By a truly decisive margin, the Connecticut Democratic Party endorsed Chris Murphy's campaign for the United States Senate. In a vote of delegates from Connecticut's 169 cities and towns, Chris won 1378 votes - about 76% of all those assembled. Racking up unanimous support from small towns like Salisbury and big cities like West Hartford, Chris also received overwhelming support from cities like New Haven, where he wont 73 of the city's 83 delegates.
While Chris spoke of his desire to fight for Democratic principles in the United States Senate, and the need to beat back the Republican effort to give tax breaks to the ultrarich and cut women's access to adequate health care, he spent the most of his nomination acceptance speech talking about what has defined every one of his campaigns. Starting with his campaign against a 14-term incumbent State Representative to his 2006 campaign against Republican Nancy Johnson, Chris has never backed down from a tough fight, and has always been able to win.
In describing his secret weapon, the thing that allowed him to win in every election he's had, Chris pointed to the people in the convention hall today - "I need your help - we are going to be outspent. I need you to go out, knock doors, and talk to friends. Because at the end of the day, it's not the number of ads on TV that's going to win this election - it's going to come down to boots on the ground."
Today, Chris welcomed Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra and the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus to Team Murphy. Joined by Mayor Segarra and Chairman of the CHDC Tomas Reyes, Chris called today "one of the most important days of this election."
In announcing the endorsement, Reyes said, "We know he's not just talking the talk - he's got a track record he can speak from, unlike a lot of the other candidates."
Chris was excited about the endorsement, which came just days after the CHDC debate (link to blog entry), and noted that, "no matter how badly outspent we are, I'm glad to have the voice of the CHDC behind me". He went on to remark that if anyone had any doubts about the strength of the caucus, all they needed to do was go talk to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor down the street.
Any day is great when Team Murphy grows, but there was definitely an added excitement around here today from this endorsement - having the support of the CHDC continue to give us the momentum we need to win!
Yesterday, Chris spent the day crossing the state to meet with delegates to this week's Democratic Convention.
In New Haven, Chris got the chance to meet delegates from the third Congressional District - including North Haven, Wallingford, Durham, and New Haven. He was introduced by New Haven's new Democratic Committee Chairwoman, Jackie James who also voiced her support for Chris' campaign.
In the evening, Chris travelled to Stamford, where he was joined at a meeting with their DTC by one of the newest members of Team Murphy, State Rep. William Tong. William introduced Chris to Stamford's delegates before Chris spoke and took questions on everything from taxes to social security reform. Chris also took the opportunity to invite the fifty or so members of the city's party leadership to keep in touch with him so he can continue to be involved locally in Stamford. As Chris said, "I want to know what issues you care about, and the best way I can do that is for you to tell me what's going on in town, and invite me into your homes to talk."
Below are some photos from the event - check back to see if we'll be hosting any events in your neighborhood!
Today, Chris got the chance to talk about what he would do as senator to help create new opportunities for Connecticut's Latinos. At the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus, Chris answered questions on everything from educational equality to immigration reform.
Chris spoke about how education was what allowed him, "one generation from poverty," to be a candidate for United States Senate. Chris hopes to ensure that all children, whether in Connecticut's largest cities or smallest town, have the same access to a good education.
Chris also had the chance to discuss his proven record on immigration issues. About the DREAM Act, Chris said, "Even though we knew that the United States Senate wouldn't pass it, we felt that it was important for the House of Representatives to show its support - and that's why I was proud to vote for it. That's why we need experienced legislators in the Senate who can fight for its passage."
Below are some pictures from the debate - we'll be posting video in the next few days, so check back soon!
Yesterday was another big day for Team Murphy. With Haddam and Morris, Chris has now been endorsed by 66 Democratic Town Committees from every corner of Connecticut.
Last night, Chris was also endorsed by Ed Morris, chairman of the East Lyme Democratic Town Committee, and a Committeeman for the 20th Senatorial District. Below is a video of his speech - we're excited to have him on board!
For more videos from todays event, please visit our YouTube channel.
Today was a big day for Team Murphy, as a trio of big endorsements were added to thousands of grassroots supporters from around the state.
Governor Dan Malloy and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman - the first democratic administration in nearly twenty years - voiced their strong support for Chris.
"I've made a decision to support my friend Chris Murphy, who is an outstanding public servant in his own right," said Malloy. "He has all of the skill set necessary to continue to be an effective member of our representatives in Washington. I hear frequently how often Chris is willing to argue the case for the people of Connecticut."
"I am glad to be able to throw my support to Chris Murphy today," said Wyman. "I know Chris' voice will be strong and loud for the people of this state."
Both Malloy and Wyman praised State Representative William Tong, who today ended his candidacy for the US Senate and endorsed Chris.
"Today, I am proud to announce that Team Tong is merging with Team Murphy. Chris and I see our future from a very similar perspective. We have the same priorities. What we're fighting for is the same opportunity that not only that our parents have had, but Chris and I have had. That's why I'm endorsing Chris."
Malloy also took time to encourage delegates to the Democratic Convention this month to support Chris Murphy as the best candidate to win in November.
"I think this race is going to be tough, and we should all get behind a candidate, and Congressman Murphy has one hell of a proven track record of pulling off tough election after tough election after tough election. I'd hope the delegates would get behind Congressman Murphy."
This morning, Chris attended two rallies at the State Capitol in Hartford to support the rights of Connecticut's women and workers.
At the Unite Connecticut Women rally, Chris spoke with the women and men of all ages who are fighting every day to protect the reproductive health rights of women in Connecticut and around the country. From the National Organization for Women to Planned Parenthood, these organizations are helping to ensure that all women have access to the healthcare services they need.
After, Chris attended the AFL-CIO's Worker's Memorial Day rally, along with Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Comptroller Kevin Lembo. Chris spoke about the important role Connecticut's workers have played in building our state - and the need to ensure that our Unions can continue to fight for our workers.
In the last 7 days of March alone, over 1,000 people stepped up to make donations to our campaign, making the first quarter of 2012 our most successful fundraising period to date.
Here are some of the unbelievable numbers we released to the press today regarding our first quarter fundraising:
* 3,106 individual contributions -- twice as many contributors as any previous quarter * 86% of individual contributions were $250 or less * Over $850,000 total raised in January, February, and March
At this point in the campaign, we've received the support of over 14,000 donors and personal endorsers from Connecticut. That's a stunning number for this early in the campaign.
And I have you to thank for helping to build this early strength.
To see what you've built, take a look at this infographic we put together that illustrates our first quarter fundraising success.
An email that just went out from Campaign Manager, Kenny Curran.
Team Murphy -
We've had more individual contributors to our campaign than any other candidate running for Connecticut's U.S. Senate seat in every single quarter.
But last quarter, for the first time, it was actually close.
Contributions to Team Murphy from October to December 2011: 1,149 Contributions reported by Linda McMahon from October to December 2011: 1,085
McMahon has already put her millions to work, blanketing the internet with ads to build lists of potential donors. If we're going to make it five-for-five, we need your support right now.
Can you help us demonstrate a broad grassroots support for our campaign by contributing $25 right now?
While we are the only campaign to lead every potential Republican challenger in the polls, the truth is that this race will probably be very close.
We've built the foundation for victory, but with debates underway, the convention in May, and a robust field program kicking off right around the corner, it's time to start putting the operation to work.
Your support before the critical March 31st fundraising deadline will ensure we have the resources to do that.
Concerned citizens packed a community room at the Uniterian Church in Westport on Saturday to hear U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy speak about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that many attendees feel will quash the public's influence in federal elections.
Murphy, D-5, did little to quell the public's concerns about corporate political influence when he addressed "the disaster that has been wrought by Citizens United" and the possible remedies for the controversial Supreme Court decision at the Unitarian Church.
"If we let this go on much longer, we may never get it back," he said.
Campaigns can be fairly opaque to those who only see the candidates in half-hour blasts as they bounce from one event to the next. So I thought it would be useful to give a "Day in the Life" account of a recent, action-packed day on my Senate campaign. What follows is a very long, very detailed, behind-the-scenes account of Sunday, January 22, on the campaign trail.
9:00 a.m. "Good morning, church!"
Rob's volunteered to drive me today, and he picks me up in Cheshire at 9am. The day starts with church in New Haven. I'm scheduled to stop by three different services at churches on Dixwell Avenue in New Haven. These aren't campaign stops. Though African-American churches normally open their doors to candidates come election time, I don't want to wait until campaign season to develop these relationships. So I'm making three short visits to introduce myself to church leaders and their congregations. The energy in all three churches this morning is phenomenal. The enthusiasm is contagious, and I greet each congregation with a loud and friendly, "Good morning, church!" when it's my turn to stand up and speak. I talk for a few minutes (and even elicit a few "Amens" along the way), and stay long enough at each service to hear some wonderful gospel music. There's no better way to start a Sunday morning.
11:30 a.m. "I am neither Italian nor a woman"
Next stop is the National Organization of Italian American Women's award ceremony in New Haven. Rosa DeLauro is emceeing, and she is in her element. She rocks it. Unfortunately, I show up just after breakfast is served. Rats. I am HUNGRY. Campaigning can be cruel on the stomach--there's food at almost every event, but there's never time to eat. I crunch the ice from my water cup as Senator Blumenthal gets up on the stage. He opens by noting that he is neither Italian nor a woman. Laughs. Democratic chairwoman Nancy DiNardo is getting an award, but I have to bolt before she gets recognized. When Dick gets up to leave, I use him as cover, whisper congratulations to Nancy, and head out the back door.
1:00 p.m. "Half of the Board of Alderman is here!!"
I have to rush out of that event because my next stop is Rosa's house, and she is clearly not going to be there on time. This is the signature event of the day - a fundraiser hosted by Rosa and her husband Stan Greenberg that is doubling as a launch party to announce some of our supporters in New Haven. The event isn't fifteen minutes old yet and the place is PACKED. Sixteen of the 30 new Alderman are there (many of them giving me their endorsement), four members of the state legislative delegation, and even the Mayor himself (he's not endorsing, but came by to listen). The buzz is awesome, and after State Senator Marty Looney and State Representatives Toni Walker, Gary Holder-Winfield, and Roland Lemar offer their endorsements, I get up to say a few words. The event is running long so I keep it short, say a few quick goodbyes, and head out the door.
3:00 p.m. "I Know You!"
It's about a twenty minute drive to the home of David and Senator Gayle Slossberg, where I'm due to receive the endorsement of my good friend Gayle, along with the new Mayor of Milford Ben Blake, and veteran Woodbridge First Selectman Ed Sheehey. Again, the event is packed. Gayle did an awesome job bringing in some important people from Milford, Orange, West Haven, and Woodbridge. Since I'm in Washington so much, I can't get around to all the official Democratic Town Committee meetings that take place during the week, so these meet-and-greets are a key way for me to connect with influential local Democrats. As I'm getting ready to speak, a guy my age introduces himself to me and says we went to Boys State (a high school mock government program) together. "I know you!" I exclaim. Jim Maroney had been elected Governor of that particular Boys State, and I remember being totally envious. I haven't seen him in twenty years, and he just got elected to the Milford Board of Education!
5:00 p.m. "I'm Not Resigning"
It's a miracle we're still running on time. This is a crazy day. Two members of my political staff, Sean Scanlon and Kenny Curran, have been running from event to event to advance each one, trying to stay a few minutes ahead of Rob and I. So far, it's working brilliantly. The 5:00 event is a party in Hamden put together by Mayor Scott Jackson, an old friend, and the Hamden Democratic Chairman, Joe McDonagh. There's been some intrigue surrounding this event, after McDonagh sent out a press release teasing the event as "a major announcement" from Mayor Jackson. Scott is one of the most capable, talented Mayors in the state, and there's always a rumor around that he's going to get scooped up to take a major state or federal appointment. Much to the gossipmongers' chagrin, the only news was Jackson's endorsement of me. He gave a rousing, inspiring speech, prompting me to begin my remarks by introducing a new campaign rule to my staff: "This is the last time I'm following Scott Jackson on a speaking program." After I spend a few minutes talking with my good friends of the state legislature, Peter Villano and Brendan Sharkey, who are there to support me, I grab a slice of pepperoni and cheese bread and scurry out the door.
7:30 p.m. "Umpawaug Road does not sound like it's right off the highway"
Last stop: Redding! As we leave, Rob notes that the address sounds like we'll be traveling on a few classic Connecticut back roads. I've been meaning to get to see the Redding Democratic Town Committee for months, but it just never works out. Turns out that they are having a fundraiser tonight, and they are willing to convene a short meeting afterward to hear from me. As we make the drive from Hamden, I shut down my blackberry. The Giants-49ers game starts at 6:30, and I'm determined to block out any news so I can watch it on DVR when I get home. (As a huge sports fan, I've gotten pretty good at "going dark" like this over the years so I can watch the games unspoiled.) There's still a good crowd left when I arrive, and my speech seems to really connect. I get a fantastic response, the most exciting coming from Mary Ann Guitar, the matriarch of the Redding Democrats. She's been supporting me from the beginning of the Senate campaign, but we've actually never met. "You're alright!" she exclaims at the end of my remarks. It turns out that today is actually her 90th birthday, so we sing and blow out candles on a cake. She's looking great at 90!
11:30 p.m. "Sssshhhhhhhhhh"
I get home by 10:30. 8 events and countless major endorsements in 13 hours. Not bad. As I walk in the door, my wife Cathy hands me our 2-month-old baby. I couldn't do this without her, and she deserves to be able to head to bed after being with the kids all day. I sit down on the couch, turn on the game, and start the process of "shushing" Rider to sleep. He sleeps on and off on my chest for the next hour and a half as I "speed-watch" the NFC Championship game. At around 12:30, the game ends (Giants win!!) at almost the exact time Rider awakes ready for a feeding. I wake up Cathy (who got a whole hour of sleep!), and crawl into bed.
CWA President Bill Henderson took a moment to explain why he's on Team Murphy and discuss how fired up the union is to help elect Chris to the U.S. Senate.
At the last fundraising deadline, we shared a map highlighting the volume of individual contributors to our campaign since its launch in January.
Every pin on the map represented a unique individual with their own personal reason for contributing to Chris Murphy's campaign.
Some cite Chris's "Buy American" work to create good jobs at home, others appreciate his consistent voice and vote to end the wars abroad. Opposing the Patriot Act, standing up for transparency on the Supreme Court and his recent fight against religious discrimination are a few others.
But there was one pin missing in your town ...
Yours.
The final fundraising deadline of the year comes to a close next week. Make a contribution of $10 right now and add your name to the map:
Last week, Lowe's Home Improvement, a Fortune 100 company, pulled its ads from the new cable reality show, All-American Muslim, under pressure from a radical anti-Muslim group that claims the show unfairly portrays American Muslims in a favorable light. The group, based in Florida, says that Muslim-Americans' true aim is to destroy America, and any show that ignores this fact should be forced off the air.
This is outlandish bigotry, pure and simple. But it builds on a growing anti-Muslim bias that simmers just below the surface of public acceptability. And Lowe's, by pulling their ads from a perfectly benign show about Muslim-Americans, elevates and endorses this strengthening prejudice.
So I decided to do something about it. Yesterday morning, I went to the floor of the House of Representatives to call out Lowe's association with base bigotry. Then I spent the rest of the day collecting signatures of Members of Congress to a letter calling on Lowe's to reconsider their decision to pull their ads.
Join me and send a letter to Lowe's sharing your thoughts about their decision to pull their ads from All-American Muslim.
I've made my voice count on this issue. America was founded on the principle of religious freedom, and I just cannot stand by silent as a major American company endorses this kind of bigotry against a major American religious group.
Why sign-up to receive mobile alerts from the team?
When we received the Connecticut Fire Fighters endorsement, supporters found out about it via a mobile alert on their cell phones.
When a Daily Kos/SEIU poll came out showing our campaign had the highest approval ratings of any Democratic candidate and was in the best position to defeat all potential Republican rivals next November, we shared the news first via text message.
Signing up to receive text messages from our campaign is one the best ways to stay in touch with what Chris is up to on the trail.
There are two ways to do it:
1.) Take out your cell phone and text the word CHRIS to 228466
As we move into the next phase of the campaign, we'll use text messaging to provide you with meaningful opportunities to participate in addition to sharing breaking news.
You can also rest easy knowing we'll never abuse the privilege of being able to send you messages directly to your cell phone. Only the most important alerts from the campaign will find their way to you.
Our grassroots fundraising program is one of the most important responsibilities you can accept as part of Team Murphy.
Creating your page and recruiting new, first-time small dollar contributors to the campaign is our best chance to fight back against McMahon's millions.
So far, dozens of people have signed up as grassroots fundraisers pledging to raise an average of just over $350 each. As those numbers grow, you can begin to see the potential power of the program.
I just wanted to write a quick note about the great day I had yesterday in southeastern Connecticut with my good friend and colleague Representative Joe Courtney.
As I build this campaign for Senate, I'm placing a emphasis on getting to know the people, businesses, and priorities of eastern Connecticut. I'm honored to have Joe Courtney's support in this race, and I'm leaning on him to show me the ropes east of the river so that if I'm lucky enough to become Connecticut's Senator, I can hit the ground running.
Yesterday, Joe and I made three stops in southeast Connecticut. We spent the morning at the Groton Sub Base, meeting with the base's leadership and discussing strategy to keep the base in Groton for the long term. We saw the amazing work happening at the submarine school, toured the USS Pittsburgh as it readied to head out to sea after Christmas, and had a long lunch with Admiral Brekenridge where we discussed the importance of maintaining a strong submarine fleet in the military arsenal.
From Groton we travelled to Pawcatuck for a tour of Davis-Standard, one of the region's leading manufacturers. Like the 5th District, manufacturing is a critical part of the economy of eastern Connecticut. As we walked through the factory and chatted with some of the 350+ employees, I heard a familiar refraign - energy costs are too high, and foreign competition in increasing. But Davis-Standard is still doing well, and Joe and I committed to do everything we could to keep them growing.
Our last stop was another great southeastern Connecticut small business - the Cottrell Brewery. Since 1996, Cottrell has been brewing Old Yankee Ale and four newer microbrews. Their sales are increasing, and the small, dedicated staff are eager to join with other Connecticut breweries to market our state's growing array of craft beers. Over a few samples, we talked a little local football as I became acquainted with the passionate local Thanksgiving rivalry of Stonington-Westerly.
This wasn't my first trip through eastern Connecticut, and it certainly won't be my last. As a lifelong Connecticut resident, I know a lot about every region of the state, but there's no better guide in eastern Connecticut than Joe Courtney. We had a great day yesterday, and it just whetted my appetite to come back for more.
If you have any ideas of places for me to stop by in your neck of the woods, please shoot me an email at chris@chrismurphy.com.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and keep in touch.
My name is Sean Scanlon and I am the Field Director here on Team Murphy. As we head into the new year, we're looking for interns to join our growing grassroots effort next spring and summer to elect Chris Murphy the next United States Senator from Connecticut.
This is an exciting time to get involved in a campaign. While the election may seem far away, the first steps of the process are right around the corner. In May, Democrats from all over Connecticut will gather at the Democratic Convention in Hartford to select the party's official nominee. Interns joining Team Murphy for the spring semester will play a pivotal role in helping to organize our convention efforts so that we can make sure Chris is the endorsed candidate of the Connecticut Democratic Primary.
However, the convention is just the first step of the process. Next August, Connecticut Democrats will likely go to the polls to vote in the Democratic primary for Senate. Interns joining Team Murphy for the summer will get hands-on organizing experience helping our field team spread the word about Chris and Get Out The Vote (GOTV).
If you're looking for a fast-paced, hands-on internship on a surging grassroots campaign for U.S. Senate, please take a moment and fill out some information at the link below and then upload a copy of your resume and cover letter. Once we have received your information, we'll be in touch shortly.
