Shhhhh, Schiff Won a Big Night.

Republican Senate hopeful Peter Schiff quietly scored a stunning upset when Enfield Republicans gathered on March 25th to select their 15 delegates to the state convention.  The investor and financial commentator had wowed a crowded February meeting of the local town committee.  There was, we kept hearing, something in the air in Enfield.

More than 100 local registered Republicans showed up for the open caucus to select delegates.  The Enfield party has enjoyed a revival under the leadership of town committee chairman Mary Ann Turner.  The caucus saw a robust, unexpected turnout of the faithful to elect 15 delegates, the largest delegation in the second congressional district, represented for 6 years by Rob Simmons.

According to Turner, “Schiff has shifted Enfield.”  That’s likely to mean a bountiful harvest of the north central town’s delegates.  The working assumption has been that Simmons enjoyed near-unanimous support among delegates from the 2nd district.  Simmons can claim the support of Enfield super-delegate state Senator John Kissel, who may be a lonely vote when the roll is called.

Simmons, according to Turner, did make calls to local Republicans as the caucus approached but it had little impact on the vigorously contested local ballot.

Schiff returns to Enfield for a victory lap at a public event on April 17th.