May 21, 2010

On hand at the Republican convention

For local delegates, it helps to have someone from Bristol planning the state convention.
Bristol's delegation is sitting directly in front of the podium, in the second and third rows, with only Barkhamsted and Berlin grabbing closer views.
It doesn't get much better.
The city's GOP delegates are excited about the imminent start of the convention.
"It's going to be a good one," said T.J. Barnes, the city Republican leader. "When was the last time the Republicans had this? It's a new feeling for us."
Tonight, both parties will pick U.S. Senate candidates at their respective conventions in Hartford. The GOP is at the Hartford Convention Center while the Democrats are at the Connecticut Exposition Center a couple of miles to the south.
The Democrats are almost certain to nominate Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for Senate, despite his travails this week. The Republicans are trying to pick from among three contenders - Linda McMahon, Rob Simmons and Peter Schiff
"Linda will squeak it out," predicted Brock Weber, the youngest GOP delegate from Bristol. This is his first time attending a state convention as a delegate.
Barnes said the Democrats' choice is "all hype, no action" since Blumenthal has it in the bag.
Weber said the weekend is going to be exciting.
Tomorrow, both parties will pick their state candidate slates.
For Weber, the tough one to decide about is the governor's race.
He said that until a week ago, he backed former Ambassador Tom Foley for the state's top job. But now he's thinkinig he may support businessman Oz Griebel, who carries the endorsement of Wally Barnes, the city's most senior delegate.
Weber said he likes Griebel's views on privatizing some state functions. He said he plans to ask Foley later tonight what he thinks about the idea.
"Right now, I'm 50-50," Weber said.
Here are Wally Barnes and former mayoral contender Mary Alford inside the convention hall:


So how did Bristol get so close? Gary Schaffrick, a former city GOP chair, was the primary planner for the state convention. He works now for the state Republican Party.
Update at 7 p.m. -- Schaffrick said he had nothing to do with the seating arrangements.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

11 comments:

demoted back down to the blog said...

Steve: It's Griebel not Greiber.

Get Weber really drunk the night before the vote (so he misses) if he's planning on voting for Oz Griebel. The man (Griebel) has no name recognition what-so-ever.

All of these gubernatorial candidates are basically saying the same thing, it's a matter of who can actually get elected. As far as Senate goes, at least Schiff's been on TV and debates very well.

Griebel is a joke as are many of these Bristol delegates. And yippee for Schaffrick! Getting the Bristol delegation good seats (any seat is OK) doesn't come close to negating all the damage his years of disservice have done to the Bristol Republican party.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I thought it was alphabetical.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Gary Schaffrick collecting Social Security total disability benefits because he is supposedly too injured to work at a job? Yet he sure seems to be getting around fine and working for the Republican party and other positions. Seems like he is defrauding the Federal government. I hope someone investigates him.

Anonymous said...

Seating is rotated year by year.

As usual, Schaffrick is way off base.

What has he and his buddy Mocabee ever won?

And Barnes is following in their footsteps.

Anonymous said...

Oz! Oz! Oz!
Name recognition doesn't get much better than that.

concerned Republican said...

May 21, 2010 6:46 PM:

Agreed..get to it!

Anonymous said...

May 21, 2010 8:55 PM:

Apparently you don't know what "namne recognition is". According to your logic if a guy's name is John, he has great name recognition. Name recognition refers to knowing a person. In other words Ron Burns had good name recognition because of his dad, his uncle and his own community activeness. No ones ever heard of Oz Griebel and when they find out he's a retired business exec., it's even worse. Get him out of there.

Anonymous said...

"May 21, 2010 6:54 PM" said: "As usual, Schaffrick is way off base".

-More like he's a lying worm.

Anonymous said...

Will that be Wally's next conquest?

Anonymous said...

Thats probably the last we will see and hear from Alford until October 2011

Anonymous said...

Shaffrick is healthy enough to play politics, he needs to stop screwing taxpayers for disability payments and get a real job.