October 31, 2010

Candidates get ready for Election Day


Note: Check the end of the story later for more additions.
Preparing for a Halloween Sunday afternoon, city Republican Party leader T.J. Barnes wore a Batman costume at GOP headquarters as officials worked on logistics for Election Day.
But Republicans don’t think they need superheroes to win this year.
“I feel very good about our chances,” Barnes said.
Democrats, though, have a different take as Election Day draws near.
“We’re in good shape,” said Elliott Nelson, the city’s Democratic leader. “I think we’re going to get all our seats back.”
Nelson said the GOP managed this year to “put up some viable candidates” and to make some races tight, but his counterparts on the Republican side are still going to come up short Tuesday.
Voters will get the final say Tuesday. Those casting ballots in Bristol will help pick a new U.S. senator, a new governor, statewide officers, a congressman, a state senator, state House members, a registrar and a probate judge.
They’ll also have six proposed charter changes to consider, including a controversial measure to double to the time between municipal elections by giving the city’s elected officials four year terms instead of two.
Perhaps the hottest race in town has been the 31st District state Senate showdown between newcomer Jason Welch, a Republican lawyer, and 18-year incumbent state Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Democrat,
Colapietro sat in Democratic headquarters Sunday afternoon with a long list of voters in front of him, calling them one by one.
With one, he started to give a prepared comment after introducing himself as the city’s state senator, when he stopped, listened, and told the person on the other end of the line that he really was Colapietro and that, no, this was not a robo call.
He said he doesn’t have “a pretty face” or vans festooned with political signs – as Welch does – but he has a solid record that he hopes voters will remember. He said he’s an ordinary guy who’s willing to say what he thinks and do what he says.
But Republicans believe they can send him packing.
Welch has focused on an agenda that includes reducing government spending, lowering taxes, improving schools and easing burdensome regulations on businesses. His goal, he said, is to spur job creation.
He argued that Colapietro’s stances hinder job creation and have helped keep the economy stalled.
 What is certain is that snatching Colapietro’s seat would be a political coup for the perennial runners-up.
Colapietro said he knows there is “a lot of anger” in the electorate about what’s happened to the economy. He said he hopes people will remember that Wall Street, not the Democrats, caused the economy’s collapse.
Among the state House races, Republicans have high hopes of winning the 78th District, where Democrat Rich Covello of Plymouth and the GOP’s Whit Betts of Bristol are vying for the right to succeed state Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican who’s stepping down.
The Republicans would also dearly love to knock off first-term state Rep. Chris Wright, a Democrat in northeastern Bristol’s 77thDistrict. The GOP standard bearer in the district, Jill Fitzgerald, has run a vigorous contest that amounts to a rematch of the 2008 race when Wright beat her.
In the 79th District, two-term Democrat Frank Nicastro, a former mayor, faces Republican newcomer Pete Del Mastro.
In the 22nd District, which includes a sliver of Forestville but is mostly in Plainville, state Rep. Betty Boukus, a Democrat, is squaring off against Republican Helen Bergenty, who also lives in Plainville.
Everyone already knows who will win the registrar and probate judge races because the candidates face no opposition.
For probate judge of a newly expanded district, Democrat Andre Dorval is a shoo-in while the city’s registrars will be Republican Sharon Krawiecki and Democrat Mary Rydingsward. Rydingsward defeated Nelson in an August primary to claim the party’s ballot slot.
 In the 1st District congressional contest, Democratic U.S. Rep. John Larson has three challengers: Republican Ann Brickley, the Green Party’s Ken Krayeske and Chris Hutchinson of the Socialist Action Party.
The polls are open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Republicans plan a victory party at Nuchies in Forestville while the Democrats plan to celebrate at the Polish Club on North Main Street.
1st District Congressional race:

You can watch videos of all four debates here --

(Thanks for the links, Ken Krayeske)
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Republicans are partying rather than campaigning.

Pretty cocky aren't they!!!

Anonymous said...

Is Tom Colapietro jealous of Jason welch's looks? or his hair?

Anonymous said...

Why campaign Obama and Pelosi did it all for us. Elections here! Liberal agendas gone! Let’s party

Anonymous said...

TJ is truley bizarre...or should I say eccentric like all ultra-rich kids. Being the GOP chairman is fine for him but the scary thing is he's on the STATE pension board besides the city pension board.

Anonymous said...

I'm a democrat however I will be voting for 2 local Republicans this year - Welch and Fitzgerald. I blame the democratic town committee for my split ticket. If they would put some people on the ticket that were decent, I wouldn't have to split my ticket.

Anonymous said...

7:42

And you think he cares about the workers?
And so you think he is pulling Betts and Welch's strings?

Anonymous said...

Anybody who votes for the half-wit Chris Wright should be deported and should have their citizenship revoked.

Anonymous said...

It's not that no one is campaigning but we do have kids. Being Halloween we actually like to do things with them!! Keep up the good work TJ! Great RTC chairman and father!!

Anonymous said...

9:37

Didn't know that Republicans believed in sex.

Anonymous said...

TJ is too classy for you people to comprehend.

Anonymous said...

Steve, Is it too late to vote for John Rowland the original job creatin rebublicrat? Whould the $50,000.00 a year pension we are paying him help create more federal prosicuters? Can we write him in? Just a thought, be sure and vote your conscience........

Anonymous said...

November 1, 2010 9:37 AM:

Not sure what you're responding to, but your nose is sure Barne$ colored brown.

Anonymous said...

Why do democrats hate successful business like that Barnes group? If it wasn’t for the Barnes the union wouldn’t have any one to rob!

super cla$$y said...

November 1, 2010 11:44 AM;

Some are just easliy impressed (like you).

Anonymous said...

Please dont vote for Tommy C. I cant take it anymore.

Anonymous said...

11:38

Just not with THEIR wives

Anonymous said...

7:42

Just think what he will get if Foley gets in!

Anonymous said...

Saw Tom at WAL MART LOOKING for a new hair piece. Told TOM try being yourself it might help you.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans are lucky that they have Ward and Nelson helping them.
They are helping by just being themselves.

Anonymous said...

GOP will take the 77th,78th and 31st tomorrow, as well as Governor. To many state union workers for a Republican to take the senate seat.

Anonymous said...

November 1, 2010 1:01 PM:

Did TJ build the Barnes Group?

The question is why is he on the State Pension Board?

Anonymous said...

8:19 AM,

My aren't we clever?!! Bet you're one of the funniest kids in 3rd grade!!! Dork!

Anonymous said...

11:33
Thats funny, Dork has the same number of letters as Ward.

Coincidence?

Anonymous said...

1:11 PM,

That is funny. I'm kinda suprised you can count that high!

BTW, I imagine Ward is working at the polls, not wasting time on the blog dealing with some silly dimwit and his/her assinine comments...so I guess it is a coincidence.

Anonymous said...

3:07

Well, i did see Ward at the legion

Anonymous said...

7:08 PM: Gee, you must spend an awful lot of time there yourself watching who's coming and going...one of those old, gossipy bar-flies with no life of their own. I actually feel kinda sorry for you.

BTW, I heard Ward was OUTSIDE the legion with Nicastro at the polls. Hope you took a break from drinking and gossiping long enough to vote!