rear view mirror like Jeff Goldblum did in Jurassic Park and run like hell to avoid Linda "T-Rex" McMahon from taking a bite out of his forward momentum.

Good Luck, Andrew.  And remember, "Faster, Faster!"

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.