A history and civics teacher at Bassick High School is challenging Democratic incumbent Marilyn Moore in Connecticut’s 22nd State Senate District that covers about one third of Bridgeport, all of Trumbull and a portion of Monroe. Republican Rich Deecken is a member and past chairman of the Trumbull Planning and Zoning Commission. His website here.
News release:
Rich Deecken, a current member and past chairman of the Trumbull Planning and Zoning Commission, has formally announced that he is running for the office of State Senator in the 22nd District, which includes Trumbull and parts of Bridgeport and Monroe. Deecken made the announcement online via his campaign’s website, www.RichDeecken.com, and his Facebook page, Rich Deecken for State Senate 2018.
Rich has served as a land use commissioner in Trumbull for the past nine years. He was elected to the Planning and Zoning Commission in 2009, and is the former Chairman. Deecken currently serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands Commission, and chairs a school building committee.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the people of the 22nd District in the State Senate,” Deecken stated. “I am excited to bring a new generation of leadership to the state capitol that fuses the traditional Republican support base with Millennial values. The 22nd District is one of the most diverse districts in the state, not only demographically, but also in terms of land use, development, education, and infrastructure.” Rich continued, “Our district’s diversity reflects a true microcosm of Connecticut. We represent a thin slice of Connecticut values, where regardless of income, level of education, or the size of your home, each and every family deserves to keep more of their paycheck, and give less of it back in the form of taxes. We all deserve a safe community in which to live, raise a family, and eventually retire without being priced out of town.”
When asked about his legislative goals, Deecken replied, “As a land use commissioner in Trumbull and a teacher in Bridgeport, I have seen firsthand the different challenges the hard-working residents of our district face. Our region’s future is in its ability to attract new businesses, retain existing ones, and grow our local grand lists. My campaign will be advocating community development and revitalization, reducing the tax burden on homeowners and renters alike, and fighting for our fair share of state education funding. We must ensure the quality of our children’s education while maintaining taxes that are stable and predictable.”
Rich has worked in the Bridgeport Public Schools for ten years, and is currently a US History and Civics teacher at Bassick High School. At Bassick, Rich is the advisor to several student organizations, an athletic coach, the assistant director of the Jazz Band, and an elected teacher member of the School Governance Council. Rich’s community involvement includes coaching and officiating youth football and soccer in Bridgeport and Trumbull. He founded one of America’s first middle school cricket teams, the Geraldine Johnson Cricket Club, as well as the Bassick TRI Federation, which fielded Bridgeport’s first competitive coed interscholastic sporting event.
Rich also serves as a Justice of the Peace. Rich is a product of the Trumbull public schools, and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Sacred Heart University. He lives in Trumbull with his wife, Theresa, and their daughter, Deanna.
Democrats for Deecken
I’m not switching my party affiliation, I’m just switching my vote because I like Connecticut.
Best Wishes, Rich Deecken.
Which one, the Cocktail Party?
Rich,
Good luck. If you do the work with the help of the Trumbull and Monroe RTC’s you will have a great chance of winning. As far as Bridgeport, let history be your guide. The BRTC did little to nothing to help Rick Costantini, an outstanding candidate in 2014, and because of the BRTC’s reputation among African Americans and Latinos in Bridgeport any help they may have given to Elaine Hammers in 2016 probably hurt her more than helped her. Use your team from Trumbull and Monroe in Bridgeport and you will be more likely to succeed.
The BRTC couldn’t help itself out of awet paper bag. The GOP has serious image problems at the national level. Donald Trump, the party’s public face, and his businesses and closest advisors are under investigation for money laundering, violation of federal campaign finance laws, consorting with a hostile foreign government to sway the 2016 presidential election and other felonious activity. The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the offices of Michael Cohen on orders from Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He just signed a budget that returned the United States of America to the trillion-dollar deficit, that hoary old nightmare of the Reagan era.
Do you really have a realistic belief the BRTC is able to muster support for a Republicsn candidate? You’re correct on one salient point: Mr. Deecken ought to ficus on the GOP town committees in the northeastern oart of the district. The BRTC is a dog nd pony show.
Our current Weather-vane seem to always get stuck which way the wind is blowing,
Her Indicator Cups and Arrow are to slow and need a push now and then. The last time she was up to speed was in East Windsor, She started coming around when the Wind changed in Hartford.
She seems to give us a false reading when she’s mounted on that fence.
Maybe this new guy will push her back up to the cupola.
I’ve taken notes of Joe McLaine and ‘the Kid’s’ remarks so that when I attend the 22nd Senate District nominating convention as a delegate I will be more informed. (Yea, sure)
You ought to. The moral hypocrites of the GOP in the legislature are the biggest impediment to legislative progress in Hartford.
Take note. A Democrat voting for a Republican was Rich Deecken’s first responder on this page. That’s the takeaway.
When Tom White knows more about Bridgeport politics than I do, he can use these pages to show his superiority.
White superiority, Paul that’s right about Tom White, dog whistle and all.
Tom,
Wasn’t this simply an opportunity for you to satisfy your ego and say hey look at me I am a Republican delegate for the 22nd district? I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to expand your surname to reflect who many of us believe you are TOM WHITE-SUPREMIST! You have used OIB in the past for a platform for your coming out as a racist. When you posted to Ron Mackey that you are more bias now than you were twenty years ago because of people like him, and in the same post you also stereo typed Italians as criminals who murder people when challenged. The beauty of America is that even ignorant repulsive people such as you are free to say what they really believe. And you are a direct reflection of the BRTC. So any support that you give any candidate is likely to be a liability. So here is an idea Tom. Why don’t you run for Senate in the 22nd and maybe you can get David Dukes to be your campaign manager, or possibly Carl Higbie. I may be mistaken but were you a member of the committee who chose known racist Carl Higbie to be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Republican Lincoln Day Dinner.
Correction-David Duke. I know Tom would be upset if I didn’t make the correction. You know the whole thing of his superior knowledge, experience and awareness.
Golly Joe, you really got your panties in a knot. So, how is your crusade to reform the Republican Party coming along? You are so witty. You should be a comedy writer for Jimmy Kimmel.
I actually was a candidate once and received the complete support of the Bridgeport and Monroe delegates. How about you, Joe? Ever in elected office? Board or commission? Attending the Lincoln Day Dinner?
Tom,
Apparently you find your admitted racism and the racist choice of the BRTC to have known racist Carl Higbie as keynote speaker amusing. It is not! You avoid answering the question of you being involved in that choice. It is my opinion that your political career is well past its expiration date and you were taken out of mothballs to be a racist re-enforcement to the current leadership. And you are doing your best toward that goal. As for my attempt to reform the BRTC I will say my goal is to rid it of the racist leadership. So no great success so far, you are still there for the time being, however I do believe that over time you and the rest of the David Duke admiration society will be pressured to ride off into the sunset for the good of the local party. You like to live in the past. Constantly referring to what you did back when, back before you were an admitted racist. Those days are over, and other than your supporters from the Duke Admiration Society I don’t think you would get any support in the future from the burbs. I don’t flaunt my past accomplishments, but to satisfy your curiosity, I was elected to office and I did serve on a commission.
Sorry Tom I will not be attending the Lincoln Day Dinner. I will not support a racist agenda no matter how you try to disguise it.
Joe, calm down. To answer your question, no, I am not involved in planning for the Lincoln Day Dinner. The speaker, I am told, is a black female. I’m really in trouble now, given I am a misogynist as well as a racist.
Yes, my political career is over. My value to some is my experience in legislative matters and government. I’ve also had experience in dealing with uninformed loud-mouths.
While I am at it…….
‘Local Eyes’ is a legend in his own mind.
His only presence is a website. He lives in a virtual world.
Ron Mackey falls back to the ‘dog whistle’ when he can’t find something to copy and paste.
I don’t hear a dog whistle but your crackerisms are there for all to see.
It’s on a website that I’m outperforming Tom White in Bridgeport and black Rock.
And when it comes to civic pride, it’s on a website that I’m outperforming Tom White when it comes to pro-Bridgeport economic development originating from Boston or New York City. Showtime!
My virtual legend grows while yours has been closed by judicial doors.
In order to paste something one must have knowledge of the subject matter and to show different sources rather than what you do in talking loud and saying nothing. Paste, paste, paste, dog whistle, dog whistle, dog whistle, I rather paste than blow on a dog whistle like you do white.
Tom,
I do not wear panties, and I am not trying to disparage you for doing so, because that would be your reasonable assumption that all other men wear panties. I am calm and I thank you for your unnecessary concern. Would you mind providing the names of those who did approve Higbie as the original choice? We should give credit where credit is do. I know with your superior awareness of all issues that you would have that information. And as always in your closing response you fulfilled your need to deliver an insult, as you always do to anyone who questions your self claimed superiority. You should show us all your great wide appeal and run for office Tom White-Supremacist for Senate you can say “White is not only my name it is my only racial preference” “Only White is right, everyone else is just plain stupid” or they just don’t share your vast knowledge, experience and awareness. Remember Tom, stay calm and ride off into the sunset with your fond memories of how things were back in your day.
* Rich Deecken for State Senator in Connecticut’s 22nd District. *
Tom,
What’s up, where is the list of those fine Republicans who chose Carl Higbie, known racist for their event speaker. Could it be suddenly Mighty Tom Whitey is pretending to be uniformed? Also please explain the change from white racist speaker to black female speaker who also tells blacks and browns how stupid they are. This appears to be a case of same message different messenger. And most of all Tom in all of your response’s not once did you deny your previous comments made during your racist coming out on OIB. Sadly Tom with all your self proclaimed superior intellect, knowledge, experience and awareness you are unable to fool the people of Bridgeport you are what you are and everyone knows it!
To OIB readers:
I prefer to make a contribution of facts or at least an informed opinion with my comments, but I could not resist baiting the ‘three stooges’ into ‘coming off the rails’ trying to respond in their own characteristic way.
I apologize for offending anyone who feels I went too far poking fun at them.
Tom White apologize,
https://youtu.be/msDcShv_r20
Ron,
You hit the nail on the head.
As the biggest stooge, I’ve made the biggest mistakes.
Tom White’s stock is rising and I applaud his latest post.
Tom,
Racism is a cancer that needs to be fought aggressively. You avoid answering questions by writing a diversionary lame self-serving apology. You are the one who labeled yourself as a racist. And your arrogance is the catalyst for the negative remarks people direct toward you. You do share a trait that is common among many racist that you feel that your intellectual level is much higher than most others. You may be intelligent, however you lack common sense. I asked for the names of those responsible for choosing Higbie as an event speaker you shift gears to avoid answering. I will give a description of some of those that I feel are responsible for that decision (I don’t want to use names just in case I may be wrong) you can confirm or deny. The BRTC chairman, the old white lady with the gravelly voice that smells like stale cigarettes, and the thirty something guy who has cultivated the skin head look. Your silence will be a confirmation of those suspects. It is time for you and the BRTC racist round table to ride off into the sunset. There are other organizations that would welcome your views and beliefs. I am proud of who I am and I will continue to fight racism. Please Tom no more lame self-serving apologies
Tom White is not a racist because he doesn’t have the power to enforce is racist ways but he is a bigot.
Ron,
I think we can agree that Tom White is ignorant and repulsive. Most people are aware of what he is. He needs to move back into the woods where he can sit around the still, chewing tobacco, an remembering the good old days before civil rights and equal opportunities. The sad thing is any support White gives to any candidate is a kiss of death, I doubt that any candidate other than the Connecticut Republican that flies the confederate flag on his front lawn would list White as a person that endorsed them.