Things took an interesting turn on the Republican side of the 2014 Connecticut Governor's race with a pair of announcements. One was expected another was a bit of a surprise. Republican State Senator Toni Boucher of Wilton CT decided to abort her non official campaign and instead focus on holding her state senate seat. In her place, it seems Martha Dean who was the GOP candidate for State Attorney General in 2010 will run instead. Martha Dean for those who don't know is a Newtown Truther who agrees with the conspiracy that Newtown was staged by actors put up by the gov't so that they could confiscate guns.
Head below the cheese flavored popcorn for more fun.
Martha Dean is a tea bagging nut sack who ran two losing campaigns for State Attorney General in 2002 and 2010. Last year she angered Republican Party officials when she released a video on her facebook page which claimed that the shooting at Sandy Hook was faked so gov't officials could confiscate guns. Dean also advocated for gun training for children in schools, scout groups and at summer camps.
She has jumped into a crowded field which includes Greenwich millionaire and 2010 loser Tom Foley, Danbury mayor Mark Boughton, Senate Minority Leader John McKinney from Fairfield, Shelton mayor Mark Lauretti and some dude Joseph Visconti.
Ironically Boughton and Foley were running mates in 2010 Gov and LT gov races but are now running against each other for the top billing in the 2014 governor race against incumbent governor, Democrat Dan Malloy. But that's not even where the popcorn (and bullets?) will really fly. Gun rights advocates are making alot of noise on the GOP side but guns are really not a big issue in CT. Tom Foley who has stated that he is a guns rights advocate has also said he would not seek a repeal of the "draconian" new gun laws. Mark Boughton is part of Michael Bloomberg's group 'Mayors Against Illegal Guns'. Visconti and Lauretti are at the back of the pack and not seen as having any shot even though they support gun rights. Finally, John McKinney who voted for the restrictions was one of the people who came out in strong fashion against uber loon Martha Dean when she posted the 'truther' video (I'm not going to post or link to that vile video).
"The information put out by so-called "Newtown Truthers" and other conspiracy theorists is disgusting and despicable," McKinney said. "Their conduct and actions are not only an insult to our intelligence, but also hurtful to the people of Newtown and disrespectful to the families of the victims and the memories of their children. Reposting, or in any way furthering the legitimacy of these groups, is grossly irresponsible and equally wrong. Anyone who engages in such behavior owes the families of the victims and the people of Newtown an apology," he said.
Dean was absolutely lambasted for her post by many for whom the tragedy was still fresh and was considered a pariah by many in the Greater Danbury Area (of which Newtown is part of) and within her own party.
However, she has gotten herself quite a cult following of gun nuts who are not the least bit happy about the "draconian" gun laws that CT recently passed with the blessing of McKinney and many other republicans. Dean also happens to be the attorney representing the Connecticut Citizen's Defense League in their lawsuit against the state for the gun control laws passed and signed into law last year. So yeah they love them some Dean and hate McKinney. Up until now gun rights advocates were supporting Tom Foley who was seen as the strongest candidate and has been running away with the race. Guns rights advocates oppose Boughton and McKinney who they see as treasonous RINOs. With Dean in the mix it'll be interesting to see how that vote breaks down. Will she siphon some votes from Foley? If she does will that give Boughton an opening to defeat his former running mate? While I'd love to get rid of him as my mayor, I wouldn't wish him on the whole state.
Fortunately for CT, tea bagging nut sacks don't get much traction. CT isn't known for it's religious fundamentalism, social conservatism or gun culture but rather for it's pragmatism. GOP voters here tend to be more concerned with financial and business interests than God, gays and guns. They'll turn on someone who they see as being too far out in right field if they perceive that candidate to be a threat to their financial interests. That's why the tea tinged revolution in 2010 barely made a ripple in CT and loons like Peter Schiff didn't get any traction. Martha Dean won't go anywhere in the general election and I'm not even convinced she gets out of the primary unless there is a HUGE clowncar effect where the other side get split up by so many candidates that she sneaks by win a small plurality. If that were to be the case Democratic candidate Dan Malloy would be the overwhelming favorite in the general election in November. Either way though the popcorn will fly and Dan Malloy will be smiling.
As for Toni Boucher, unfortunately for her, she was not only a victim of poor fundraising and a campaign that never got off the ground but of also being one of the GOP 'gun grabbers'. Boucher was one of the republicans who voted for those same gun laws that Dean and the Newtown Truther gun nuts are apoplectic about. She never had a shot anyway. Boucher doesn't have a very long and successful legislative track record unless you consider stopping the Super 7 Highway from being built as an accomplishment. She does have the support of the local business community and wealthy people involved in real estate in the Wilton area. But it seems that local gun nuts and Paulites aren't happy with the RINO Boucher and some tea bagging nutsack from neighboring Weston has decided to challenge Toni Boucher for her seat.
Walter Reddy.
Online reports say Reddy was a person of interest in a “domestic terrorism” investigation which led police to search his home. No officials could confirm the report, though Reddy confirmed he was investigated in a joint SWAT operation by Homeland Security and local police.
Reddy is a wacko. There are a few of them in Weston which is a mostly rural bedroom community neighboring Newtown where the Sandy Hook shooting took place. These guys firmly believe that the end is near and that they have to be prepared for the doomsday and the invading starved hordes from Bridgeport (namely Blacks and Hispanics. NO racism there). Some of these wackjobs also believe aliens walk among us and that's why they need a stash of guns (Not making that up BTW). Nancy Lanza whose son was responsible for Sandy Hook was one of these doomsday preppers.
Walter Reddy also happens to have a 'liberal' interpretation of the second amendment.
“I believe in completely restoring the second amendment— we don’t have properly functioning second amendment constitutional rights today,” Reddy said. That, in part, means re-instituting a militia.
Reddy is the founder of Committees of Safety—which during the Colonial era were placed in charge of the safety and security of the people. Reddy says he would like to see such an organization come back.
If elected, Reddy would seek to create a Committee of Safety Advisory Board, and have them implemented at the state and town level. He likened the advisory board to a library board on which people are elected and set policies.
Reddy says a militia by the people in each state is guaranteed in the Constitution — and is different from the modern day National Guard.
Reddy was one of the original Tea Party loons and one of the early supporters of Ron Paul in 2008. It'll be interesting to see how much traction he gets. If he manages to take out Toni Boucher it'll be a big blow to the GOP and will open up an opportunity for a Dem to flip the seat. Boucher is an institution in Wilton. She was the State Rep for Wilton for 12 years prior to moving up to the Senate in 2008. The likelihood of Reddy pulling it off is slim to almost none but it will be a fun race to watch.
*EDIT I slightly edited diary and put the word draconian in quotes. I used the word because it's how many on the right describe the new laws. I however don't feel as if they're draconian at all and it seems that the Supreme Court agrees with me.