House Republicans Can’t Look to Newtown Seat to Boost Numbers.
State Representative Chris Lyddy (D-Newtown) ought to be able to hold on to his Republican-leaning seat for another term without much trouble after Republican opponent Chris LaRocque’s campaign imploded over straw-man contributions submitted to the Citizens’ Election Program in pursuit of $26,000 in taxpayer-financing for his campaign. The State Elections Enforcement Commission rejected LaRocque’s filing after complaints from the Lyddy campaign revealed, according to the Danbury News-Times, that at least 18 of LaRocque’s contributors had not given to his campaign.
In order to snag the public financing for a House seat, a candidate needs to raise $5,000 from no fewer than 150 contributors who live in towns a district covers. Getting 50 friends to give the maximum contribution of $100 each doesn’t allow a candidate to qualify. The support must be broader. LaRocque acknowledged that his campaign finance report included contributions from people who had not made them. He declined to comment on a claim that his campaign asked fake contributors to lie to state investigators examining his report.
The Newtown seat had been held for decades by Republicans. Nine-term veteran Julia Wasserman retired in 2008, providing an opening for Democrat Lyddy to capture it for the Democrats.
7 comments
LaRocque should quit and give the party a shot with someone–anyone—else. But the problem with the legislative Republicans is exemplified here. Even the biggest tsunami does no good if you run folks using cardboard surfboards
Is LaRocque eligible to continue receiving individual contributions otherwise, or is his campaign kitty frozen at $5k?
Does it matter? You can’t unburn toast
grackle, he can opt out of the program and continue on as a non-participating candidate.
Careful Grackle, the last person you want to take campaign finance advice from is Ed (Bill)….
Okay Sue, prove me wrong. Everytime you act like a moron and I ask you to prove me wrong, you crawl back under your rock.
State Senator Joe Crisco was denied a grant in 2008, he opted out of the program and raised additional money to fund his campaign. He wound up raising over $78,000.00 with no grant money and won his election.
Grackle, don’t pay any attention to anything that moron Sue posts here, she’s a clueless nit wit.
Really we are comparing an unknown newcomer who botched his first impression with a Senate Committee chairman who’s held the seat for eons and is beloved by the lobbyist clique; running in the best Democrat presidential year since LBJ
really, you think this is similar?!??
Leave a Comment