A tough guy email from former Bristol GOP leader Art Mocabee to Wethersfield congressional contender Ann Brickley may have played a key role in propelling her to victory Friday in the Republican 1st District convention.
The email more or less ordered Brickley to quit the race so the party's chosen candidate, West Hartford dairy executive Mark Zydanowicz, could waltz to the nomination.
Brickley proved she, too, could play hardball.
She sent Mocabee's email to all of the district's Republican delegates.
Several party insiders said the blundered attempt to force her from the race probably swayed many undecided voters to her side.
Joe Visconti, the West Hartford contender who ran two years ago, said delegates basically wanted to send a message to their party leaders.
The final vote, which Brickley won easily, showed "a lot of backlash against the establishment," Visconti said.
Chris Healy, the state GOP chair, said that Visconti should take his medications.
He said Brickley "obviously did a great job" and will be a tremendous candidate. He said she's a neighbor of his and her family is friends with him.
Healy said the party helped Brickley with the process of running just as it did with Zydanowicz.
But when Zydanowicz announced his candidacy, both Healy and Mocabee, the 1st District leader, were present. When Brickley declared, they were absent.
Brickley avoided the controversy when I talked with her.
She said the delegates made their choice.
Photo shows Zydanowicz talking to Gary Schaffrick, a GOP state committee member.
Update: Here is the story about the 1st and 5th District conventions from Saturday's Press.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
22 comments:
Healy, Mocabee, Schaffrick: the best weapons the democrats have.
And locally, add Barnes to the list.
That's Art Mocabee for you.......so cool and distinguished!
way to go art blew it once again give up your a fraud and a hack and have never gooten yoursef or anyone else electef
When is the republican Party going to wise up?
Gary:
Good job getting Wally and the gang good seats...to witness your screw up.
You're a major league loser.
The only way that Brickley could defeat Larson is by putting him & the Dems (and all of us unfortunately) to sleep for the next few months, I find her so "uninspiring", and she brings nothing to the table, nothing; I am sorry that a good conservative, patriot, small-business man like Mr. Z was rejected because people were "mad at Mocabee", time to grow up and/or grow a pair; I am also sorry that Visconti announced so late in the race, at least he's right on the issues and has the fire to beat Larson; I'm afraid we are going to lose with Brickley, and it's the party's fault one way or the other. "
The thought (and sight, courtesy the picture) of Shaffrick as a GOP leader in CT is nauseating if not troublesome.
There once was a time when up-standing citizens comprised the State Central Committee. That time ended when Schaffrick became a member. But we can thank idiots like Klapatch and egocentrics like the Krawieckis for Schaffick being there.
Mocabee has no clue! Old school politics are a think of the past!
Too bad the dems. didn't reveal the arm twisting to get blummer on the ticket. Then maybe we could have had a candidate to be proud of .
Maybe if the R's get rid of Mocabee, Schaffrick and a few others, they might attract soem real candidates.
They recruited Johnson and Alford at the expense of Stortz and the results showed how wrong they were.
As a dyed-in-the-wool democrat, I think that the democratic party should officially acknowledge the republican party stalwarts for keeping moccabee and shaffrick within positions of incompetence.
They continue to excel extrodinarily well in supporting the democratic party and we should formally thank them for their efforts.
May 23, 2010 10:40 AM (go dems):
You have a good point there (from my standpoint). Mocobee is an arrogant bully and a hack and Schaffrick is a belligerant low-life bully and a moron. Their presence certainly has helped Democrats.
There was nothing wrong with Mark.
I felt like a jerk not supporting him, but I had previously not only supported Joe Visconti, but over the past two years have come to consider him a friend as well.
Joe didn't fare so well, and my primary goal last weekend was to get as many delegates behind Fedele as possible.
So when my switch to Anne (at Joe's request) allowed me to barter that vote for that of another delegate for Fedele - I made the deal and shook on it.
That we had three solid candidates vying for a very difficult race should be the real news here.
Mocabee and Schaffrick
You must know, by now, that your reputation precedes you..."L"
Suggestion:
That the Republicam Party hire Mocabee, to work for the democrats.
Would be interesting.
2:37
Boy, you sound important!
Who are you?
Brickley did right by not letting these two "Losers" intimidate her...
they have nothing on her...no track records...quite frankly, it is embarrassing.
If not, please tell us what have they done for the bristol gop lately? go ahead make our day!
nauseating? it is pretty close to what we all feel...
we need leaders with character, with values, with a good reputation... people that will make the gop come together again...IF we ever want to win an election
These two don't have what it takes!
No, No, No, Mocabee and schafrik are doing well for us for free...
Seriously now, Mocabee should resign from his position.
Gary should run for Mayor.
How can Shaffrick be Mayor? He is getting paid for disability and has subsidized housing because he allegedly can't work.
9:40 P.M.
easy good fellow...schaffrick for mayor?
is it you schaffrick? putting this thing out? know it, you are a failure for the gop.
many of us will not get involved with the gop until this looser, good for nothing, is gone!!!
I'm glad to know I'm not alone in how I feel about Gary Schaffrick.
Thank you.
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