Bridgeport resident David Walker, Republican candidate for governor, has declared a “non-scientific” post-debate text survey showing former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst winning, with Walker placing fifth, “inappropriate and grossly misleading.” Walker and Herbst, neither bashful in their observations, are not exactly cuddly Republicans in their quest for the GOP nomination, trading sharp elbows on a number of subjects in the course of the underway 2018 campaign for governor.
Walker issued this response in the comments section of the CT Post under this story in which he also lectures debate organizers about the parameters of candidate forum qualification. The Connecticut Republican Party is led by J.R. Romano, a Herbst ally.
The CT GOP’s surprise and non-scientific poll in connection with last week’s GOP Presidential debate was inappropriate and grossly misleading. Only 200 people voted and the results were dramatically different from feedback received from informed and independent debate watchers, including political experts. Such non-scientific individual candidate polls should be discontinued in the future. They are not in the interest of the party or the people. At the same time, the CT GOP should poll people on the overall value of the individual forums, and allow people to provide written comments on the forum and individual candidates, should they so desire. Future forums need to have tougher criteria for participation given the number of people seeking the office of Governor. At this late time in the process, individuals need to be declared candidates who have raised at least $150,000 in qualifying contribution as of 12/31/17 in order to participate in the 1/10 debate. Writing a personal check should not be enough to get on the stage. In addition, more time and attention needs to be focused on the most important challenges facing the state, including taxes and regulation, pension and retiree health care benefits, welfare reform, education, health care, and infrastructure. These topics were not adequately addressed and way too much time was spent on marijuana and casinos in the last debate. Finally, the format needs to facilitate the ability to correct the record live when persons misrepresent their experience and track records. That occurred several times in the first debate. I will be prepared to set the record straight in the next forum if the persons involved do it again.
For his part, Herbst says:
“I am humbled and grateful that debate viewers thought I was the clear winner of the first debate. Our campaign to upend business-as-usual in Hartford by electing a proven reformer and Hartford outsider continues to gain momentum every day. I wouldn’t think it wise for any candidate for governor to dismiss feedback from voters just because they disagree with it. I look forward to using my time at the coming debates discussing my vision for saving our state from the disastrous agenda of Gov. Malloy and his insider allies, leveling with voters about the serious challenges facing Connecticut and discussing, in detail, what I intend to do to tackle them.”
Herbst and Walker are vying in a large GOP field that also includes Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, both of whom did not show for the forum streamed by FOX 61 and the State GOP Facebook page.
Forums, fundraising and appeals to party delegates in advance of the May endorsement session are all well underway. A party primary looms next August.
I did not even know know that there was a GOP debate.
IMHO…J.R. Romano is supporting Herbst.
What a joke, these clowns want to be the governor, omg, please. David Walker placed 5th out of 7 candidates and he’s bitching about something that nobody knows about or cares about.
Debate isn’t on YouTube.
I’d rank it Walker, Obstinick, Herbst.
Herbst has a little bit of the worst parts of Chris Christie’s in him.
Is on YouTube, phone autocorrected to isn’t.
Until any of these candidates come out with a plan on how they’re gonna fix the state, being in revenue, attract companies to drastically improve the economic climate (and not one of these yahoo’s has yet) I don’t give on flying F. Let’s here some ideas rather than a littany of complaints. Complaining isn’t gonna win you a vote.
Yup, it’s frustrating for voters when no specific actions are put forth. The reality is, until an elected official is in office and has complete access to every government moving part, it’s difficult to make campaign promises that are specific. First identity the problem and bring it to voters attention. That’s certainly been accomplished. Next, be specific about the path, plan or steps to discover how to restructure the state finances. Researching how Daniels did this in Indiana, it was a 1 years process of discovery and restructuring services, including every department identifying their mission, discovery of duel delivery of services and consolidation of those departments, structuring employee goals and measurements in place with merit based pay, for just a few examples. Wait time at DMV when Daniels elected, hours, much like CT. Now, 10 minute wait time. Daniels plan, one implemented, eliminated Indiana debt, improved both taxpayers and government employees satisfaction, and gave Indiana their AAA bond rating, The only candidate to have accomplished the same thing in a government department is Dave Walker as the 10 year Comptroller General of the US. It’s not going to be easy to restructure CT into solvency, it’s not going to happen quickly. It’s great to see so many people in CT paying attention and undstanding there is not one answer or solution to solving the problems.
Dave Walker is clearly the most qualified. As Lennie reminds us, will he have the money, message and …….. ?
Here are some of the reasons that David Walker and any other Republican candidate for governor in Connecticut in 2018 will not win.
New Haven Independent
Can Primary Voters Handle Handler?
by Paul Bass | Dec 8, 2017 12:31 pm
Twenty-two Republicans have already entered the 2018 gubernatorial race. And 2018 hasn’t even started yet. Eleven have already demonstrated “significant” funding to run campaigns, noted state GOP Chair J.R. Romano.
Some of the candidates are pitching directly to Trump voters on issues like immigration (Danbury’s Mark Boughton, for instance) At a gubernatorial candidate debate this week, Tim Herbst of Trumbull struck Trumpian notes by calling for a return to capital punishment and a reversal of criminal-justice reform policies that have enjoyed bipartisan support in other states. He and another candidate, Peter Lumaj, staked out anti-gun control positions including opposition to bipartisan measures passed in response to the Sandy Hook massacre.
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/mike_handler/#.WjE_87nxvBo.email
Ron Mackey..there is one problem. Democrats don’t have a credible,well recognized named in the race. Ganim’s negatives go through the roof. As far as Democrats,right now the only person with any decent name recognition is Ned Lamont….for better or worse.