In many congressional districts around the country, incumbents run
unopposed. We Democrats in the Fourth Congressional District of
Connecticut find ourselves in the position of having two candidates
seeking to challenge Chris Shays in November.
by Charles Primerano
In many congressional districts around the country, incumbents run
unopposed. We Democrats in the Fourth Congressional District of
Connecticut find ourselves in the position of having two candidates
seeking to challenge Chris Shays in November.
To settle the matter, a Congressional Primary will be held in our district on Tuesday, August 12th. All registered Democrats are eligible to vote.
Jim Himes of Cos Cob, earned his place on the primary ballot with an overwhelming victory at the Fourth District Congressional Democratic Convention held in May. All of Ridgefield's delegates went to Mr. Himes.
Lee Whitnum of Greenwich, after losing at the convention, secured her place on the primary ballot by gathering the required number of signatures of registered Democrats.
Although Ms. Whitnum should be commended for her perseverance, unfortunately that, by itself, is not enough. There is the matter of temperament. Ms. Whitnum's combative behavior during her interview with the Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee this year, along with the consistently bitter tone of her public statements, have demonstrated that she would not be the best choice to represent our party.
Jim Himes, on the other hand, has the makings of not just a fine
candidate, but an outstanding congressman. He is thoughtful and he is
inspired. This was clear for anyone to see at a recent campaign
appearance in Ridgefield.
Jim explained that he was a successful Vice President at a major Wall Street firm, but he has never forgotten growing up with a single working mom in a small town in which he worked just about every job in town - mowing lawns, painting houses, working at the pizza place, the hardware store, and the drug store.
Jim mentioned graduating from Harvard and being a Rhodes Scholar, but just as important to him are the years of his life he has spent developing solutions to urban poverty and building affordable housing. In other words, he has used real-world business skills to solve problems.
As congressman, he pledged to provide middle-class tax relief in three areas: affordable college tuition, helping first-time home buyers, and expanding credit for those who save.
In short, he is a man who is living the American Dream and is devoted to helping keep it alive for us and for our children (including his two daughters).
A large part of the job of representative is to make decisions that affect international relations and international trade. Having lived and worked in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, Jim brings a global perspective and experience that is matched by very few in Congress. And Jim will tell you that spending all that time abroad has made him appreciate our country all the more.
Jim Himes is the man we need in Washington this January. But first we need to get him on the November ballot.
Ridgefield Democrats, on August 12, come out and cast your vote for Jim Himes for Congress!
Charles Primerano has lived in Ridgefield for four years. He is a member of the Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee which supplies this column.