House Speaker Christopher Donovan and his campaign people still weren’t saying on Wednesday, the day after he lost the 5th Congressional District Democratic primary to Elizabeth Esty, whether Donovan will run as a third-party candidate in the Nov. 6 election on the Connecticut Working Families Party’s ballot line.
“Chris is going to go on vacation and the campaign will not have any comment until he returns,” said Donovan’s campaign spokesman, Gabe Rosenberg. Asked how long Donovan will be vacationing, Rosenberg said, “I really don’t know.”
Donovan was endorsed by the Working Families party in recent months, and has the right to be on that party’s Nov. 6 ballot line.
But Democratic Party leaders are concerned that if he does that, he may drain enough votes from Esty, who’s now the party nominee, to make Republican nominee Andrew Roraback the winner on Nov. 6 – thus losing a U.S. House seat held for six years by Democrat Chris Murphy, who’s the party nominee for U.S. Senate.
Top Democrats want Donovan to endorse Esty in the 5th District and not run on the Connecticut Working Families ballot line.
In the absence of any word from Donovan Wednesday, state Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo issued a brief statement: “Chris has been a longtime and loyal Democrat and we trust that he will support the party’s candidate.”
Donovan did not say in his concession speech Tuesday night whether he would support Esty in the campaign for November. Also Tuesday night, his campaign manager, Tom Swan, said he didn’t know whether Donovan would run on the Nov. 6 ballot as a Connecticut Working Families Party candidate because Donovan hadn’t talked to that party’s officials.
Asked about the situation Wednesday, Lindsay Farrell, executive director for the Working Families party, issued a brief statement: “Our membership will have a discussion about our options. Going forward, we’ll look at all the candidates and stand by the one who can best fight for working families, as we always do.”
Asked if that statement was based on Donovan not being be the party’s candidate, another Working Families spokesman said: “I don’t think that’s the assumption. Chris is included in all the candidates.”
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
5 Responses to Will Donovan Run As Third-Party Candidate In 5th? He’s Not Saying
About Capitol Watch
The Hartford Courant’s Capitol Watch blog provides insightful and in-depth coverage of Connecticut politics... read more- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
NEW! CT Politics App.
Courant.com brings you the latest CT political news, blogs, tweets and photos, powered by the Hartford Courant and FOX CT.
Download it now:
- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
One can only hope. Goodness knows the A CT Party screwed up many Republican races while it was around.
Donovan will not do the right thing. He did not even have enough class to call Est and congratulate her on her win. He is a selfish individual and his true colors have shown themselves since he beginning of the investigation.
Donovan is acting like the kid who didn’t get picked to play football, so he’s taking his ball and going home. What a total disgrace.
My friends, let’s not shoot cannons at hardworking people for “offenses” they haven’t yet committed. Even then, make room for good interpretations of any give action. Treat leaders like humans, not targets for pent-up anger.
We should all remember that in 2006, Joe Lieberman lost the Democratic Primary to Ned Lamont and then filed petitons to run as an Independent. Unfortunately, many Democrats, joined by unaffiliated voters and a majority of Republicans, voted for Joe and we have been stuck with him for the last 6 years. In this case, Chris is aldready the Working Families Party nominee. I don’t recall Democratic Party leadership putting real pressure on Joe in 2006.