Fourth of July Celebrations Put Candidates Out Among Voters

NEW FAIRFIELD—The Fourth of July parade here Wednesday drew in local bands, elaborate floats, and, at some points, candidates with an eye on looming elections stretched as far as the eye could see.

No fewer than seven candidates from both the Fifth District congressional race and the U.S. Senate race packed into the front of the parade procession in this small western Connecticut town, each anxious to literally reach out and touch voters just six weeks before Connecticut’s August primaries.

Republican Fifth District Candidate Lisa Wilson-Foley hands out candy to children along the Fourth of July parade route in New Fairfield on Wednesday. (Wes Duplantier/Hartford Courant)

As the parade rolled slowly toward New Fairfield’s center, Republican Fifth District candidate Lisa Wilson-Foley tossed candy to children along the streets as one of her Republican rivals, businessman Mark Greenberg, walked along in front of a sports car plastered with campaign stickers.

Another rival, Republican state Sen. Andrew Roraback, stood atop the Republican town committee’s float, leaning over its side to shake hands with a few supporters.

As Democratic Fifth District candidates Chris Donovan and Dan Roberti waved small American flags and stepped into the crowds and shake hands, rival Democrat Elizabeth Esty said the Fourth of July events are particularly important because many people are starting to pay attention to the campaigns.

“Every election, but in this one in particular, there are some major issues at stake and candidates are offering very different choices,” she said. “It is a way to remind people to think about the freedoms that we have.”

The parade also gave some of the candidates’ backers a chance to visibly show off their support. Near the end of the parade Wednesday stood George Linkletter, the chairman of the Republican Town Committee in Sherman, some 10 miles north of New Fairfield. He waved a colorful sign in support of Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon as she handed out flags to small children along the route.

“I really think we need some business experience in Washington and I think she’s the best equipped to deal with the issues in Washington,” said Linkletter, who was careful to note that the Sherman Republican Town Committee has not yet officially endorsed a Senate candidate.

As campaign volunteers spilled into a baseball field at the end of the parade route in search of free hotdogs and soda, most of the candidates left quickly to get to their next group of new faces in another new town. Most were scheduled to attend at least two or three events on Wednesday alone, according to their staffers.

The Democratic Senate candidates started the day working crowds in eastern Connecticut.. At the 27th annual Boom Box parade in Willimantic, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Susan Bysiewicz walked down Main Street and waved to the crowd flanked by a group of supporters.

“I hope you get it!” Willimantic resident Pat L. Ruley shouted to Bysiewicz from the sidewalk, prompting a wave from the candidate.

Behind Bysiewicz in the procession was Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Chris Murphy, who greeted spectators as he walked with a group of supporters clad in bright red t-shirts.

Lebanon resident Tim H. Wentworth, at the parade with his wife and two children, accepted a handshake and a sticker from Murphy, but said he will not vote for the Democratic candidate in November.

“I’m the token libertarian in the crowd,” he said with a laugh.

Republican Senate candidate Chris Shays took a slightly different route Wednesday, starting the day at a parade in the northern town of Barkhamsted before shaking hands and talking policy at the American Legion picnic in the Heritage Village section of Southbury.

The former congressman said he needed to stop in both places as he tries to get to know people outside of the fourth congressional district near Bridgeport, which he represented for more than 20 years.

“When you’re a statewide candidate it is your responsibility to get around to some of the smaller towns,” Shays said, as the smoky smell of hot dogs and hamburgers floated over the picnic crowd..

The scene in Southbury was relatively peaceful, as the heat of the day had given way to a breeze and a quiet music played out over a chattering crowd.

But Shays acknowledged that, like most of the candidates, he’ll be working hard in the final six weeks, working phones, knocking on doors and most importantly making stops like these to shake hands with voters in hopes of driving bringing yet one more into his fold before the primary.

“I need every one of those days to work,” Shays said of the coming summer strech. “Every one of those days.”

Courant staff writer Rebecca D. Robbins contributed to this report from Willimantic.