No More Nancy!

NO MORE NANCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-11-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

Buh bye.

Stop Reading This and Get to Work!

2006-11-05T10:23:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry if you've been disappointed with the lack of updates this week, but I've been busy volunteering for the Murphy campaign. They need all the help they can get, so turn off the computer and get out there! There's only two more days for us to convince voters to oust Nancy Johnson. Now's the time to act!

Volunteer for Chris Murphy by calling their headquarters at (860) 223-5522

As Connecticut Goes, So Goes the Nation

2006-11-01T11:16:00.000-05:00

Need any more evidence of the importance of the congressional races in Connecticut? Here's Chris Cillizza's thoughts from The Fix. Get out there and volunteer for Chris Murphy!

Connecticut May Be a Barometer on Election Night

For the last year strategists in both parties have debated which of the three House races in Connecticut represents Democrats' best chance of a takeover on Nov. 7.

By the numbers, it's the eastern Connecticut 2nd District which Rep. Rob Simmons (R) has held since 2000, despite the fact that it was carried by Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (D) with 54 percent in 2004. By the level of attention from national Democrats its the 4th District where Rep. Chris Shays (R) is trying to fend off 2004 nominee Dianne Farrell (D).

But, by the polling (and the motto of The Fix could well be "In polling we trust"), it is Rep. Nancy Johnson (R) in the northwestern Connecticut 5th District who appears to be in the most dire of straits.

A new poll commissioned by the Hartford Courant and released today shows state Sen. Chris Murphy (D) ahead of Johnson 46 percent to 42 percent. (Recent surveys conducted for the Courant showed Simmons leading 2002 nominee Joe Courtney 46 percent to 44 percent and Shays and Farrrell tied at 43 percent.)

Johnson's long tenure in Congress -- she has served in Washington since 1982 -- appears to be working against her in the eyes of voters. Forty-six percent of those tested agreed with the idea that "electing challengers is a good idea because they offer change," while just 30 percent thought "electing incumbents is a good idea because they offer experience." Twenty-two percent were undecided on that question.

The incumbent is also struggling to shed the baggage of President George W. Bush's dismal approval numbers in the state. Thirty-five percent of 5th District voters approved of Bush's job performance, while 61 percent disapproved. As we've seen time and again in national and district-level surveys, just 19 percent "approved" of the job Bush was doing while 49 percent "strongly disapproved" -- suggesting an imbalance in energy between the two party bases. Johnson's approve/disapprove is healthier (45 approve/42 disapprove), but 77 percent of those tested said she "follows the Republican party line set by President Bush" either "very closely" (34 percent) or "somewhat closely" (47 percent).

All of those internal measures spell trouble for Johnson. And remember that the Courant poll comes after Johnson has already spent more than $4 million on her re-election campaign, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission earlier this month. At that time, Murphy had spent roughly half of Johnson's total.

If the political environment is as bad in Connecticut as it appears nationally for Republicans, it may not matter how much Johnson spends. What once looked like Johnson's trump card -- her long experience in Congress and the campaign cash that it can produce -- now is working against her. And Murphy's biggest weakness -- he is 32 and looks 22 -- may actually be accruing to his benefit.

Republican strategists privately acknowledge that Johnson is in a dog fight and are clearly worried about her chances. If you're looking for a way to grade how large (or small) Democratic gains will be on election day, Connecticut is a very good place to look. Win zero or one seat and Democrats may come up short of the 15 seats they need nationally to take control. Win two and the majority looks likely. Win all three and a gain of 25 seats or more is possible.

Murphy Leads Johnson

2006-10-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

Today the Hartford Courant released its first poll of the fifth district race, and the news is great for Chris Murphy. The results show Murphy leading 46%-42% with 9% of voters still undecided.

More poll details from the Courant:

“These results paint a picture of a very vulnerable incumbent,” said Monika McDermott, the UConn poll’s research director. “Likely voters aren’t happy with Johnson’s performance, and they say they’re ready for a change.”

The UConn poll also points to the importance of another national and state trend – the rise of unaffiliated voters. In the poll, Johnson is predictably far ahead of Murphy with Republican voters, by 83 percent to 16 percent.

Among Democrats in the sample, Murphy is ahead by 77 percent to 16 percent. But the two “major” parties now represent just 55 percent of the registered voters in the 5th Congressional District, with 45 percent of voters registering as either unaffiliated or minor party members.

“These independent voters prefer Murphy over Johnson 45 percent to 36 percent,” McDermott said. “That’s a preference among unaffiliated voters that could well decide the outcome in this race.”

The UConn poll found that 9 percent of voters are still undecided and that the “soft” support for each candidate is about equal. (Among Johnson voters, 17 percent said they may still change their mind by Election Day; 15 percent of Murphy supporters say the same.) But McDermott said that these are fairly typical numbers coming into the last week of an election, and it’s very hard to predict how the undecided voters will eventually break out.

Geographically, the UConn poll also shows Johnson in trouble in one crucial area of the district – the affluent, educated Farmington Valley suburbs of Avon, Canton, Simsbury and Farmington. In her past two elections, Johnson has racked up tallies of 60 percent or more in these towns. But the UConn poll apparently shows that Johnson’s support there has been cut roughly in half, with Murphy leading among likely Farmington Valley voters by 52 percent to 36 percent.

The 5th District race got off to a negative start in April, when the liberal advocacy group, MoveOn.org, attacked Johnson with ads accusing her of getting caught “red-handed” supporting the controversial Medicare Plan D for prescription drug reimbursement and for failing to question Iraq war contractors. Johnson quickly replied with negative ads against Murphy.

This atmosphere of negativity, however, seems to have hurt Johnson more than Murphy. When the sample was asked whose ads have been more negative, 34 percent said Johnson’s, and 29 percent said Murphy’s ads were more negative.

Murphy, reached Sunday afternoon while campaigning in Torrington, said the UConn poll results fell roughly in line with internal polls conducted by his campaign since the summer, which have showed that he has gradually closed the gap and pulled even with Johnson.

This race is ours! It's time to get out there and win over the 9% of undecided voters. Get off the computer and volunteer for the Murphy campaign! Just one more week of work to ensure the 24 years of Nancy Johnson ends!

Murphy Makes the Case, Johnson a Disgrace

2006-10-27T02:28:00.000-04:00

As the congressional race in the fifth district begins to hit the home stretch, Chris Murphy has released a new ad that makes his final case to the voters. Murphy speaks directly into the camera about the need for change in Washington. The line of the ad comes when Murphy says of Johnson: "She's not a bad person, but she's become part of the problem."

While yours truly may take exception to the first half of Murphy's statement, its power is not lost on me.

While Murphy's ad seeks to have a serious conversation with the voters, Nancy Johnson's latest ad is a complete joke and another sign of desperation. Johnson sinks so low as to hire an actor to impersonate Murphy and then goes on to make outrageous lies about Murphy's record. According to Nancy, Murphy is not only a tax raising politician, but he also loves sex offenders and drug dealers. Oh yeah and don't forget he loves Al-Qaeda too.

Memo to Nancy...If you want to completely slander your opponent you should at least make attacks that are slightly believable. Nobody is buying this Nancy. Your increasing desperation is becoming quite laughable.

Let's leave it to Bob Englehart of the Hartford Courant to handle this:

Casting call, Nancy Johnson campaign. People are talking about re-election campaigns hitting a new low with Johnson's latest TV ad. Frankly, I think it's a new high ... in hubris and deceit.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not against negative ads.

It's a tradition of American elections and it goes back to the beginning of our democracy.

I think it's fair political game to attack an opponent's record, even to distort it for your own purposes, as long as there is some truth to it. I think it's fair to make your opponent look like the devil himself and to use his own true words and record against him. The operative word is "true."

And I like a good laugh. Johnson's ad would be funny if she didn't have the power to sign her name to a piece of paper and make your life miserable, expensive and extremely complicated, as she did for our senior citizens with that Medicare drug bill that was mostly written by the pharmaceutical companies.

Talk about being a friend of drug dealers. Nancy Johnson is their best pal.

But to hire an ACTOR to portray your opponent hanging with pushers? Wow, even Karl Rove never thought of this one. The possibilities are endless and disturbing.

I can only hope that the ad backfires and the good, rational people of the 5th District will respond by voting this fabricator out of office.

She should be ashamed of herself, but she's been in Washington for so long, I think she's forgotten how.

Johnson Calls War in Iraq a Distraction

2006-10-24T19:11:00.000-04:00

Over 2,700 American soldiers dead...More than 20,000 wounded...More than 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed...Over $500 billion spent...

What does all of this add up to for Nancy Johnson?

Apparently nothing more than a distraction.

You really can't make this stuff up folks. In a story appearing in The Register Citizen, Nancy Johnson criticizes Chris Murphy for talking about the war in Iraq, saying that it is merely a distraction and that she has no control over it. I know it's hard to believe that even Nancy would say something that stupid so read it for yourself:

Johnson accused Murphy of distracting voters by bringing forward national issues such as the war in Iraq.

"I believe some very serious mistakes have been made," she said of the conflict overseas.

Johnson added that she wished to concentrate on issues more local to Connecticut that fall within the realm of her position's control.

"Nancy Johnson calling this war a distraction is just as offensive as the President calling it is a comma," Murphy said Friday. He added that Johnson had voted for the war and that congress could control the war.

You've got to be kidding me! Iraq is nothing more than a distraction? Then I guess Johnson would agree with Bush's belief that Iraq is "just a comma." These are the supposed leaders of our country? I'll let Jack Cafferty handle the outrageousness of these statements:

Since Nancy Johnson views Iraq as nothing more than a distraction, I guess it should come as no surprise that she has opposed helping Iraq veterans. Johnson has voted against increases in pay and healthcare for our troops. Fortunately, we have the DCCC to remind us of her record:

New York Times "Strongly Endorses" Murphy

2006-10-21T19:23:00.000-04:00

Today, the New York Times endorsed Chris Murphy for Congress. The endorsement marks the first time in the last two decades that the Times has not endorsed Nancy Johnson. Additionally, this stands as the earliest date in the last two decades that the Times has declared its endorsement of a candidate. Read the full endorsement for yourself below:

Nancy Johnson is running for her 13th term in Congress this year against Chris Murphy, a Democratic state senator. Ms. Johnson was once a reliable Republican moderate, waging a lonely battle to control Congressional spending in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Her attention to legislative details remains impressive, and she can claim some worthy achievements on issues like the environment.

Yet as she has risen in seniority and power within the Republican House Caucus, Ms. Johnson has receded as a critic of her party's far right leadership. Now Ms. Johnson is in the odd position of defending her party's assault on basic civil liberties and its freespending ways. A Republican Congress and the Bush White House have produced budgets that have paid for an unpopular war along with big tax breaks for the wealthy, resulting in the biggest deficits in history.

In the race, Ms. Johnson has used fearmongering commercials that try to paint Mr. Murphy as soft on terrorism and, most curiously of all, a big spender. It is unconvincing. Ms. Johnson is the senior member of an important committee. She has served longer in the House than any other Connecticut representative. Yet she has not been able to change significantly the House GOP leaders' reckless fiscal policy or its radical agenda.

Mr. Murphy, a lawyer, is impressive. He has spent eight years in the Connecticut House and Senate. He pushed for the state to adopt a system of campaign finance reform when he first entered the House, long before this was considered an important issue. He helped pass legislation that made it easier for uninsured to obtain health insurance. He wants to work on the same issue in Congress.

Mr. Murphy believes the war in Iraq has forced America into a false choice between war and civil liberties and has made us more vulnerable to terrorism. He advocates a timetable for withdrawal. Ms. Johnson has supported the war and has voted to continue the current open-ended commitment.

We've supported Ms. Johnson in the past, but are disenchanted with her support of her leadership's radical agenda. Mr. Murphy would be a strong candidate in any race, and even against a seasoned incumbent, is impressive. He would make a superb addition to Congress. We strongly endorse his candidacy.

The Drug Companies' Best Friend

2006-10-18T15:50:00.000-04:00

Watch this new Chris Murphy ad and see just how much money Nancy Johnson has taken from the drug industry.

With money like that, it's no wonder that Nancy Johnson forbid the government from negotiating lower prescription drug prices for seniors in the Medicare Part D legislation that she wrote. Nancy knows who's paying the bills. She sold her vote to the drug companies and turned her back on our nation's seniors in the process.

Johnson has also insulted the intelligence of her constituents through her phony attempt to pass Medicare legislation that would remove penalties for seniors who missed the program's enrollment deadline. The Danbury News Times has the story:

As the clock ticks toward Election Day, Democrat Chris Murphy criticized U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-5th Dist., for letting the clock run out on Medicare legislation she sponsored.

Murphy, a state senator from Cheshire challenging Johnson, held a press conference at Danbury Democratic Headquarters on Main Street. He questioned Johnson's intentions in not bringing the bill up for a vote before Congress adjourned for the campaign season.

The bill would have eliminated penalties against seniors who missed an enrollment deadline for the new Medicare prescription drug plan. Though Johnson is the chairwoman of a health subcommittee, she never pushed for a vote, Murphy said.

"This was either an intentional bait and switch or shows an inability to lead her committee," said Murphy.

Under the penalty, seniors who missed the May 15 deadline face a minimum 6 percent increase in their premiums, Murphy said.

The House Ways and Means committee and the Health Subcommittee met a total of 12 times, Murphy said, and neither took action on the bill.

Murphy says he wants to remove influence from Washington

"Did Nancy Johnson really think no one would notice that after the press-conference lights were turned off, she buried her own bill?" Murphy said. "As one of the highest ranking members of the Ways and Means Committee, she could have forced a hearing on the bill at any time."

Esquire Endorses Murphy

2006-10-17T17:44:00.000-04:00

Esquire magazine has released their endorsements for every state level race in the country. In the fifth district race, Esquire endorses Chris Murphy, saying:

You've probably heard of the "doughnut hole" in the new Medicare prescription-drug plan: It's the part that'll make billions of dollars for the pharmaceutical industry, at consumers' expense. And Johnson, who helped create the hole, gets loads from the industry in return.

What I found particularly interesting, though, is Esquire's stated criteria for selecting candidates:

In our selections, the slightest modicum of independence is rewarded. We have endorsed very conservative Republicans and very liberal Democrats and everything in between.

So if Nancy Johnson is as she says, "the most independent member of Congress" then why hasn't Esquire endorsed her? Maybe because they, like so many of us, see through the facade of independence and recognize Johnson's blind and unquestioned loyalty to the Bush administration and the Republican Congress. Seems like Nancy's old independent trick is fooling fewer and fewer people these days.

Update: More Debate Footage

2006-10-16T12:20:00.000-04:00

Here's another video from ctblogger featuring some of Saturday's post-debate comments, including an interview with Chris Murphy.

Nancy Johnson: Delusional Debater

2006-10-15T18:31:00.000-04:00

Major thanks to ctblogger for his video coverage of Saturday's debate between Chris Murphy and my favorite congresswoman, Nancy "Donut Hole" Johnson.

Nancy really has lost it...Apparently No Child Left Behind actually is fully funded. Who would have known?

People are standing in line to thank Nancy for the prescription drug disaster that she created. Right...

Also, the war in Iraq is essential to fighting Al Qaeda...Despite the fact that Saddam Hussein had no connection to Al Qaeda.

Score this one as a knockout for Murphy.

Pre-debate rallying. Lots of energy in that auditorium.

Clips from the debate:

Courant Exposes Johnson's Lies

2006-10-14T19:10:00.000-04:00

The Hartford Courant ran a great article today regarding the new Chris Murphy ad and the hissy fit Nancy Johnson is having over it. The article points out the numerous lies that Nancy Johnson has made in her attempt to run from her record of ignoring constituents in need. Read it for yourself (I've bolded the good parts). Also, watch the story done by WTNH.

Johnson Attack on Ad Misfires: Murphy Commercial Is Rooted In Fact

At an emotional news conference in the state Capitol this week, U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson took what many veteran campaign strategists would consider a dangerous political step.

Johnson, a 24-year Republican incumbent, is in the middle of a bruising re-election battle against Democratic state Sen. Chris Murphy, a race that is on its way to becoming one of the most expensive - and nasty - in state history. Quite beyond their differences over issues such as Iraq and health care, the core drama in the 5th Congressional District contest has been a lively exchange of negative political ads by both sides, an intensity that reflects the district's importance in determining whether the Democrats seize control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Wednesday afternoon, Johnson attacked her opponent for an ad that had attracted little notice before Johnson angrily condemned it. This was a television spot, aired by the Murphy campaign, narrated by a mother with a son who was born in 2001 with a cleft palate and lip. The mother, a Burlington woman and occasionally active Democrat named Erin McCall-Goldie, says in the ad that Murphy had helped her get state legislation passed to secure insurance reimbursement for her child's expensive surgery.

The ad strongly implies that Murphy helped her after Johnson refused to do so. What Johnson considered a fundamental misimpression drove her to call the press conference and condemn the ad.

A closer look at the timeline involved shows that McCall-Goldie tried to get Johnson to sponsor a similar bill in Congress, but this was years after she had been helped by Murphy's legislation. It was the Burlington woman's more recent attempt to help families nationwide with the same problem that Johnson rejected.

But Johnson's criticism of the ad was drowned out by a host of additional charges - many of them untrue - that she lobbed at her press conference.

The McCall-Goldie ad first aired on Sunday, and three days later Johnson held her news conference at the Legislative Office Building to castigate Murphy. Her voice quivering, Johnson labeled the ad "maliciously dishonest, " and introduced a string of Republican state legislators and health care workers - including two doctors in white lab coats - who shared her view that Murphy had distorted the truth in the ad.

Johnson said that the Murphy ad "was a grave disservice to the voters. The message of the ad is that I didn't help and that he did. At its core, [the ad] is dishonest. .... It reflects a new low in Connecticut politics."

The medical saga in the McCall-Goldie family began in December 2001, when Erin's first child, Connor, was born with a cleft lip and palate. Facing years of surgery and medical bills to surgically repair his condition, McCall-Goldie founded a Connecticut support group, Families Advancing Craniofacial Excellence, and began to lobby the legislature to secure insurance reimbursement for reconstructive and orthodontic surgery. In 2002, her state senator at the time, Kevin Sullivan, introduced her to Murphy, who was chairman of the General Assembly's public health committee.

Within six months, Murphy had held hearings and written and introduced a bill addressing the craniofacial group's needs. "An Act Requiring Health Insurance Coverage for Craniofacial Disorders" was passed and signed by the governor in May 2003.

"Murphy was wonderful," McCall-Goldie said during an interview this week. "He didn't simply present the bill on the Senate floor, but he came out and met all the craniofacial families and got very involved."

Last October, McCall-Goldie learned that similar legislation had just been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Within a week she e-mailed Johnson, asking her to co-sponsor the bill, hoping that Johnson's leadership of the powerful subcommittee on health would make a difference. But McCall-Goldie says that she became increasingly frustrated as months went by and she received no response.

"Nancy Johnson was my congresswoman," McCall-Goldie says. "I had a very severe and expensive medical condition with my son. So I asked for Johnson's help, and she never replied. Never. After a while I realized I should start keeping a record, so I saved all the dates that I called her and got no reply."

Over the summer, McCall-Goldie was able to speak with Johnson, but only because she saw her at the Unionville Fire Parade and the Avon Day festival.

"I had to hunt Nancy Johnson down in a public place, and then do you know what she told me?" McCall-Goldie says. "My congresswoman told me that she couldn't help me because she didn't believe in sponsoring bills that would help just a few people, and that she wasn't in the business of telling insurance companies what to do."

In May, Murphy asked McCall-Goldie to deliver his seconding speech when he was nominated to run against Johnson. In late August, when the Murphy campaign was looking for a way to distinguish his health care record against Johnson's, they decided to film McCall-Goldie.

In the finished ad, McCall-Goldie sits facing the camera as before- and after-surgery pictures of her son are shown. The entire spot is narrated in her voice:

"My son Connor was born with a cleft lip and palate. I worried about his health and whether our insurance would cover expensive corrective surgery for Connor and others like him. I contacted Nancy Johnson's office repeatedly. She never called back. [On screen: "No Response."] But I went to state Senator Chris Murphy and within six months Chris passed a law mandating insurance coverage for reconstructive facial surgery. For us, Chris made the difference."

The Johnson campaign has vigorously argued that, because Murphy is not formally listed as a sponsor of the bill, he is claiming credit for legislation which he did not introduce. Johnson also insisted at her press conference that she had "personally spoken to the woman [McCall-Goldie] twice, months before Murphy began running the ad." The strong impression created by Johnson was that she had returned McCall-Goldie's phone calls.

None of these claims by Johnson has held up to scrutiny.

The state Senate transcript for April 9, 2003, when the craniofacial bill was passed, makes it clear that Murphy not only introduced the bill, but was given credit by Kevin Sullivan for steering it through committee. The Johnson campaign has also conceded that Johnson offered McCall-Goldie no help on the federal bill.

"Yes, it's true, Nancy Johnson did decline to sponsor the legislation," says press aide Brian Schubert. "Health insurance mandates are the purview of state legislatures, not the federal government."

Schubert also says that there is no evidence that Johnson's office answered McCall-Goldie's e-mail, and confirms that Johnson never returned McCall-Goldie's calls.

By this weekend, as the first debate between Murphy and Johnson approached, it seemed clear that the damage to Johnson's credibility might go well beyond this single ad. Two of Johnson's ads - one accusing Murphy of voting 27 times to raise taxes, and another attacking his position on the surveillance of known terrorists - have been criticized for distorting Murphy's positions.

Update: The Truth Hurts

2006-10-12T17:22:00.000-04:00

From the Hartford Courant:

MURPHY AD GETS TO JOHNSON

After months of relentlessly broadcasting negative ads, U.S. Rep. Nancy L. Johnson, R-5th District, has had it with negativity - her opponent's, that is.

At a Capitol news conference Wednesday, an irate Johnson, who is running for a 13th term, demanded that Democratic state Sen. Chris Murphy pull a recent TV ad that features a mother whose son was born with a cleft palate and lip. The mother, Erin McCall-Goldie of Burlington, had sought both Johnson's and Murphy's help in passing legislation that would require insurance coverage for reconstructive surgery.

The Murphy ad states that McCall-Goldie contacted Johnson's office repeatedly and received no response. But when McCall-Goldie contacted Chris Murphy, who was chairman of the General Assembly's public health committee, Murphy within six months had won passage of a bill in 2003 requiring insurance coverage for surgery to correct her son's condition.

Among other complaints, Johnson claims that the Murphy ad says that she never called McCall-Goldie back. But Johnson insists that she called McCall-Goldie twice "months before Murphy began running the ad."

"That simply isn't true," McCall-Goldie said Wednesday evening. "The only time I spoke with Johnson was when I hunted her down at the Unionville Fireman's Parade and at Avon Day in Avon. It's ironic that Nancy Johnson now says that Chris Murphy is lying, because she is lying. I'm a constituent who needed her help and she did nothing."

Do Nothing Nancy Ignores Family In Need

2006-10-11T23:03:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this powerful new ad?

Is there any more damning evidence of a do nothing congresswoman than that? A desperate mother calls Nancy Johnson to ask for help in obtaining the necessary procedure for her son, and she doesn't even return a phone call. She completely ignored the needs of a constituent. Johnson was probably too busy meeting with her lobbyist friends though.

Chris Murphy, on the other hand, listened to the pleas of this family and passed legislation that mandated the necessary surgical procedure be covered by insurance. While Nancy Johnson was too busy to even return a phone call, Chris Murphy not only listened but fought to change the law. The difference between Murphy and Johnson could not be any clearer. We can keep Nancy Johnson in Washington and hope that she will find the time of day to return a phone call, or we can elect Chris Murphy, who will bring new energy to Washington and actually work to get things done.

This ad is extremely compelling and could be the knockout punch to Johnson. You can tell how scared she is by her reaction. Johnson immediately held a press conference attacking both the mother in the ad and Chris Murphy. A reporter covering the story said Johnson was, "visibly upset."

Sorry Nancy but when it comes to believing what you say in the middle of your reelection campaign or a mother who has nothing to gain politically from her story, I'll believe the mother.

Erin McCall-Goldie refused to back down to Johnson's attacks saying:

Nancy Johnson doesn't understand why I am an advocate for children with craniofacial conditions because she never called me back to discuss the needs of my family and the thousands of families like mine across this State. I have been working to get Mrs. Johnson involved in this issue because as my Representative in Congress, I thought she would be interested and willing to help. She was not.

It has been my personal experience that Chris Murphy fights for real people who need his help. He made a real difference for kids like Connor, and that'’s why I am supporting him. It'’s that simple.

I am also puzzled as to why Mrs. Johnson would excuse her failure to sign on to federal legislation that would help kids like Connor by saying that the bills that are currently pending do not have a large number of co-sponsors. Why is it that Mrs. Johnson believes she should not support a bill until her friends support it? I want a representative who will be a leader, not a follower, on issues that affect my family.

Wined and Dined

2006-10-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released this new ad attacking Nancy Johnson for the billions of dollars she's given away to her special interest friends. Whether it be the oil companies, drug companies, or another special interest group, Nancy Johnson knows who to look out for in Washington. I guess she's just returning the favor for all the dinners, trips, and campaign contributions she has received from lobbyists. Nancy Johnson certainly enjoys getting wined and dined...The only problem is that we're getting stuck with the bill.

Mumblin, Bumblin, Stumblin...

2006-10-09T01:57:00.000-04:00

CBS Evening News did a profile of the fifth district race. Watch the story here to see how Nancy Johnson stumbles through the interview.

My favorite part is when Johnson is asked if she has actually challenged the president on any of his policy in Iraq.

Her response: "Oh yes...err...um...uh...err...but...see they don't report what individual congressmen say."

That's it Nancy...When you can't think of any times that you've opposed George Bush's policy just blame the media! I'm pretty sure that C-SPAN has 24 hour coverage of all House proceedings though, and I can't recall ever seeing you question the Bush administration's failures in Iraq. Maybe I just missed it though...

Johnson also went on to say that it wasn't clear to her that Dennis Hastert had made a mistake in his handling of the Mark Foley sex scandal.

It's not clear that Dennis Hastert made a mistake!? Are you kidding me? He knew of Foley's relationship with an underage page for many months and did nothing! It was at the very least a huge mistake, if not an intentional coverup. What exactly constitutes Nancy Johnson's definition of a mistake? She seems to live in a world of infallibility, unable to find any fault in the countless screwups of George Bush, Dennis Hastert, and the Republican Congress.

It's really kind of sad how out of touch Nancy Johnson has become from her 24 years in Washington.

Johnson's Half-Hearted Stand

2006-10-06T02:01:00.000-04:00

As public outcry over the Mark Foley sex scandal and attempted Republican coverup continues to grow, Nancy Johnson ended her week of silence on the matter by issuing a brief and rather weak statement. Johnson is talking out of both sides of her mouth by trying to appear as though she's demanding action on the issue while not wanting to upset her Republican friends. Johnson's statement, published on her website, is as follows:

If any leader from either party tried to cover up this information at the expense of the safety of our children, then they should resign their position immediately.

It would be reprehensible if any Republican leader intentionally covered up the full facts of the case, and it would be equally reprehensible if Democrat leaders sat on this information for a year in order to release it 30 days before an election.

I want an investigation to go forward to find out answers to these questions.

So you want an investigation to go forward Nancy? Wow, you're really going out on a limb there. But that's what I would expect from such a maverick independent like yourself...

There is little doubt now that Dennis Hastert had knowledge of Foley's behavior many months ago. Members of his own party have even said so. He chose to do nothing, so that a Republican seat would not be put in jeopardy. Sounds like a coverup to me. So why isn't Nancy Johnson demanding Dennis Hastert's resignation? Rather than taking a stand, Nancy Johnson chooses to get right in line with a completely corrupt Republican Congress. I never realized how 24 years in Washington could make someone so out of touch.

Murphy Erases Johnson's Lead

2006-10-05T03:29:00.000-04:00

A new internal poll conducted by the Murphy campaign shows the fifth district race in a dead heat. The same poll showed Johnson with a nine point lead back in June. Clearly, voters are responding to Murphy's positive message of change and aren't buying into Nancy Johnson's fear mongering. The poll also showed Murphy's support to be stronger than Johnson's, as fewer people are likely to change their minds between now and November.

Who would you vote for if the election were held today? (June results)

Murphy: 42% (34%)

Johnson: 42% (43%)

Undecided: 12% (21%)

Will you definitely vote for Murphy/Johnson, or might you change your mind before the election?

Murphy: 78% Definite, 21% Might Change

Johnson: 68% Definite, 31% Might Change

Update: Murphy Demands Johnson Speak Out

2006-10-03T18:21:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy's campaign just issued a press release demanding that Nancy Johnson publicly call for Dennis Hastert's resignation as Speaker of the House, saying:

If Nancy Johnson had the courage to stand up to her morally bankrupt colleagues in Washington, she would have done so already in a direct, public manner. The Republican leadership she proudly proclaims herself to be a part of knew what was going on and turned a blind eye. Now the people of Connecticut know without a doubt that Nancy Johnson is more interested in staying in Washington than doing what is right.

Johnson has continued to maintain her silence on the issue.

The Sound of Silence

2006-10-03T02:44:00.000-04:00

Listen. Do you hear that? Do you know what that sound is?

It's the sound of Nancy Johnson's "strong, independent voice" standing up for what's right. It's the sound of a true independent politician putting aside partisan politics, taking on party leadership, and speaking her conscience. It's the sound of an outraged citizen demanding the resignation of Dennis Hastert and all other officials who did nothing to stop a pedophile despite full knowledge of his actions. It's the sound of integrity.

Wait...You don't hear anything?

Me neither.

For all of Nancy Johnson's talk about her independence, she's been completely silent when it comes to questioning the Republican leadership. As more and more facts come out about the Mark Foley sex scandal, one thing has become quite apparent. The Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, along with other GOP leaders knew many months ago of Foley's inappropriate contact with congressional pages. Instead of doing everything to ensure Foley did not harm any children, however, the GOP leadership remained silent out of fear that reporting Foley could cost them a House seat. Dennis Hastert did not even remove Foley from his position as co-chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children Committee. Instead, Hastert tried to cover everything up and left children in danger.

It's time for Dennis Hastert's resignation. Even the conservative Washington Times thinks so, saying:

Mr. Hastert has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation that must examine his own inept performance.

So, if a strong conservative newspaper like the Washington Times is demanding Hastert's resignation then why isn't a supposedly independent Republican congresswoman? Perhaps Hastert bought Johnson's silence with his $5,000 contribution to her campaign? Or maybe it's just that Nancy Johnson isn't the independent voice she claims to be.

For if Nancy Johnson was truly "caring and independent" as her website proudly proclaims, she would stand up for what's right and demand Hastert's immediate resignation. She would use the influence gained from 24 years in Washington to demand action. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised by Johnson's lack of action when it comes to ethical issues. After all, she stonewalled the House Ethics Committee's investigation of Newt Gingrich in 1996.

I guess I'm just naive. I keep waiting for Nancy Johnson to speak up and do the right thing.

But all I hear is silence.

Nancy Johnson: Master Architect

2006-10-01T14:01:00.000-04:00

Sunday's Hartford Courant had a great editorial cartoon by Bob Englehart depicting the incompetent nature of Nancy Johnson's Medicare Part D creation. Englehart had this to say about his cartoon:

My editorial cartoons are inspired almost exclusively by published items in The Courant. Editorials, op-eds, news stories, columns, photos and letters to the editor. That's right, I said letters to the editor.

I'm not one of those people who get their news from websites or TV. I get it from sitting down at the dining room table every morning and making notes in a reporter's notebook as I read ink on newsprint.

Letters to the editor are a viable source for me to hear about issues concerning our readers. When I read a letter that mirrors my thinking, it's off to the races.

Today's cartoon was like that, based on a letter to the editor complaining about Nancy Johnson's role in creating this Frankenstein monster of a Medicare prescription drug program for our senior citizens. The Frankenstein monster would've made a good metaphor, but I've used it so often I decided to go for something different. I jumped on the word "architect.

I watched my 86-year-old mother-in-law anguish over the unnecessarily complex choices that were designed to benefit the drug companies, not elderly Americans like her.

Frankly, I believe no congressman or woman who was involved in designing that insanely complex prescription drug program should be returned to Washington, unless they're wearing a warm coat of tar and feathers.

Show Me The Money

2006-09-30T02:49:00.000-04:00

Okay everyone, it's time to put up or shut up! Today is the third quarter fundraising deadline for all campaigns. This is your last chance to make a difference and help Chris Murphy send Nancy Johnson into retirement. Please consider making a donation to the Murphy campaign today! $10, $25, $50....Whatever you can afford! Every dollar will make a difference. You've seen the Murphy campaign's great new ad hitting back at Nancy Johnson's absurd ad and making sure her lies don't go unanswered. Let's raise some money to make sure that ad stays on air! Remember what's at stake here...Two more years of unchecked authority for the Bush administration vs. New Democratic leadership. Let's do our part to make sure we have a Democratic House in November!

Donate Now!

New Murphy Ad

2006-09-27T12:25:00.000-04:00

Today Chris Murphy released this new television ad that sets the record straight regarding Nancy Johnson's outrageous ads and her complete support for the failures in Iraq. The ad cites the National Intelligence Estimate, which was released yesterday and states that U.S. involvement in Iraq has made our country less safe. Did you hear that Nancy? Your rubber stamping of the Bush administration's reckless and incompetent policy in Iraq has resulted in an increase in terrorism.

Johnson must have already known that, however, as she was so scared of the public seeing the NIE's findings that she voted against debating it in the House on Tuesday. Seems like Nancy's got something to hide.

Chris Murphy commented on the NIE's findings and Johnson's attempted block of the information saying:

When Nancy Johnson had the opportunity to stand up and discuss this incredibly important national security report with her colleagues, she voted for silence. This report should have been a wake up call to Nancy Johnson. But instead of asking questions, she continues to blindly support the President’s war in Iraq rather than the security of the people of Connecticut. The NIE proves what many Americans have suspected for years: our involvement in Iraq is making us less safe at home. Yet Nancy Johnson doesn’t want to talk about her party’s record on the war in Iraq, as evidenced by her vote just yesterday to deny any debate of the intelligence report. Her unwavering support of President Bush and this mismanaged war shows just how out of touch she is with the people of the Fifth District.

Help keep this ad on air by making a contribution to Chris Murphy! The FEC contribution deadline is this Saturday!

Have You Had Enough?

2006-09-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

A great new anti-Nancy video has been created by the blog "The Enigmatic Paradox." Watch the video below and go check out their site for more good stuff.

Well Look Who's Here

2006-09-25T00:34:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson's favorite president is stopping in Connecticut today to raise money for her campaign. While Nancy wouldn't dare be seen with George W. Bush in public (it's a private fundraiser), she'll gladly accept his money to run more nasty attack ads. I'm confused...Last week Nancy Johnson was campaigning with John McCain and playing up her "independence." This week Bush comes to town and she's back to being a loyal right winger. I guess Nancy really will say and do anything to get more special interest money.

Don't let Nancy Johnson buy this election with her dirty money from George W. Bush and her other GOP cronies. Fight back by making a contribution to Chris Murphy's campaign. The FEC campaign contribution deadline for the quarter is this Saturday.

Contribute now to ensure that the dirty money of Bush, Cheney, Rove & Co. doesn't go unmatched!

This Is Too Easy

2006-09-23T22:56:00.000-04:00

Insert your joke in the comments.

Help Guarantee Victory

2006-09-21T03:27:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy needs our help. The September 30th FEC deadline for campaign contributions is quickly approaching. The time to act is now. We've already seen the nasty ads that Nancy Johnson is running. They're only going to get worse as we get closer to November 7. We have to ensure that Chris Murphy has the resources to respond to Nancy Johnson's vicious attacks. Please consider making a contribution to Murphy's campaign. $10, $25, $50...whatever you can afford will go a long way in fighting back against Nancy Johnson's smear campaign. Together we can take back this seat!
Will you help?

Murphy Looks to Knock Johnson Out

2006-09-20T03:16:00.000-04:00

Lots of politicians talk about how they go out into the community to listen to the average voters, but for most of them it's just talk. For Chris Murphy, however, going out and listening to the voters of the fifth district has become the central theme of his campaign. Murphy's "41 Towns in 41 Days" door knocking tour has allowed him to spread his message throughout the district by going door to door and listening to the concerns of voters. Now tell me, when was the last time you saw Nancy Johnson in your neighborhood? Murphy's unique campaign style demonstrates the unique type of candidate that he is. Finally, the people of the fifth district will have a representative who listens to their concerns, and not those of lobbyists and special interests.

Murphy's campaign highlighted his unique approach in their latest TV ad:

The media is also taking notice, this story appeared in the Record-Journal:

It’s all about the shoe leather, at least for now. Christopher S. Murphy has launched a ground offensive to take on Nancy L. Johnson’s air war in the fight for the 5th District.

“I think we’ll be able to match Nancy Johnson on the airwaves, but we’ll beat her on the ground,” Murphy said last month at a fundraiser. “Most congressional campaigns aren’t run with the candidates spending time every day knocking on doors.” Murphy is no stranger to waging a ground war, and he knows its potential to impact a race.

He knocked on every door in Southington’s 81st Assembly District twice in 1998, when he defeated 14-year incumbent Angelo Fusco.

“I started out to do it a third time, and found that I was losing votes,” Murphy said. “People said, ‘Go away and I’ll vote for you.’” Two years before that, Murphy had managed Charlotte Koskoff’s campaign against Johnson when Koskoff came within 1,600 votes of beating her. Koskoff didn’t air a single TV commercial, but relied on grassroots organizing and constant campaigning in the district.

Murphy knows he’s an underdog, and that people have been pulling levers for Johnson for more than two decades, a sentiment he brings with him when he goes door to door.

“Hi, I’m Chris Murphy, and I’m running against Nancy Johnson,” he tells a woman on Higby Drive in Meriden. “It’s nothing personal against Ms. Johnson, but we desperately need change in Washington right now.” “I’m for change,” the woman says, and takes a flier from Murphy.

On a 41-day tour to knock on doors in each of the 41 towns in the district, Murphy’s campaign said it picked the Higby Drive area because it is close to the highway.

“I don’t have the millions of bucks that Johnson does, so I’m doing this the old fashioned way,” Murphy tells Shelly Backus of South Meadow Lane.

Backus says she is still deciding which candidate to support, but her husband Randy is favoring Murphy “both because he’s a Democrat, and because I don’t like some of Johnson’s advertising and information.”

Need any more proof of Chris Murphy's door knocking? Well then watch the three latest installments of "41 Towns in 41 Days."

In Southbury:

Newtown:

Falls Village:

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

2006-09-17T22:35:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson's latest attack ad attempts to illustrate her "strength" on national security, while at the same time playing into the fears of voters. But what exactly has Johnson's "strength" gotten us?

Over 2500 American soldiers killed in Iraq
More than 20,000 soldiers wounded
More than 40,000 innocent Iraqi civilians killed
Over $300 billion spent
Further instability in the Middle East

This war has been incredibly mismanaged, yet Nancy Johnson and the Republican Congress have not so much as questioned Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld. Nancy Johnson even said a few weeks ago that she does not think Donald Rumsfeld should resign. Whatever the Bush administration has asked for, Nancy Johnson has not hesitated to provide. We are stuck in Iraq because Congress failed to oversee and question this administration. While the death toll continues to rise in Iraq, Nancy Johnson refuses to ask any questions of the administration. Perhaps she fears by questioning the war she will appear "weak" on national security. As Bill Clinton so eloquently said in his 2004 convention speech, however, "Strength and wisdom are not opposing values."

Update: Listen to Murphy's Address

2006-09-16T13:42:00.000-04:00

You can listen to Chris Murphy's national radio address here.

Murphy to Deliver National Radio Address

2006-09-15T16:33:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy has been selected to give the national Democratic response to President Bush's weekly radio address. This is quite an honor, and just another sign of the strength of Murphy's candidacy. The broadcast will air Saturday morning directly after the Presidential address which begins at 11 A.M. EST. All major radio networks carry the broadcast including ABC, AP, AURN, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, NPR, American Forces Radio, Voice of America, BBC, CBC, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Murphy's address will focus on the issue of Medicare, the Achilles heel of Nancy Johnson who wrote the Medicare prescription drug plan that forbids the government from negotiating with drug companies to obtain lower prescription drug prices for seniors. Perhaps that's why Johnson's campaign warchest is so heavily funded by the drug companies.

Must See TV

2006-09-12T22:41:00.000-04:00

Are you in need of a good laugh? Well, you're in luck because Nancy Johnson's campaign just released what might be the worst political ad ever. Johnson attempts to attack Murphy over his opposition to illegal wiretapping through the usual attack ad lies and distortions. Yet the message is completely lost in the sheer stupidity of the ad. See for yourself:

Question #1:

Why is the "average people" image of a bunch of people in rain coats and umbrellas? Does this terrorist attack involve some sort of monsoon? Acid rain? Seriously is that the only picture they could find?

Question #2:

I thought the bad black and white pictures were supposed to be of your opponent? Doesn't a candidate's own ad usually feature them smiling in colored pictures? Why did Johnson's campaign choose to use this picture of her? It's not very flattering. I guess beauty is the price you pay for being "tough" on terrorism.

Question #3:

Are we talking about terrorism or cutting student aid? Nancy probably thought she could slip this one past me...not so fast. Look closely at the image shown when the announcer says, "Nancy Johnson says act immediately." They display a blurry image that's supposed to convey Johnson's action on terrorism, but upon closer review it seems this image has nothing to do with terrorism at all. In fact, it's a chart about financial aid for college students. An odd choice for Johnson to display given her vote this year to support the largest cut in history for federal student aid programs. If you look close enough you can see the chart labeled with "Federal Pell Grant", "Tuition Assistance Program", "Outside Grant or Scholarship", "Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan", "Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan", and so on. Perhaps the dots in their columns represent all the times Nancy Johnson has voted to cut these programs.

Question #4:

This is probably the most mind boggling one of them all. Maybe it's some landmark that I just don't recognize, but where the hell is Nancy Johnson standing in her photo-op with the veterans at the end of the ad? Are these people at Area 51 or something? And what are they looking up at and saluting? The flag is clearly located in the lower left corner of the screen behind them. They are all looking in different directions too. Hmm...you think this was a TV photo-op rather than an actual event? But I gotta give Nancy major props for taking the time to put on her red jacket so that she could match the veterans. It's a real nice touch.

Seriously, is this the worst ad you've ever seen? I could not stop laughing when I first saw it. Is Johnson's media person some high school kid? First there was the recreated 9/11 memorial service ad, then the ridiculous game show tax ad, and now the most bizarre ad of them all. Such incompetent commercials make me feel that much better about Chris Murphy's chances in November.

If you're able to avoid being distracted by the commercial's comical images long enough to remember what its message is, you'll find that it's completely bogus too. As usual Johnson has completely lied about Chris Murphy's record. To see how Murphy actually stands on the issue click here.

Weekday Roundup

2006-09-11T16:48:00.000-04:00

This and that from the Murphy campaign:

More national pundits are taking notice of the increasingly competitive fifth district race. The National Journal's updated House rankings put the Murphy-Johnson race as the 20th most competitive in the country. That's up nine spots from their last rankings. This comes in addition to last week's Washington Post ranking which put the race at 15th in the country. Virtually every credible prognosticator now recognizes the incredible vulnerability of Nancy Johnson this November.

In another instance of what's at stake in this race, President Bush announced that he hopes to revisit the issue of privatizing social security following the November elections. Nancy Johnson is a strong proponent of privatizing social security. Chris Murphy issued the following statement in response to Bush's announcement and Johnson's support of privatization:

President Bush knows his friends in Congress, including Nancy Johnson, are in trouble, so he says he is waiting until after the November election to take another crack at dismantling Social Security by privatizing the program. Nancy Johnson must be relieved to learn that she won't have to carry the President's water on privatizing Social Security before the election, as she has on so many other issues recently. Nancy Johnson has made it clear she supports President Bush's goal to privatize Social Security. The President's remarks make it clear a vote for Nancy Johnson is a vote to privatize Social Security in January. The push for "private accounts" is the first stage in the wholesale privatization of Social Security, and Nancy Johnson has fallen in lock step with President Bush and the rest of the Republican Congress on this issue, as she has on so many others. When I get to Congress, I will fight the President's plans to privatize Social Security. We cannot gamble with our seniors' futures.

Murphy also recently unveiled his education plan. Murphy views investing in education as one of the most important jobs of the federal government. Nancy Johnson's record indicates she does not share that belief. During her current term in office, Johnson has voted to cut $2.2 billion from the Department of Education, $57 million from Head Start, and $806 million from No Child Left Behind. Even worse, Nancy Johnson cast the deciding vote for the largest cut to student aid in history, slashing $12.7 billion in funding for students. Apparently, Nancy doesn't think getting an affordable education is all that important. To read Chris Murphy's plan to reform education click here.

And finally, check out the next two installments of Murphy's "41 Towns in 41 Days" tour. The first comes from Murphy's hometown of Cheshire and the second is from Sherman.

Chris Murphy Interview

2006-09-08T12:11:00.000-04:00

Major props to ctblogger who recently sat down for an interview with Chris Murphy. Go over to Hat City Blog to read his full story and watch the interview below.

Catching Up With Chris Murphy

2006-09-07T17:20:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy has been so busy door knocking throughout the entire fifth district, that I've had trouble keeping up with him in my blog posts. His latest stops on the trail were Danbury, Burlington, Harwinton, Roxbury, and Warren. Watch the four new videos below.

Danbury:

Burlington and Harwinton:

Roxbury:

Warren:

Johnson Too Chicken to Debate?

2006-09-06T00:04:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson continues to feel the heat from Chris Murphy. So much so that she appears to be unwilling to debate Murphy. In a campaign press release, Murphy challenged Johnson to nine issue debates. Murphy originally challenged Johnson to three debates on Iraq, energy policy, and health care. Johnson's campaign co-chair responded to Murphy's proposal by suggesting that the two candidates also debate jobs, the economy, taxes, immigration, education, and the environment, for a total of nine debates. Murphy enthusiastically agreed to the nine debates and sent Johnson a letter with many dates on which he would make himself available to debate. The Murphy campaign has received no response from Nancy Johnson.

So why is Nancy Johnson so reluctant to debate? Maybe it's because she knows she cannot defend her right-wing voting record. Can you imagine Johnson attempting to explain her Medicare Part D creation and how it forbids the federal government from negotiating lower prescription drug costs? Or defending the deciding votes she cast for the 2006 Bush budget and energy plan which cut student aid for the first time in decades and gave away massive tax breaks to oil companies? Nancy Johnson knows she has to hide her record. Why else would she be so reluctant to debate? Her Republican colleague, Chris Shays, has agreed to participate in eleven debates with Diane Farrell. Johnson knows that any debate will allow Chris Murphy to pick apart her indefensible voting record. Nancy Johnson's unwillingness to debate shows once again how out of touch she is with the people of Connecticut.

Chris Murphy summed it up best saying:

The Johnson campaign has been curiously quiet in the past month, not even responding to my request to schedule a series of issue-specific debates. When I am traveling the District, I hear time and again that people do not think that Washington is doing anything to solve the problems they are facing. With only nine weeks until the election, I want to give people in the Fifth District the opportunity to hear from me and from Nancy Johnson where we stand on the issues facing middle class families here in Connecticut. During her month off from work in Washington, I would have thought that Nancy Johnson would have been hearing the same cry for debate that I have been hearing as I go door-to-door and go to community events. With only nine weeks until the election, I will continue to tell voters where I stand on issues important to them. Nancy Johnson appears unwilling to do so.

Labor Day Greetings

2006-09-04T01:54:00.000-04:00

Well I hope that you're all enjoying the holiday weekend. There's no days off, however, when you're a congressional candidate in one of the fifteen most competitive races in the entire country. Chris Murphy has been busy making his way around the district as part of his "41 Towns in 41 Days" door knocking tour. Check out the three latest installments below and hear what voters in each town had to say.

In Plainville:

On to Wolcott:

And finally, Torrington:

Lamont Raises Money For Murphy

2006-09-01T18:35:00.000-04:00

Democratic Senate candidate Ned Lamont sent out the following email to his supporters today asking them to contribute to Chris Murphy's campaign. It's great to see all of the Democrats working together to ensure that we win across the board in November. Contribute whatever you can to Chris Murphy by clicking on one of the links below or through ActBlue here.

On August 8, Connecticut Democrats voted for change in Washington.

The Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Senate carries with it a special responsibility. We are electing a coalition for change, and our organization will work in concert with Connecticut candidates promoting a message of progress at home, and abroad.

In Connecticut ’s 5th Congressional District, Democrat Chris Murphy is running against rubber-stamp Republican Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, who has been part of the problem in Washington for 24 years.

We’ve built a sizable online community over the past six months, and today we are asking you to support our campaign, and our Party, by helping Chris Murphy. Can you make a $20, $50, or $100 contribution to his campaign today?

http://www.nedlamont.com/helpchrismurphy

Republican Nancy Johnson and Lieberman Party candidate Joe Lieberman have a lot in common these days.

They share a “stay the course” message on the war in Iraq . Their support for the Bush/Cheney Energy Policy and campaign contributions from those who profit from high gas prices have Americans paying the price at the pump. And they are both funding massive GOTV operations aimed at driving Republicans to the polls.

But our Democratic coalition for change will prevail because of the strength of our grassroots and netroots support. Can you help send Chris to Congress with Ned Lamont by making a contribution today?

http://www.nedlamont.com/helpchrismurphy

Fifteen seats. That’s all we need to get a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives eager to ask President Bush the tough questions on foreign and domestic policy—one that will serve as a check on the last two years of the Bush-Cheney Administration.

Chris Murphy’s campaign is poised to be one of those fifteen seats that the Democratic Party can pick up this year. He is a rising star, and it will be an honor to work hand in hand with him next year, bringing much needed change to Washington , D.C.

I’m sure Chris never thought he’d have to run against Joe Lieberman’s GOP-GOTV operation. But just like we’ll defeat Senator Lieberman again in November, with your support, we’ll help elect Chris Murphy as well. Can we count on you to help him out with your contribution today?

http://www.nedlamont.com/helpchrismurphy

Rock the boat,

Ned

Washington Post Rankings

2006-09-01T11:54:00.000-04:00

Wow. The Washington Post updated their House rankings of the 20 most competitive races. The fifth district race had not been previously ranked in the top 20, however, this week the race soared to 15th on the list. What had been a safe seat for many years is now considered the 15th most competitive House race in the country. It's truly amazing. Here's what Chris Cillizza had to say in his analysis:

Volatility is the rule in these finals two months as campaigns often yo-yo from neck and neck to non-competitive in the blink of an eye. That volatility led to the addition of several races to this month's Line -- most notably Indiana's 2nd district, which has emerged as one of Democrats' best chances for a pickup, and Connecticut's 5th district, where both public and private polling show Rep. Nancy Johnson in for her toughest race in more than a decade.

15. Connecticut's 5th District: Given her demonstrated fundraising ability ($2.6 million on hand at the end of June) and her longevity in Congress (24 years), Nancy Johnson (R) isn't an obvious target. But, Republican insiders say that MoveOn.org's "red handed" commercials that ran earlier this cycle did damage to Johnson's image. Plus, state Sen. Chris Murphy (D) is running an extremely active campaign with $1 million in the bank. The district is extremely competitive (Kerry won it by 1,100 votes in 2004) and if voters are looking for a fresh face Johnson could be in trouble. (Previous ranking: N/A)

Refreshing Nancy Johnson's Memory

2006-08-31T20:45:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson seems to be having a memory problem. She can't seem to recall her good buddy George W. Bush. With Bush's horrendous approval ratings in Connecticut, Johnson has been running as far away from him as possible. She makes no mention of the President or even the Republican Party in any of her advertisements or other campaign materials. An article in the San Francisco Chronicle described just how far Johnson and her Republican friends are running away from Bush:

President Bush has become the invisible man of the Republican Party's effort to keep control of the House and Senate in November's midterm elections.

The Web sites of the party's candidates in the most competitive races across the country either give only a passing nod to the president or don't even mention Bush, whose popularity has been weighed down by the war in Iraq, high gas prices, economic anxieties and lingering memories of last August's Hurricane Katrina.

With about nine weeks to go before the Nov. 7 election, the Bush online invisibility mirrors a strategic divide between Republicans who want to keep the congressional elections as local as possible and Democrats who want to turn the midterm vote into a national referendum on the president and his policies.

Democrats need 15 seats to take back the House that they lost to the Republicans in 1994 and six seats to control the Senate. Polls show they at least have a shot, especially in the House.

Examples of Bush's disappearance abound on visits to the Web sites of GOP candidates.

Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., one of three Connecticut GOP House members targeted by the Democrats, just can't bring herself to use Bush's name. Instead, four times in her issues section on national security she mentions how she supported "the president'' on votes involving Iraq and funding for the war on terrorism.

Her colleague, Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., on his campaign site's home page, runs a photo of himself with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who leads polls for the party's 2008 presidential nomination. No mention of Bush anywhere, and Simmons boasts to home state voters that he is "one of the most independent Republicans in the entire U.S. House.''

The state's third GOP House Member, Rep. Chris Shays, said last week after his 14th visit to Iraq that he had switched positions and now favors a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces.

Larry Sabato, who predicts Democratic gains come November and won't rule out Democratic majorities in either or both houses, said the localization strategy won't work. "It's nearly impossible in mid-term elections to run from the leader in the White House. Mid-term elections are seen as an opportunity to send a message on the White House,'' he said.

Perhaps the picture above from a press conference celebrating Johnson's doughnut hole Medicare legislation will remind Nancy of her good friend George. If not, maybe this video detailing Bush's legislation that Johnson has rubber stamped will.

Nancy, you can run but you can't hide from your good friend George W. Bush.

Brookfield and New Milford

2006-08-29T20:30:00.000-04:00

The next two stops on Chris Murphy's "41 Towns in 41 Days" tour were Brookfield and New Milford. Watch Chris recount his day through the two towns below.

Stu Rothenberg: Dems To Gain 15-20 House Seats

2006-08-28T16:13:00.000-04:00

As we move closer to November, the House projections just keep getting better for Democrats. In his updated House outlook, Stu Rothenberg increased the number of seats he predicts Democrats will gain from 8-12 to 15-20. Rothenberg states that the political atmosphere is perfect for candidates like Chris Murphy as, "voters are more critical of Republican incumbents – and supportive of even unknown Democratic candidates – than they usually are at this point in the election cycle." He concludes that there is no stopping the Democratic wave and that the only question now is its size.

Contribute to Chris Murphy now to ensure that Nancy Johnson is swept off to sea!

Read Rothenberg's complete analysis below (bold mine):

Our latest race-by-race review of Congressional districts around the country convinces us that a Democratic wave is building and that the party is poised to take control of the House of Representatives in the fall. The only question now is the size of the November wave.

The national mood remains bleak for Republicans. President George W. Bush’s job performance ratings are terrible, and the public still gives Congress low marks. A majority of Americans continue to tell pollsters that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

That’s a recipe for a GOP disaster, and there is no reason to believe that things will change dramatically between now and Election Day to improve Republican prospects.

At the district level, voters are more critical of Republican incumbents – and supportive of even unknown Democratic candidates – than they usually are at this point in the election cycle. GOP candidates are running behind where they would be in anything approaching a “neutral” year. While some firming of the Republican base is likely over the next ten weeks, that alone may not be enough for the party to retain the House.

Strong fund raising by the DCCC should mean that some Democratic candidates won’t face the huge financial discrepancy that they have in the past, though RNC money should boost the Republican ground game nationally.

To hold the House, Republicans must retain at least a handful of districts that now appear likely to go Democratic, probably by discrediting Democratic challengers and open seat hopefuls. Unlike previous cycles, when the burden was on Democrats to create upsets, the onus is now on the GOP to save at least a handful of seats before Election Day.

Therefore, we are raising our estimate of likely Democratic gains from 8-12 seats to 15-20 seats, which would translate to between 218 and 223 seats – and a majority – in the next House.

Knock Knock

2006-08-27T03:57:00.000-04:00

Here's the next installment of Chris Murphy's 41 Towns in 41 Days Tour. The video combines two days of door knocking, the first in Morris and second in Litchfield. Keep an eye out for Chris Murphy in your neighborhood...and don't be surprised if you find him on your doorstep. Grassroots power baby!

Granny's Got A Knife!

2006-08-25T03:33:00.000-04:00

The Journal Inquirer wrote a blistering editorial on Nancy Johnson. They really nailed it. Enjoy!

Nancy Johnson's ads: first grandmother, then knife fighter

After 12 terms in Congress, 24 years, U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson's act may be wearing thin. It is being revved up again in television commercials. It goes like this.

First Johnson, who represents Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, the northwest part of the state, raises millions of dollars for her re-election campaign from special interests, particularly from the medical and pharmaceutical industries, over which she has great influence as a high-ranking member of the Republican majority on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Then Johnson's campaign produces and broadcasts a series of commercials portraying her as a caring grandmother looking after everyone. Oh, look -- There's Nancy getting free prescriptions for all the old folks. And there's Nancy attending the memorial service of someone who was killed in the terrorist attack on New York, earning the gratitude of the victim's family and proving that she REALLY CARES.

And then the caring grandmother unleashes the attack ads against her Democratic opponent, ads in which the caring grandmother can be found only for the briefest instant, when she delivers the legally required disclaimer in her own voice that she approves this message. No caring grandmother would want to stick around long enough to be associated with the demagogic abuse that is to follow.

This year Johnson's opponent is state Sen. Christopher S. Murphy of Southington, and Johnson's campaign is broadcasting a cartoonish TV commercial proclaiming that Murphy has voted to raise taxes 27 times and on just about everything -- your house, your car, your gas, even your pet. Twenty-seven times! Twenty-seven times! Twenty-seven times!

(Get it yet? That was 27 times!)

Well, OF COURSE Murphy has voted to raise taxes. He's running against Johnson, isn't he? He must have voted to raise taxes. Actually, 27 times, if that number is close to true, may not be so high for someone who already has had four years in Connecticut's General Assembly. And as Murphy replies in a TV ad of his own, he has voted to cut some taxes as well. So just how does it all add up?

But Johnson's attack ad isn't your grandmother's attempt to sit down, go over the details carefully, reason things out, and do right by everyone. It's your grandmother smashing the skillet down on your head because you may have just THOUGHT of reaching into her cookie jar.

That is, it's a smear. For as Lenin is supposed to have observed, if you label something well enough, you don't have to argue with it.

If Murphy's campaign had the money and the wit, it might have replied differently to Johnson's attack ad - replied with an attack ad of its own a bit closer to the truth:

"In her three decades in Congress, Nancy Johnson has voted to bankrupt the country by running up the national debt 1,027 times! Yes, 1,027 times!"

After all, where does anybody think that money for free prescriptions for the old folks is coming from? It's all being borrowed from their grandchildren, just like the money for the war in Iraq.

Or maybe this one: "Going to funerals of terrorism victims is nice, but how does Mrs. Caring Grandmother serve in Congress all this time without ever having had anything to say, much less a critical question, about the war in Iraq? The funerals won't let up until someone asks questions."

Contrary to the suggestion of those of Johnson's campaign commercials in which she shows herself, distinct from the commercials in which she slashes at her opponent almost anonymously from a safe distance, government is NOT all warm and fuzzy. Its choices can be as cutthroat as Johnson's own attack ads. But it has been a long time since Johnson has been compelled to confront and acknowledge those choices when doing so might mean something -- in an election.

Murphy Takes Message to the Streets

2006-08-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, Chris Murphy kicked off his ambitious "41 Towns in 41 Days" door knocking tour of the fifth district. His campaign has begun posting video on their website from the visits to each town. It's pretty cool to see a candidate like Chris Murphy actively engaging the internet and blog community. Murphy is welcoming the internet community with open arms and providing an inside look of his campaign. It's nice to have a candidate actually seeking out his constituents rather than hiding from them like Nancy Johnson. Check out the first two videos below.

Door knocking kickoff in Waterbury:

In Woodbury:

Murphy Closing In On Johnson In Latest Poll

2006-08-23T16:31:00.000-04:00

A new poll of the fifth district has been released by Democracy Corps. The numbers look good for Chris Murphy. Johnson only leads by a mere five points (49-44). As a 24 year incumbent with a $4 million warchest, these numbers are pitiful for Nancy Johnson. Her message is clearly not resonating with Connecticut voters, despite the fact that she has been bombarding the district with TV ads every day and night. In fact, the poll indicates that her commercials may actually be having a negative effect. This race is extremely winnable! Let's do whatever we can to make sure Chris Murphy keeps the momentum and sends Nancy packing in November. Go to his website and volunteer or contribute to his campaign via ActBlue. Below are excerpts from the poll...click here to see all of the results.

How would you rate the job being done by Nancy Johnson as U.S. Congresswoman -- excellent, good, just fair, or poor?

Excellent...11
Good...32
Just fair...32
Poor...18

Excellent/Good ...43
Fair/Poor...50

If the election for U.S. House of Representatives were today and the candidates were Democrat Chris Murphy and Republican Nancy Johnson -- for whom would you vote, Democrat Chris Murphy or Republican Nancy Johnson?

Democrat Chris Murphy ...40
Lean Democrat Chris Murphy ... 4
Republican Nancy Johnson...45
Lean Republican Nancy Johnson...4
(Undecided)...7

Total Democrat Chris Murphy...44
Total Republican Nancy Johnson...49

Based on what you have seen on TV lately, are you feeling more favorable or less favorable toward Nancy Johnson?

Much more favorable...11
Somewhat more favorable ...21
Somewhat less favorable ...20
Much less favorable ...17
(No difference)...6
(Have not seen anything)...17
(Don't know/refused) ...7

Total More favorable ...32
Total Less favorable...37

Based on what you have seen on TV lately, are you feeling more favorable or less favorable toward Chris Murphy?

Much more favorable...10
Somewhat more favorable ...18
Somewhat less favorable ...13
Much less favorable ...10
(No difference)...6
(Mixed)...1
(Have not seen anything)...28
(Don't know/refused)...16

Total More favorable...27
Total Less favorable...23

Chamber of Commerce Exposed

2006-08-21T22:13:00.000-04:00

So have you seen the Chamber of Commerce's puff piece ad for Nancy Johnson? You know, the one that looks like it was made in 1980 on a $20 budget...yeah that's the one. Not only is it poorly made, but the ad campaign has been exposed across the country to contain blatant lies and misrepresentations. The Chamber of Commerce has spent $10 million to run ads across the country for predominantly Republican candidates who supported the incompetent Medicare Part D prescription drug bill which prohibits the federal government from negotiating lower drug prices for seniors. As the drug industry's favorite congresswoman and creator of the prescription drug bill, Nancy Johnson is one of the legislators featured in the ads. The ads were so dishonest that four of the twenty made had to be taken off of the air because they contained outright lies. The inaccuracies included claims that several legislators voted for the bill despite the fact that they were not members of Congress when it was passed. As a result of these ads, the Chamber of Commerce has lost any credibility that it had. They have revealed themselves to be nothing more than a partisan organization looking to elect Republicans who are at the drug companies command. It should come as no surprise that Nancy Johnson is at the top of the list of legislators the drug companies are looking out for. Johnson's record indicates that she is more concerned about securing profits for drug companies than looking out for Connecticut seniors. The Murphy campaign issued a press release denouncing the Chamber's ads which included the following excerpts:

Murphy on the Chamber:

The Chamber's effort has lost credibility across the country. Let's be clear about the membership of the Chamber - this ad campaign is nothing more than the drug companies helping out their favorite legislator, Nancy Johnson.

Murphy on Johnson's role:

People in the Fifth District sent Nancy Johnson to Washington to represent them, not the special interests the Medicare Part D law was written for. The goal of Part D is important - providing prescription drug coverage for our seniors and other Medicare recipients. But Johnson and the Republican Congress missed an opportunity to do what is right for seniors, and instead, wrote the law to benefit drug companies. They accomplished this by keeping prices high by prohibiting price negotiation and creating a profit-making machine for private companies that administer the 44 different plans

On the drug industry's love for Johnson:

Johnson ranks first in the House of Representatives for career campaign contributions from the health industry, raking in more than $3.4 million. So far in the 2006 election cycle, she has received almost $800,000 from the health industry.

On Johnson's Doughnut Hole Creation:

The ad uses the costly and confusing Medicare Part D law as cause to celebrate incumbent Nancy Johnson; meanwhile, seniors across Connecticut are hitting the "doughnut hole" and being forced to pay out-of-pocket for costly prescription drug expenses. The "doughnut hole" is the gap in drug coverage seniors experience after they and their insurance company have spent $2,250 on medications. The coverage does not resume until they have spent a total of $5100. Many seniors are hitting this gap much sooner than they anticipated.

Vote for Chris Murphy...Twice!

2006-08-18T12:38:00.000-04:00

You can show your support for Chris Murphy today, by voting for him in two online polls. Murphy is featured in both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Candidate for Change" contest, and Senator Russ Feingold's "Progressive Patriots Fund." The winner of the 12 candidates in Feingold's contest will receive a $5,000 campaign contribution. The DCCC's contest will award the top three vote recepients, though it does not say what the award is (I can only assume that it will be greater than $5,000 as the national party has many more resources at its disposal). Click on the links to both polls above and go vote now for Chris Murphy!

Grassroots Power

2006-08-17T19:09:00.000-04:00

In yet another example of the unique campaign he is running, today Chris Murphy announced his plan to knock on doors in all of the fifth district's 41 towns in the next 41 days. Murphy is using the power of a grassroots campaign to get out and speak with all the voters of the district. He is, after all, no stranger to grassroots campaigning. When first elected to the state legislature in 1998, Murphy defeated a fourteen year incumbent by knocking on every door in the district and outworking his opponent. His energetic style of campaigning clearly resonates with voters. Murphy's active campaigning throughout the district also stands in clear contrast to Nancy Johnson who seems to be AWOL and completely out of touch with Connecticut. Murphy had this to say in a press release issued by his campaign:

While Nancy Johnson hides from her constituents this summer, I will be knocking on doors in every town in the Fifth over the course of the next 41 days to listen to people and talk to them about how we can change Washington. When I won elections against veteran incumbents in the state legislature, I knocked on every door in the district I was competing to represent. When I began this Congressional campaign, people told me I couldn’t knock on every door in the Fifth District. Maybe they’re right, but I’ll collapse trying.

It is so refreshing to see a candidate actually going out and listening to the concerns of voters throughout the district. Nancy Johnson has been down in Washington so long that she wouldn't be able to find her way around the fifth district if you gave her a roadmap. Chris Murphy, on the other hand, is harnessing the power of grassroots campaigning and actively seeking out voters throughout the entire district.

National Eyes on the Fifth District

2006-08-16T17:58:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy's bid to unseat Nancy Johnson received even more publicity today, from both the Washington Post and National Journal. The Post's political blog, The Fix, noted the growing Democratic wave sweeping the country and cited the research of Charlie Cook and Stu Rothenberg. The fifth district race between Murphy and Johnson was singled out as pivotal:

For those looking for signs that we may be in for a cataclysmic election, watch developments in districts like Connecticut's 5th, Indiana's 2nd, Ohio's 1st, Pennsylvania's 8th, and even Illinois' 10th. If those races start to narrow considerably or the Republican incumbents looks to be scrambling, get out your foul weather gear -- a wave is coming.

Based on Nancy's desperate attack ads already on air, I think it's fair to say she's scrambling...you might want to grab an umbrella.

The National Journal also took notice of Murphy's campaign, by bumping the race up five spots in its latest House rankings. Connecticut's Fifth is now featured in the Journal's top 30 House races, moving up to 29 from a previous ranking of 34.

It seems that each day there's more good news for Murphy's campaign to report. Virtually every national pundit now recognizes Nancy Johnson as extremely vulnerable and views a Murphy win as critical to a Democratic majority. It seems more likely everyday that after 24 long years, Connecticut will finally rid itself of Nancy Johnson.

Washington Post: For GOP, Bad Gets Worse In Northeast

2006-08-14T14:07:00.000-04:00

Today the Washington Post profiled just how bad things are getting for Republicans in the Northeast. Noting the increasingly Democratic trends of the region, the Post cited several GOP incumbents who are in serious jeopardy of losing in November. Nancy Johnson is one such incumbent deemed at high risk. Northeast races will be critical to Democratic hopes of picking up the fifteen necessary seats to reclaim the House majority. Read the whole story here or check out some excerpts below:

On the GOP's Northeast troubles:

The Iraq war and Bush's low approval ratings have created trouble for Republicans in all regions. But nowhere is the GOP brand more scuffed than in the Northeast, where this year's circumstances are combining with long-term trends to endanger numerous incumbents.

A Washington-Post ABC News poll this month found Bush's approval rating at 28 percent in the Northeast -- 12 points below his national average. The Republican Congress fared no better.

In Connecticut, Republican Reps. Nancy L. Johnson and Christopher Shays -- like Simmons -- are in highly competitive contests.

On permanently turning these seats Democratic:

Republican losses in the region could echo well beyond the 2006 campaign. Because much of the region is tilting Democratic, history suggests Republicans would find it hard to recapture seats once lost.

One reason Republicans understand the risk is that they were beneficiaries of a strikingly similar regional upheaval a decade ago.

Before the 1994 elections, when Republicans won control of the House for the first time in 40 years, Democrats held dozens of Southern districts in which the electorate had been gradually growing more conservative. That year, Republicans picked up 20 of those Southern seats, including several held by Democratic incumbents who -- like Northeast Republicans today -- tried to distance themselves from an unpopular White House and Congress controlled by their party.

2006-08-12T16:27:00.000-04:00

New Murphy Ad

Chris Murphy has released his second TV ad of the campaign. Once again taking the high road, Murphy chose to do a positive ad rather than resorting to the nasty attacks and tasteless exploitations seen in Nancy Johnson's commercials. The difference between the two campaigns could not be any clearer. On the one hand we have Nancy Johnson using the typical attack ads full of distortions and outright lies. Not to mention the absolutely disgusting politicizing of 9/11 in her latest ad. On the other hand we have a new, inspiring candidate in Chris Murphy, who is choosing to run his campaign differently by talking about bringing real change to Washington and the political process as a whole. Murphy is hoping to raise all of our expectations of politics and refusing to abide by the status quo. It's quite refreshing to see someone we can actually believe in, rather than the same old Washington politician we already have in Nancy Johnson.

Update: See Entire Ad Now

2006-08-11T09:07:00.000-04:00

Apparently Nancy's new 9/11 ad is so sick that even YouTube didn't want to play it. The original file was corrupted towards the end of the commercial but I have fixed the problem and you can now watch the entire ad in all its sickening glory. Nancy is apparently quite proud of this ad as it is now featured on the front page of her website. Disgusting.

2006-08-11T09:05:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson's Tasteless New Ad

Well I didn't think it was possible, but Nancy Johnson has reached a new low. In her new TV ad, Johnson attempts to use the tragic events of September 11th for her own political advantage. The commercial features a woman who lost her son on 9/11 explaining how Nancy Johnson was there for her and "really cares." The most despicable part of the ad, however, comes when Johnson recreates the memorial service in order to show herself comforting the grieving woman. How morbid is that?

Make no mistake, my heart goes out to anyone who lost loved ones on 9/11. But Nancy Johnson taking advantage of someone else's loss for political purposes is the worst form of exploitation and pandering. How does Nancy Johnson's conscience allow her to ask a grieving mother to recreate her son's memorial service so that it may be used for a television commercial? Have twenty-four years in Washington made Nancy Johnson so out of touch that nothing is sacred to her? This ad is truly one of the most disgusting instances of political exploitation I can ever recall. Call Nancy Johnson at (860) 225-2107 and demand that she take this ad down immediately!

Obama Campaigns for Chris Murphy

2006-08-09T15:10:00.000-04:00

Senator Barack Obama, perhaps the most popular Democrat in the country after Bill Clinton, is now actively campaigning for Chris Murphy. In an email to Democratic supporters, Murphy was one of four candidates from across the country that Obama singled out as someone who "will help us get this country back on the right track." To be on the short list of a political rock star like Barack Obama is quite an accomplishment by Murphy. It serves as just another indication of the strong campaign that Chris Murphy is running. Citing Nancy Johnson's "massive war chest funded by drug companies" Senator Obama urged all Democrats to contribute to Chris Murphy's campaign. You can join Barack Obama in supporting Chris Murphy by contributing to his campaign via ActBlue.

Here are excerpts from Obama's letter:

As we race towards Election Day, America stands at a crossroads.

In a century just six years old, our nation has been shaken by war and terror, by disaster and disillusionment, and by the corruption and failure of our government -- the result of George W. Bush's policies and the Republican Congress that has enabled him to push through his divisive agenda.

Americans everywhere are desperate for new leadership and a new direction. This is our moment to lead. This is our moment to put forth an agenda that benefits all Americans.

Today, I want to tell you about four individuals I believe will help us get this country back on the right track. In November we not only have an opportunity to claim a Democratic majority in the House, we have an opportunity to do it on the strength of a new generation of progressive leaders.

Chris Murphy - Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. After Republican Nancy Johnson, author of the misleading Republican Medicare bill, won her 12th term in 2004, many assumed she would have this seat for life. With a massive war chest funded by drug companies, it would take a Democratic candidate of exceptional energy and character to make this seat competitive. We have that candidate in Chris Murphy, who now has a chance to defeat the Republican most responsible for selling out our seniors' health care to the drug companies.

Chris Murphy hit the ground running, taking Nancy Johnson head-on with health care as his signature issue and advocating expansion of coverage, allowing Medicare to bargain for lower prices, and funding innovative approaches in states that can serve as a model for America. Chris has put together one of the most inspiring, energetic and effective campaigns in the country - raising money, earning loyal volunteers dedicated to putting him in Congress, and seizing the momentum. Now Nancy Johnson is one of the most endangered Republican incumbents. With Chris's determination, I know we count on him to win and take on the biggest problems facing America today.

This next generation of Democrats will be the generation that leads - and wins - the fight for affordable, accessible health care for all Americans; for an energy independent America; for open, honest government; and for a smart, tough foreign policy that restores American moral leadership in the world.

Please support this new generation of House leaders with a contribution today. It is critical that we end this disastrous one-party Republican rule and send America in a new direction.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

Contribute to Chris Murphy here!

Charlie Cook: "GOP Hill Gets Steeper"

2006-08-07T14:16:00.001-04:00

Charlie Cook, one of the most respected Washington political analysts, has updated his projections for the 2006 elections. Cook's analysis contains no good news for Republicans. For Democrats, however, the news could not be any better. Cook foresees a huge Democratic wave sweeping across the entire country, saying:

In terms of the political climate, the facts are clear. All of the traditional diagnostic indicators in major national polls taken in the past 10 days show numbers consistent with an electoral rout.

Opinions of Congress continue to be incredibly low:

On Congress' approval rating, the Cook/RT and CBS/NYT polls found just 28 percent approved of the job Congress was doing. It was 25 percent in the NBC/WSJ survey. Those numbers are a shade better than at this point in 1994, but still in the same horrific category.

On the generic congressional ballot, Democrats were ahead by 13 points among registered voters, 49 percent to 36 percent in the Cook/RT poll, and by 10 points in the other two. In 1994 NBC/WSJ polling, Republicans were still 5-6 points behind in both second- and early third-quarter polling, but surged to a 5-point lead in the final pre-election poll.

Democratic voters are much more eager to vote as well:

When asked to rate how interested they are in the upcoming election on a scale of one to 10, with 10 representing "extremely interested," 44 percent of registered voters chose the top number in the Cook/RT poll. Turnout will probably be a little more than one-third, but less than this 44 percent. Among those with the highest level of interest, Democrats had a 19-point lead on the generic congressional ballot, 52 percent to 33 percent.

Finally, Cook's take on the Democrats' chances of taking the fifteen seats needed to regain the House majority:

In the House, where Democrats need a 15-seat gain to win a majority, Republicans have 15 seats that the Cook Political Report currently rates as toss-ups. No Democratic seats remain in that column. Another 21 GOP seats are rated as leaning Republican.

In a very large tidal-wave election, as this one appears to be, it would not be unusual to see all toss-ups go to one party, along with a few out of the leaning column as well. Republicans might lose their House majority just in the seats in which they are behind or in which their edge is within a poll's margin of error.

Cook's analysis points to a tremendous Democratic wave in November. The desire for change is spreading across the entire country. People are sick and tired of the Republican status quo. If all goes well, Nancy Johnson will be one of the many Republicans shipped out of Washington by a new Democratic wave.

2006-08-05T17:04:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson Strikes Out

With all the attention this weekend focused on the Democratic primary, there's not much to report with regards to the other races. We do finally have some great weather, however. It's a perfect day for a baseball game...and in honor of that you can watch the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's ad about Nancy Johnson talking a good game but striking out for Connecticut citizens. Enjoy the weather and have a good weekend!

Last Day To Vote!

2006-08-04T14:17:00.000-04:00

Today is the last day to vote to bring John Edwards to the Fifth District! Go vote for Chris Murphy in Edwards' online poll. Not only will it give you the chance to see John in person, but it will provide the Murphy campaign with a huge fundraising opportunity. Vote here now and forward the link to all of your friends too!

So How Do Republicans Really Feel About Connecticut?

2006-08-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

Ever feel like the GOP is completely out of touch with Connecticut? If not, here's all the evidence you need to change your mind. Daniel Kish, a senior aide to House Resources Chair Richard Pombo (R-CA), let his true feelings about our state be known in an email he sent to his Republican colleagues. The email appeared in Roll Call and came in response to a question from a colleague on how Pombo's staff should respond to an editorial that appeared in the Hartford Courant which opposed drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Pombo favors opening ANWR for drilling. Kish responded by attacking the entire state of Connecticut saying:

"Connecticut should have its statehood taken away from it. The foolishness of its pampered residents should be demonstrated to others by a government program to bulldoze the entire state, salt the land and construct a windfarm to supply NYC with electricity. And its residents should be relocated to Guantanamo Bay where they can take a number behind the 3 who hung themselves this weekend, since they seem so intent on suicide."

Pretty classy guy, huh?

While in no way will I say that Kish's comments are demonstrative of Nancy Johnson's view of our state, I do think it is reflective of how the GOP as a whole views the Northeast. The base of their party promotes a radical right-wing agenda that originates primarily from the South. They are not only out of touch with Connecticut and the Northeast, but view the region with complete disdain, as evidenced by Kish's vile rant. These are the people Nancy Johnson aligns herself with in Washington.

NRCC Chair Calls Johnson Vulnerable

2006-08-01T11:42:00.000-04:00

So how do you know when you are in serious trouble of losing your seat in Congress? When the National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman, whose job it is to spin things in your favor, states publicly that you are one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the entire country. That's exactly what happened this week, as the NRCC chairman, Tom Reynolds, provided a list of the fourteen most endangered Republicans in an article appearing in Roll Call. At the top of the list was none other than Nancy Johnson. Reynolds went on to say that Johnson faced a "tough environment" and that "it certainly isn't going to be pretty." Not exactly a strong endorsement of Nancy Johnson.

While Nancy Johnson has tried to convince all her friends that she's in no danger of losing her seat, it's clear that nobody is buying it. How bad must things be for your campaign if your party's national spokesman publicly acknowledges that you have a high chance of losing? Despite her public denials, it's very clear from the campaign that she's running that Nancy Johnson is quite scared of the challenge Chris Murphy poses. That's why she's already attacking him on TV in an attempted smear campaign. Johnson's nasty campaign will no doubt continue through November as she bombards the airwaves with attack ads. With each attack ad, however, it becomes that much clearer to all voters how Nancy Johnson is nothing more than an out of touch twenty-four year Washington incumbent more concerned about holding onto power than helping the people of this state.

Vote for Chris Murphy Today!

2006-07-31T10:24:00.000-04:00

Can't wait until November to vote for Chris Murphy? Well you're in luck, as you can vote for Chris today. Senator John Edwards is conducting an online poll to gauge support for Democratic House candidates. The top two vote-getters will receive a visit from Edwards for a campaign fundraiser. With John Edwards comes both national attention and lots of money, so winning this contest would be a huge boost to any campaign. Edwards' help would go a long way in helping to close the fundraising gap with Nancy Johnson and her special interest money. Plus, who wouldn't love the chance to see John Edwards in Connecticut? Help bring John to the fifth district by voting as many times as you can in the online poll. It's easy and will only take a couple seconds of your time. You can also forward the link to the site to anyone in your address book and let them know to vote for Chris too. Vote now here!

2006-07-27T13:11:00.000-04:00

Update: Watch Chris Murphy's New Ad!

Murphy Releases First TV Ad

2006-07-27T12:15:00.000-04:00

Well I must have psychic powers...Yesterday I posted about Nancy Johnson's attack ad on Chris Murphy, complaining about how sick I am of attack ads and how it would be nice to see politicians run on their own positive message rather than smear their opponent. So what did I see when I went home and turned on the TV? The TV ad debut from the Murphy campaign, which actually offered a positive message rather than the same old tired attack ads. I tell you, I really like how this Chris Murphy guy thinks!

In the ad, (which I'll post as soon as it's available) Murphy turns off a TV playing Johnson's attack ad and then says how he's going to run a positive campaign by getting out and actually listening to the voters' concerns. Murphy ends the ad by telling the viewer that they'll be hearing more from him, but until then they should hang on to their remote to tune out Nancy's smear campaign. It was quite refreshing to see a candidate who after being attacked by his opponent chose to respond in a postive way and let the voters know that his campaign will be different from the usual ones we have come to expect. Most campaigns choose to respond to an attack ad by going negative themselves, but the Murphy campaign is showing that they really are different.

(Shameless solicitation alert):
We've got to keep the momentum that Chris Murphy has built going. As I said before, I have set up an ActBlue account for this blog that allows you to contribute directly to the Murphy campaign. Let's make sure that Murphy has the money needed to keep his positive message up on air and not allow Nancy Johnson's attacks to go unanswered. Contribute here!

Nancy Gets Nasty....In July

2006-07-26T10:04:00.000-04:00

By now most of you have probably seen Nancy Johnson's latest attack ad. If not, just imagine the typical political attack ad full of the usual distortions, scary announcer, and grim music. Johnson's ad also features the usual Republican rhetoric on how Chris Murphy is out to raise everyone's taxes...even on our seniors! Uh, sorry Nancy but you're going to have to do better than that if you really want to scare me.

So the question is, why is Nancy Johnson already running attack ads in July? The only possible answer is that her people have some very bad poll numbers, and they see smearing her opponent as the only way to improve them. The people of Connecticut deserve better from a twenty-four year incumbent, but this is what we should come to expect from Nancy Johnson. You would think that after serving twenty-four years as an elected official, Johnson would have plenty of examples of positive legislation she has passed which she could tout to her constituents. Given her record, however, Nancy Johnson is forced to resort to scare tactics and smear her opponent. But again, this should all come as no surprise to the people of the fifth district who see everyday the out of touch, Washington politician that Nancy Johnson has become. Johnson is hoping she can scare the people of Connecticut into electing her to another term. I think she has underestimated our intelligence.

Action Alert!

2006-07-23T21:51:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson will be interviewed on Connecticut Public Radio Monday morning from 9-10. We need people to call in and ask the tough questions that Nancy won't want to answer. This is a great chance to confront Nancy about her record and the awful decisions she has made in Washington. There's just so many topics to choose from: healthcare and the Medicare Part D disaster, the war in Iraq, her vote to strip the Voting Rights Act, her political posturing on the minimum wage increase....I could go on and on. You can call in at (860) 275-7266, or email questions in advance to wherewelive@wnpr.org. If you don't have access to a radio you can listen to the broadcast online here. Please be sure to call in and give Nancy a piece of your mind!

Murphy Unveils Energy Plan

2006-07-22T01:42:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy held a press conference this week to unveil his new energy plan. For the specifics of the plan, check out MikeCT's post over on My Left Nutmeg. You can also watch the entire press conference here.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Murphy Fifth Best Fundraiser Nationally

2006-07-21T00:30:00.000-04:00

Chris Murphy once again put up some terrific fundraising totals for the second quarter. Murphy's campaign reported having over $1 million cash-on-hand at the June 30th FEC filing deadline. Murphy's cash-on-hand total ranks fifth among all House challengers nationally. This impressive feat is just another reflection of the solid campaign that Chris Murphy is putting together. National observers are taking notice too. Congressional Quarterly cited Murphy as one of the "Democratic challengers thriving in [the] money race." Murphy's strong showing should enable his campaign to continue to receive the attention and resources of the national party.

While Chris Murphy's fundraising numbers are quite impressive for any House challenger, the fact remains that he will never be able to outspend a 24-year incumbent. Nancy Johnson has a blank check from her Washington special interests, and reported having $2.6 million cash-on-hand for the quarter. In a clear display of how beholden Johnson is to special interests, more than half of the money she raised came directly from PACs. Whenever Nancy Johnson needs money all she has to do is pick up the phone and make a call to one of her many lobbyist friends and a check is sent in the mail. By opening her office to special interests, Nancy Johnson has effectively sold her vote to the highest bidder and left the people of Connecticut behind.

In order to compete with Nancy Johnson's warchest, Chris Murphy will have to rely on the generosity of average folks like us. Murphy has already created a strong grassroots fundraising effort, with 76% of his campaign contributions coming from individual donors. The need for money will be very high as Johnson will no doubt use her warchest to smear her opponent with negative attacks. With the proper financial resources, however, Murphy's campaign will be able to respond to any attack Johnson makes. To do my part, I have created an ActBlue account for this site. You can contribute directly to Chris Murphy's campaign by simply filling in the box on the right side of this page. I encourage everyone to give whatever they can to the Murphy campaign. Money is the most critical aspect of any campaign. Without our help, Nancy Johnson's special interest money will go unmatched. So please give whatever you can to help ensure that Chris Murphy has the needed resources to defeat Nancy Johnson once and for all in November!

A Pledge To Do Nothing

2006-07-20T01:29:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'll certainly sleep a lot easier tonight. Why you ask? Because Nancy Johnson and her friends in Congress passed legislation Wednesday to protect the Pledge of Allegiance from those horrible "activist judges." The House bill bans federal courts from hearing cases pertaining to the constitutionality of the Pledge and particularly its "under God" phrase. So you can all breathe a sigh of relief now. No longer will we have to live in fear of our court system destroying the Pledge of Allegiance and along with it the very existence of the United States of America.

Please excuse my sarcasm.

The fact that Congress is debating such a meaningless and inconsequential measure at a time when both the nation and world face serious troubles is appalling. In the midst of a Middle East crisis that sees more violence everyday, a war in Iraq that has no end in sight, soaring gas prices, and a record deficit, Congress chose to debate the Pledge of Allegiance. Rather than working to solve the problems that Americans are facing each day, Nancy Johnson and Congressional Republicans looked instead to score political points with the right-wing of their party by exploiting a social wedge issue.

Enough is enough! This is the epitome of a "Do Nothing Congress." America and the world are facing real problems that require real leaders. Men and women are dying everyday in Iraq and the Middle East. Families are unable to afford adequate healthcare. And yet we cannot even get our elected officials to have a serious debate in Washington. Each day that passes, is another in which Nancy Johnson shows how out of touch she is with the concerns of Connecticut men and women. Johnson once again chose to pander to the right-wing of her party, instead of working to improve the lives of those she represents. Instead of listening to the concerns of her constituents and working hard to address those issues, Nancy Johnson has taken a pledge to do nothing.

New Poll Shows Murphy Leading Johnson

2006-07-19T00:37:00.000-04:00

A new poll released Tuesday shows Democratic state senator Chris Murphy leading Republican incumbent Nancy Johnson. Of 600 likely voters surveyed, Murphy leads Johnson 38%-35%, with 28% undecided. The poll was conducted by the Working Families Party, which has officially endorsed Chris Murphy.

This poll represents some of the first numbers we have seen from this race. The results only confirm what was already expected; Nancy Johnson is in serious danger of losing her bid for a 13th term. It is quite amazing for a 24-year incumbent to be trailing a challenger at such an early stage in the race. Despite already spending over $1 million and smearing her opponent with negative attack ads, Johnson remarkably still finds herself behind Murphy, who has yet to air a single TV ad. Clearly, Connecticut voters simply aren't buying Johnson's same-old Washington rhetoric. People are ready for a change and want someone who will actually listen to the residents of this state, instead of Washington lobbyists and special interests. Connecticut has seen enough of Nancy Johnson, and voters are letting their collective voices be heard.

Washington Post Foresees "Democratic Tidal Wave"

2006-07-18T00:14:00.000-04:00

Thomas Mann of the Washington Post wrote an insightful article about the Democratic Party's chances of regaining the House in November. In Mann's analysis, a Democratic takeover of the House is not merely possible, but probable. As evidence he cites the dismal approval ratings of President Bush and the Republican Congress as well as an increasingly unhappy electorate. Mann concludes, "Energized voters can hold their government accountable and throw the rascals out. Chances are good that, this fall, they will avail themselves of the opportunity."

Here's to hoping a Category 5 storm hits and carries Nancy Johnson out with it.

(Below are some excerpts from the article. To read the entire story click on the link above.)

If history is any guide, we're heading into a major political storm. And that means we could see a national tide in November that will sweep the Democrats back into the majority.

Virtually every public opinion measure points to a Category 4 or 5 hurricane gathering. Bush's job-approval rating is below 40 percent, and congressional job approval is more than 10 percentage points lower. Only a quarter of the electorate thinks the country is moving in the right direction, and voters are unhappy with the economy under Bush. Finally, Democrats hold a double-digit lead as the party the public trusts to do a better job of tackling the nation's problems and the party it would like to see controlling Congress.

But my own reading is that the odds favor a Democratic takeover of the House. The 15 seats that the party needs for a bare majority is well below the range of minority-party gains in past tidal-wave elections. The national winds blowing against the GOP are strong and have not diminished over the past nine months. Credible progress on the ground in Iraq before November is implausible. The public's harsh evaluation of the president's performance on the economy is unlikely to be reversed by Election Day. Prospects for significant legislative achievements in the remaining months of this Congress are remote. Enough seats will be in play (including some that Republicans carried in 2004 with more than 60 percent of the vote) to allow Democrats to gain majority status in the House.

Johnson Push Polling?

2006-07-16T23:55:00.000-04:00

Reports have been circling around the blogosphere from 5th District residents who received phone calls on Saturday from individuals conducting blatant push polls. Although the individuals did not identify themselves, it was clear from the questions they asked that they supported Nancy Johnson and were attempting to smear her opponent, Chris Murphy. For those not familiar with push polls, they are phone calls in which the caller uses the guise of conducting a poll in order to slander an opponent, usually by making completely untrue attacks against the person. Push polls are not at all interested in obtaining any actual information from the voter, but rather are an attempt to influence the voter's opinion by creating a negative image of the opponent. You may recall the infamous example that occurred in South Carolina during the 2000 Republican Presidential Primary. Bush campaign strategists developed a push poll to smear John McCain which asked voters if they would be more or less likely to vote for McCain if they knew that he had fathered an illegitimate black child. Obviously this was not true, but that does not matter to the pollster, who is simply looking to plant seeds of doubt in the voter's mind.

While there is no way of knowing for sure if Saturday's push polls were created by the Johnson campaign, I certainly wouldn't put it past them. Time after time Republicans have demonstrated a win at any cost mentality. The GOP has shown that they are more than willing to play dirty, and push polls are just one means of doing so. Push polling is completely unethical and tarnishes the entire electoral process. The only positive of this is that it shows just how scared the Johnson people are. For them to be conducting push polls so early in the election must mean that they have received some very bad internal poll numbers. This can only be interpreted as a sign of desperation, and that the Johnson campaign is realizing just how vulnerable they are. The Johnson campaign is likely to only get nastier as we move closer to November. No matter what dirty tricks Nancy Johnson attempts to use in this campaign, she will not be able to run from her record. Connecticut voters are seeing Johnson for the out of touch Washington politician that she is, and will not be fooled into supporting her once again.

(To see more about this push poll from someone who actually received one of the phone calls, check out inkadu's post over on My Left Nutmeg)

The Book on Nancy Johnson

2006-07-15T22:24:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson continues to come under heavy criticism for her vote this week to strip the Voting Rights Act. Johnson, the only member of the entire Connecticut delegation to support the measure, continued to show how out of touch she is in her response to the public outcry, telling the Hartford Courant:

"I've never had a minority person say, `I can't read Nancy Johnson.'"

Actually, Nancy might be right. While I can't speak for Connecticut's "minority persons," national interest groups certainly seem to have a good read on Nancy Johnson. In their most recent legislative report cards, Johnson received the following grades:

NAACP: 39%

League of United Latin American Citizens: 35%

Arab American Institute: 33%

National Council of La Raza: 50%

(Source: Project Vote Smart)

When it comes to voting on issues important to minorities, failing grades have been the norm for Nancy Johnson. So yes, Nancy, you're right; I'm sure whenever a "minority person" reads your name they know exactly what it means.

Johnson Supports Radical Voting Rights Amendment

2006-07-13T23:50:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, Congress approved a long overdue extension of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965. Extending the landmark civil rights legislation was originally expected to be a simple procedure, however, the bill quickly became highjacked by the right-wing of the Republican Party. A bloc of primarily Southern Republicans proposed multiple amendments aimed at stripping away several key sections of the bill, but each amendment was overwhelmingly defeated with opposition coming from both Democrats and Republicans who recognized the clear attempts to weaken voter protections. Of the failed amendments, one sought to strip the act of provisions that require certain jurisdictions to provide voting ballots in a second language if the local community contains a certain percentage of Latinos, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Native Alaskans.

With the ongoing immigration debate, many people have come to automatically associate English as a second language with illegal immigrants. It's important to remember, however, that the people this amendment is referring to are all American citizens. Only legal, American citizens can vote. These particular citizens just happen to be from a cultural background where English is a second language. The proposed amendment would have therefore made it much more difficult for these Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Republican James Sensenbrenner (WI) blasted the amendment saying:

"This is a poison-pill amendment. We're dealing here with United States citizens. Certainly we ought to give these people assistance."

Fortunately, a large number of Republicans united with Democrats in their opposition to the amendment and it was overwhelmingly defeated. Nancy Johnson, however, aligned herself with the right-wing of the GOP and supported the measure. In fact, Johnson was the only member of the entire Connecticut delegation to support the amendment. Rather than defending the fundamental right of every American citizen to vote, Nancy Johnson joined the fringe of her party in supporting this repressive amendment. Johnson's voting record once again dispels the myth of her "moderate" image and reveals her as the right-wing Republican she truly is.

New Race Update from Larry Sabato

2006-07-13T15:10:00.000-04:00

Political prognosticator, Larry Sabato, updated his review of the Murphy-Johnson race today. Sabato seems quite impressed with the challenge Chris Murphy is putting forth and takes notice of his strong fundraising ability and history of success. Sabato goes as far as to call Murphy one of the Democratic Party's "best hopes." None of this can be good news for the Johnson camp.

Although it is hard to believe that this district was on very few pundits' radar screens only half a year ago, it's plain to see now that Democratic state Sen. Chris Murphy of Cheshire has emerged as one of the out-of-power party's best hopes for defeating a well-entrenched House GOP moderate. The last time Murphy was this actively engaged in a race for Congress was ten years ago, when he was in his early twenties and served as campaign manager for Democratic challenger Charlotte Koskoff, who capitalized on a 1996 Democratic surge in the then-6th District to almost pull off a stunning upset against GOP Rep. Nancy Johnson.

Although it is unlikely Murphy will ever match the fundraising powerhouse Johnson dollar-for-dollar here, Murphy is holding his own, and will post a second quarter report pegging his total dollars raised for the cycle at over $1 million. Murphy's camp finds further encouragement in a Democratic survey taken for his campaign this week showing him leading Johnson 46%-44%, within the poll's margin of error. The Crystal Ball views those numbers with skepticism and believes Johnson is narrowly ahead, but this race is certainly well on its way to the Dirty Thirty.

Chris Murphy Gets More National Attention

2006-07-13T10:31:00.000-04:00

Nancy Johnson's political vulnerability continues to be recognized by national pundits. Walter Shapiro of Salon magazine singled out Chris Murphy's bid to unseat Johnson as key to Democratic hopes of reclaiming the House majority:

Reliably blue state Connecticut is also center-stage for Democratic hopes of winning the House, since all three GOP incumbents in the state are in tight races. Our canary-in-the-mine-shaft race here is the generational battle in the 5th District in the Northwest corner of the state between 71-one-year-old GOP incumbent Nancy Johnson and 32-year-old Chris Murphy, a state senator.

Doing the Bare Minimum on Minimum Wage

2006-07-12T23:40:00.000-04:00

If the House Republicans' refusal to increase the minimum wage wasn't bad enough, their actions Wednesday added insult to injury. In a purely symbolic and utterly disingenuous act, GOP leadership paid lip service to the issue. In passing a non-binding "motion to instruct" procedure, Republicans attempted to quiet the public outcry over the issue while doing nothing to actually help American workers. Nancy Johnson was one of the Republicans who quickly signed on to the meaningless motion in another attempt to play up her "moderate" image. Johnson's political manuvers are insulting to the intelligence of the people of Connecticut.

Minimum wage has not been increased in nearly ten years and currently stands at $5.15 an hour. Since its last increase, Congress has voted to increase its own pay more than $31,000 to a current level of $165,200 a year. That's about to go up again though, as Congress is set to up its own pay $3,300 this year. So while its too much to ask for the nation's poorest workers to receive a mere $7.25 an hour, Congress doesn't hesitate to give itself an extra $3,300.

Throughout the minimum wage debate, Nancy Johnson has remained remarkably silent. She has done nothing to pass a bill of any substance, and seems perfectly content to resign herself to political posturing. While Johnson is quick to laud her twenty-four years of experience and the clout that she claims will land her the Ways & Means chairmanship, she shows no willingness to use any of this supposed pull to positively influence legislation. Johnson is more concerned about her own political aspirations in Washington than the lives of those struggling to make ends meet. Nancy Johnson's silence on a minimum wage increase once again exhibits how out of touch she is with the people of Connecticut.

Introducing No More Nancy!

2006-07-12T18:29:00.000-04:00

Welcome to No More Nancy, a new blog devoted to exposing the record of Connecticut Congresswoman Nancy Johnson. Twenty-four years in Washington have left Nancy Johnson completely out of touch with the people of Connecticut's fifth district. Beholden to Washington special interests and lobbyists, Nancy Johnson has neglected the people she was elected to represent. Despite her attempts to portray herself as a moderate, Johnson's voting history reveals the record of a right-wing Republican. Whether it be on issues pertaining to the war in Iraq, healthcare, energy policy, or the enviroment Nancy Johnson has continually supported the failed policies of George W. Bush and the Republican Congress.

It is my hope that this blog will serve as a means exposing the myth of Nancy Johnson's "moderate" image and reveal the truth about her record. Discussion is strongly encouraged as I hope for this to become a forum for all. We are more than due for a change in Connecticut and together we can bring about that change in November.