Hours after presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced that Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan will be his running mate on the Republican ticket for the fall, figures on Connecticut’s political scene are having their say, divided along party lines. Capitol Watch will update as we get candidates’ reactions:
Fifth District Democratic candidate Chris Donovan: “Paul Ryan authored the extreme Republican plan to turn Medicare over to the health insurance companies and Social Security over to Wall Street, while giving more tax giveaways to millionaires and big oil. Democrats can win this year only if we highlight this contrast for voters and promise not to cut programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.”
Republican Fifth District candidate Justin Bernier: 
“Governor Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan is a home run. Congressman Ryan is the kind of Republican that will energize our base and attract Independents and conservative Democrats. Our Vice Presidential candidate is principled, conservative, pro life, and hardworking. Paul Ryan is a superb addition to the GOP’s presidential ticket.”
Democratic Fifth District candidate Elizabeth Esty:
“It’s now all the more important for us to keep the 5th District blue in November and reelect President Obama. The stakes couldn’t be any higher. By putting Congressman Ryan on the ticket, Governor Romney has joined Congressional Republicans in making clear their intentions to enact a budget that would end Medicare as we know it. That outcome is just plain unacceptable, and one of the reasons I’m running for Congress is because I refuse to let it happen.”
Republican Fifth District candidate Lisa Wilson-Foley:
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Chris Murphy:
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Christopher Shays:
“Governor Romney could not have made a better choice for his running mate than his decision to name my friend and former colleague, Congressman Paul Ryan. Paul will be a Vice President all America can be proud of…He is an experienced leader, trying to restore fiscal sanity to Washington.”
Third District Democratic Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro: 
“The choice for Americans is crystal clear. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will continue fighting for middle class families while Romney and Ryan will push for subsidies for oil companies and big banks. The President and Vice President want Americans to have more affordable health care, and will keep fighting for that. Romney and Ryan want to repeal health care reform, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and continue to fight about health care instead of addressing the economy. The President and Vice President want to keep taxes low for middle class families, but Romney and Ryan will let those taxes skyrocket to pay for breaks for millionaires and billionaires. We cannot let this come to pass.”
Republican Fifth District congressional candidate Mark Greenberg:
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8 Responses to Updated–VP Pick: Connecticut Reactions Roll In On Ryan
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Paul Ryan wants two tax rates for everyone, the continuation of tax breaks for the wealthy, higher defense spending, and trillions of dollars in savings he has not identified yet.
This is more of the GOP’s mantra of “you can have your cake and eat it too,” from the supposedly fiscal conservatives.
Ryan is an extremely polarizing pick who just LOST Romney the White House. He won’t attract independents and conservative Democrats, as Justin Bernier predicts — they will all fleee to the Democrats to protect their current standard of living and the opportunuties for their children and grandchildren that America has always promised.
The GOP betting line is that the Swing State Moderates who want change will be highly motivated while the rest of the moderates are pretty much apathetic. They simply don’t like either choice.
Current standard of living….you’re kidding, right….first issue is repealing Obamacare…the largest tax ever placed on the American people….next, lets get the 50% of the people who pay no taxes to pay their ‘fair share’……. and let’s make sure that welfare receiptants work for their $$$ even if it steps on the toes of the unions….
Governor Romney’s choice of Congressman Ryan for his Vice Presidential running mate defines this election as one of huge ideological choices.
Romney/Ryan VS Obama/Biden
Free enterprise VS socialism
Urgent action to diffuse the ticking debt bomb VS reckless, irresponsible spending and crushing debt
Leaders who will provide a serious written plan and passed budgets VS undisciplined, wild spending and no passed budget in 4 years
Promotion of the American Dream VS American dependency
Development of American energy resources for good paying jobs, lower prices and enhanced national security VS hostility to oil, gas and coal, rapidly increasing prices, more dependency on Middle East oil, wasteful green energy spending
Hayek and Friedman economics VS Keynes and Alinsky
Market based health care solutions with decisions made by Doctors and their patient-customers VS top down, one size fits all, inefficient, expensive rationed health care run by faceless bureaucrats
Laser focus on economic growth and jobs vs unemployment checks, exploding food stamps and welfare recipients
Real “Hope and Change” VS Debt, Decline & Despair
The choice becomes clearer than ever before,
Four more years of socialist failure and sinking debts or forging ahead to a stronger, secure and better America.
The selection of Rep. Paul Ryan is a bold and refreshing statement for honesty and leadership in government which is so sorely missing under the current administration. How ironic that Rep. DeLauro, described by the left-leaning Washingtonian magazine as one of the most ineffective members of Congress and a windbag in a scarf, suggests that this selection marks a win for big banks and the oil companies. President Obama has given more money to big banks than any other occupant of the White House who have preceded him. His friends at General Electric have paid no taxes and oil prices are presently skyrocketing. Is that someone who is looking out for middle class America. We need honesty about our current fiscal shape and leadership to correct it, not pandering to special interests and inaction – punting our ills to the next generation. Connecticut’s own pension woes reported on in this very issue of the Courant are an example of such a woe and ticking time bomb. Obama,DeLauro, Reid and Pelosi do not have any plans to tackle the real issues and do not even produce a budget for our nation.
Matt
sweet…
Ryan = conservative competence. Patrot who firmly believes in Anerican exceptionalism.
Like Bernier said with the bases full!
For once Rosa is right…the choice of Paul Ryan as a running mate sends a clear signal that change is on the way….the do-nothing progressives will be loud and vociferous …much like a tale told by and idiot