Updated: Wilson-Foley, Greenberg Get “Contender” Nods from NRCC

Republicans Lisa Wilson-Foley and Mark Greenberg have been tagged as a “contenders” by the National Republican Congressional Committee in their campaigns for the Fifth District congressional seat.

Greenberg

Both campaigns announced Wednesday that they had gotten nods from the NRCC’s “Young Guns” program, a group formed by Congressional leaders such as U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor to hone winning Republican candidates for general elections, particularly in battles for House seats.

“I am proud to have achieved “Contender” status in the “Young Guns” program,” said Greenberg, a businessman from northwest Conneticut. “I am committed to bringing real change to Washington, the kind of change that only an outsider and successful businessman can bring.”

“This is such an important race and I am dedicated to taking back this seat in November,” said Wilson-Foley, herself a businesswoman from Simsbury. “Voters are hungry for new leadership and want desperately to end the failed tax and spend policies that have hurt businesses and families in the 5^th district. I promise to bring that change to Washington.”

According to the Young Guns website, some 62 candidates in the program won House seats in the 2010 election that saw Republicans take back a majority in the chamber.

But the endorsement doesn’t necessarily give anyone a boost for the Aug. 14 Republican primary. All of the Republican candidates, including Andrew Roraback and Justin Bernier, have also been named to the “contender” list, which appears to focus on candidates’ prospects versus Democrats in a general election.