Firebrand Politics–Meet Steve Obsitnik, GOP Candidate For Governor

Naval veteran and entrepreneur Steve Obsitnik surprised political observers when he receive enough delegate support at the Republican convention to qualify for an August  gubernatorial primary against party endorsed Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst who came in second in the delegate sweepstakes. In 2012, Obsitnik was the Republican nominee for congress against Democratic incumbent Jim Himes. As he tells Mark Davis of WTNH, he wants to “put out this fire.”

51-year-old Steve Obsitnik of Westport came in third at last month’s convention garnering 18 percent of the delegates on the second ballot surprising many that he easily qualified for the August primary.

A graduate of the U.S, Naval Academy, he helped develop the technology known  to almost everyone now as “Siri” and recently sold the smart antenna company called “Quintel.” A former nuclear submarine officer he says his only interest is in straightening out the ship of state saying, “I do not want to be your U.S. Senator or U.S. Congressman. I want to run into this fire, put out this fire and then I go home and I do something else with my life.”

He doesn’t buy frontrunner Mark Boughton’s plan to phase out the ‘Income Tax’ and lumps him together with former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst as career politicians trying to climb the political ladder adding, “For forty years, since I graduated from high school, actually since I graduated from college, we’ve been going down a road to ruin in Connecticut and that road has been led by career politicians.”

For more see here.

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19 comments

  1. Republican candidate for governor Steve Obsitnik made a very interesting comment that I agree with, Obsitnik said that “retired state employees will get the pensions and benefits they’ve been promised, that any changes will only affect new employees.”

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  2. “…A graduate of the U.S, Naval Academy, he helped develop the technology known to almost everyone now as “Siri” and recently sold the smart antenna company called “Quintel.”… A former nuclear submarine officer he says his only interest is in straightening out the ship of state saying, ‘I do not want to be your U.S. Senator or U.S. Congressman. I want to run into this fire, put out this fire and then I go home and I do something else with my life.'”

    One can’t argue that this guy is a tech wiz and smart businessman, but to hear someone — anyone — use “putting out a fire” metaphors for fixing large, governmental/socioeconomic entities, such as states, with constantly-evolving, moving parts that have been deliberately mangled and mis-positioned over decades (e.g., the abolition of county government and its effects…), puts the electorate on notice that there is some cluelessness and delusional thinking going on…
    When he implies that he is going to accomplish his “fireman’s” mission in some kind of hurry — after he says that he has been watching a slow-motion train-wreck occurring over 40 years, since he graduated from the Naval Academy (at 11?! — he’s 51…) — a voter has to wonder if they can take this guy seriously… It sounds like Donald Trump’s claims of getting into office and wheeling and dealing for a few months and getting the whole world straightened out… Yeah! And that’s what we’re seeing now from our President… Looks like we’ll see about the same from Mr. Obsitnik, should he win election — albeit without the viciousness and intrigue…

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  3. Jeff and Jennifer I agree with your ascertain that if it waddles and quacks it’s a duck. He talks about changing the tax plan to make it more pleasing for economic growth, but no explanation on how this will be done and or who or pays for this change. Isn’t that what 45 did?

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    1. Lennie, seriously, Owen is what has been decribe by the government as a real “Russian troll” who only blogs about race and pushing racist comments all the time. Those on OIB know who Don and myself are but does anyone know who Owen is? Lennie, trust me this guy has cross the line.

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        1. Regarding the interest in running into burning buildings? Most people are afraid to do that, right? And reasonably so. What separates firefighters from this human tendency? Training! Equipment! Knowing how to do your job and complete it because everyone else on the team is trained so that the entire exercise is as safe as possible.

          And that, sports fans, is at least one of the background issues that separate police officers from fire officers. Firefighters spend lots of time as a team, and training as a team. So if a political candidate will show the courage of a firefighter knowing from where it comes, play on….What is the changed management team plan? Who is trained to practice it? How does the public see the difference, early and often? Time will tell.

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    1. The Republican Party in Connecticut has twice shown that Dave Walker is not what Republicans are looking for a leader not Democrats but Republicans. The issue a challenge for Republicans because they have a primary first then the election in November and challenge will be how to get Democrats and Independents to vote Republican and the problem will be that candidate position with 45.

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  4. What’s troubling from the Republicans is that during the recent debates everyone of those that attended, without exception said they want 45 to come to Connecticut to help them during this election cycle. Every single one! What this says is fuck the Black vote and we don’t need nor want you. Typical Republican?

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