News
May 12 2012
MURPHY WINS DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION BY 3 to 1 MARGIN
Becomes Democratic Nominee with 76% of vote at State Convention
NEW BRITAIN—Chris Murphy won an overwhelming majority of delegate votes today at the Democratic State Convention, winning 1,378 out of 1,842 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination for the United State Senate.
“The foundation of our message on this campaign is that nothing is impossible if we set our minds to it. I know this because almost every fight I’ve taken on in my 15 years of public service involved the conventional wisdom telling me it couldn’t be done, but we proved them wrong,” said Murphy. “It’s been a long time since a statewide convention delivered this kind of resounding margin, and it came today from every corner of the state, from every congressional district, from cities, from suburbs, from small towns. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you.”
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May 01 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
CONTACTS
Kenny Curran (Murphy) 860-257-4300
Marc Bradley (Tong) 203-807-4583
MALLOY, WYMAN, TONG ENDORSE MURPHY FOR U.S. SENATE
Governor Malloy calls on Democratic Party to unite behind Chris Murphy;
Tong ends candidacy for Senate
HARTFORD--In a blockbuster announcement Tuesday, Governor Dannel Malloy, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, and State Representative William Tong joined together to endorse Congressman Chris Murphy's candidacy for the open United States Senate seat in Connecticut. Tong announced that he is ending his bid for the U.S. Senate.
"I want to congratulate William on a well run campaign," said Governor Malloy. "His positive message and personal story struck a chord with many people and I have no doubt that he'll find success in whatever he sets his mind to next. But now, it's time for us as a party to get behind the best candidate in this race, and I have no doubt that that person is Chris Murphy. He's smart, he gets things done and he's not afraid to stand up to the status quo in Washington. That's what we need in our next Senator, and I'm happy to put my support behind his candidacy. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to rally around Chris as we head into the nominating convention."
"It is always good and sad when two very qualified people run for the same office," said Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman. "William Tong is a newer face to politics and a leader in his own right. Over the past few years I have become a friend and am proud of his abilities. William is a true leader and we will be seeing him in the future. I am proud to add my name to the endorsement of Chris Murphy, who has a proven record in the State House, State Senate and as our 5th Congressional Representative to be our next US Senator. Chris is a caring and hard working leader. Thank you William and Chris for putting the people of Connecticut first."
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April 23 2012
For the original article, please visit the Register Citizen.
TORRINGTON — Congressman Chris Murphy, D-5, hosted an interactive workshop Saturday for locals at Torrington High School, giving them a bird’s eye view into the world of a legislator — from a fiscal standpoint, that is.
The workshop walked participants through outlines of adjusting general governmental spending, options of funding homeland security and national defense, changes in health care and social security and options for cutting taxes and raising revenue.
Participants’ own version of a federal budget allowed them to sit in groups and feel like elected officials, such as Murphy.
“There’s plenty of blame to go around,” Murphy said of leaders in Washington, responding to concerns that have been raised about government spending. He encouraged people to view Saturday’s event as a learning experience.
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April 17 2012
For the original article, please visit Brian Lockhart's blog on CTNews.com.
Democratic U.S. Rep./U.S. Senate candidate Chris Murphy’s announcement today he will release his tax returns Wednesday is clearly an effort to pressure possible (likely?) GOP opponent Linda McMahon to reveal hers as well.
As was the case in 2010, Democrats are trying to portray the wealthy McMahon – of the WWE McMahons – as out-of-touch with the common voter and expect the returns will provide some ammo.
But it will be interesting to see the returns of the other Republican and Democratic candidates vying for the job as well.
Murphy’s announcement:
Murphy to Release 2011 Tax Return, Calls on Other Senate Candidates to Do the Same
ROCKY HILL—This week, Chris Murphy will make his 2011 tax returns available to the press. Murphy is calling on all of the candidates for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut to release their own 2011 tax returns.
“I’m releasing my tax return this week, and I think it’s important for all the other Senate candidates to do the same thing,” said Murphy. “Over the next few years, the Senate is going to be making big decisions about simplifying the tax code and asking the wealthiest taxpayers to pay their fair share. With these hard choices ahead of us, Senate candidates’ finances should be totally transparent so that voters can decide whether a candidate’s position on taxes is in the public interest or just their private interest.”
Interested reporters should contact Murphy’s campaign headquarters on Wednesday, April 18th for a copy of Murphy’s 2011 tax return.
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April 11 2012
ROCKY HILL - Chris Murphy's campaign for U.S. Senate raised over $855,000 in the first fundraising quarter of 2012, bringing the campaign's fundraising total to over $4.24 million. Murphy will report nearly $3 million cash on hand.
"Our fundraising lead has always been propelled by the unmatched breadth of our donor community. We had 3,000 contributions in the first quarter of the year, with an amazing surge of 1,000 contributors who answered our call in the final week of March," said Murphy. "That's the kind of base of enthusiastic support that wins elections." Read More »
April 06 2012
For the original article, please click here.
NEW BRITAIN — U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy announced new legislation Thursday that will provide federal grants to manufacturers for energy efficiency upgrades.
The legislation, which the Fifth District congressman from Cheshire authored and is a sponsor of, is modeled after the grants-in-lieu-of-tax credits program funded in the 2009 Recovery Act that provided a cash grant instead of a tax write-off for renewable energy investments.
Murphy announced the legislation at Peter Paul Electronics in New Britain.
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April 05 2012
HARTFORD –The State Council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today announced their endorsement of Chris Murphy to be Connecticut’s next United States Senator. Comprising six affiliated local unions representing more than 55,000 workers and retirees, SEIU is Connecticut’s largest union. Read More »
April 03 2012
For the original article, please visit CT News Junkie
Speaking to a room full of students at the state Capitol, U.S. Reps. Joseph Courtney and Chris Murphy touted a bill that would extend a 3.4 percent interest rate cut for the Stafford Loan program for at least a year.
Courtney, who introduced a bill that would extend the interest rate cuts for another year, said that Congress has 88 days to pass it, otherwise the interest rate will rise to 6.8 percent. The new rate would only apply to students who receive loans after July 1, the sunset date of the provision.
An increase in the cost of higher education has impacted the U.S. economy and hampered the country’s ability to innovate, Courtney and Murphy told the group of students that included about 30 from a Suffield High School and 10 from the University of Connecticut.
Murphy, who along with his wife Cathy Holahan used the Stafford Loan Program to pay for college, said that over the last five years the U.S. has dropped from No. 1 to No. 6 in terms of the number of 25-year-old residents who possess a college degree.
The reason, Murphy said, is that students are putting off school until they can afford it because of the rising cost. Since the year 2000, he said, tuition at state universities in Connecticut has increased by almost 100 percent. Meanwhile, Murphy said, family budgets have remained stagnant.
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March 22 2012
For the full article, please visit the Southbury Patch.
The Southbury Democratic Town Committee held a meeting earlier this week to decide which candidates to support for the open seats in the 5th U.S. Congressional District and the U.S. Senate.
The DTC announced Wednesday they have endorsed Dan Roberti for U.S. Congress and U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (D-5) for U.S. Senate.
Newly elected Town Chairwoman, Meghan Forgione stated that she felt Murphy posses the skills to support Southbury and the region as a whole.
"Chris Murphy is the strongest candidate running for U.S. Senate, he has never let his constituents down while representing the 5th District and has proven that there is no substitute for hard work when it comes to leadership,” said Forgione. “The DTC is confident in his ability to represent and provide a powerful voice in Washington for the people of Connecticut."
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March 14 2012
For the original article, please visit the Hartford Courant.
Rep. John Larson, D-1st District and Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District, said Wednesday they support a bill that would penalize oil companies who buy oil leases on federal lands without producing oil.
Oil companies can lease potential oil reserves on federal land whether or not they produce oil. But some companies lease the land to count more oil reserves on their balance sheets. Others buy drilling leases to prevent competitors from producing oil on those acres, the two lawmakers said in a joint statement.
Oil companies are making record profits, while Connecticut families suffer at the pump, Larson and Murphy said at a news conference Wednesday morning in front of the Legislative Office Building.
"The United States is producing record amounts of oil — for the first time since 1949, the United States is producing at home more than half the amount of oil it uses — yet gas prices have recently spiked. This spike is in part caused by speculation," the statement continued.
"At a time when as a nation we are producing more and using less oil, there's no rational reason why the price of gas should be rising at the rate we have seen," Larson said.
"There is a very limited number of things the government can do to control the international price of oil," Murphy said. "What we can do is crack down on excessive speculation in our oil markets that adds roughly 56 extra cents to a gallon of gas and we can make sure that oil companies who lease federal lands actual use that land to increase the supply of American oil."
In response, Steve Guveyan, executive director of the Connecticut Petroleum Council, said "oil prices today largely reflect actual supply and demand, not speculation." The council represents major oil companies.
"In many cases, so-called 'idle leases' are not idle at all. They are undergoing geologic evaluation, seismic testing…or are otherwise in development. Some leases do not contain oil or natural gas in commercial quantities," Guveyan added. Read More »
March 01 2012
Council for a Livable World Endorses Chris Murphy
Non-partisan group cites Murphy's foreign policy approach, leadership
ROCKY HILL--Council for a Livable World (CLW) today announced their endorsement of Chris Murphy's campaign for United States Senate. CLW is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the danger of nuclear weapons and increasing national security.
"Chris Murphy is a very conscientious and forward-looking legislator who will have an immediate and positive impact in the U.S. Senate," said John Isaacs, executive director of Council for a Livable World.
"One of the main reasons I decided to run for Congress in 2006 was that I believe so strongly that our country needed a more rational, responsible approach to dealing with threats around the world, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Murphy. "The work that CLW does to advocate for sensible national security policies that focus on diplomacy in addition to traditional military means is especially critical in the post-Cold War 21st century. I'm honored to receive their endorsement and I hope to work closely with them in the U.S. Senate."
Council for a Livable World was founded in 1962 by nuclear physicist Leo Szilard and other scientists who pioneered the development of atomic weapons and immediately became concerned about their use and spread. Their mission is to advocate for sensible national security policies and to help elect congressional candidates who support them. They believe that security in the 21st century requires not just the exercise of military might, but the active use of diplomacy to solve emerging security threats.
Since announcing his candidacy, Murphy has built a strong grassroots campaign that continues to grow and gather momentum. He has received the endorsement of the Working Families Party, the Connecticut Education Association, Connecticut Fire Fighters, United Auto Workers, Connecticut Laborers, the Connecticut State Building and Construction Trades Council, the League of Conservation Voters, the Communications Workers of America, Connecticut's entire Congressional House delegation, Attorney General George Jepsen, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, dozens of state Senators and state Representatives and over 7,000 Democratic and progressive activists from all across Connecticut.
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February 24 2012
For the original article, please visit the Hartford Courant.
MANSFIELD — On the issues, there is not a lot of ideological distance between Susan Bysiewicz, Chris Murphy and William Tong. All three are mainstream Democrats who emphasize middle class values and pledge to help rebuild the nation's economy.
But at a candidates forum Thursday night, each presented a different image to voters.
Bysiewicz, the former secretary of the state, portrayed herself as a populist, a scrappy fighter, unafraid to do battle with special interests to get the job done. "I want to go to Washington to stand up to Wall Street interests that have caused a financial collapse in this country,'' Bysiewicz said. "I plan to go to Washington to hold Wall Street accountable and make them pay for the harm that they've done to our country."
Murphy, a three-term congressman who has spent most of his life in politics, says he's the guy with the experience to take on the Republicans in Washington — and to work across the aisle with them as well. "Over the last 14 years, I have been in public service for that long, but I think that I've been at the center of virtually every public policy fight that's mattered to middle class families, whether it's in Hartford or in Washington,'' said Murphy, who currently represents Connecticut's 5th District in Congress.
Tong, the son of Chinese immigrants, seized the mantle of the hardworking underdog who might be outspent but won't be out-hustled.
"I know I'm an underdog in this race,'' said Tong, a state representative from Stamford who lacks Murphy's campaign war chest and Bysiewicz's name recognition. "But I think in this economy, middle class, working people, seniors, we're all underdogs right now. This is not a moment for frontrunners. We need to reclaim the American dream. ... It's an underdog's dream. ... I'm ready to go to Washington to fight for underdogs."
The three Democrats are vying for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Joseph Lieberman, who is retiring after 24 years.
At least five Republicans, including wrestling entertainment magnate Linda McMahon, former Congressman Chris Shays and attorney Brian K. Hill among them, are also seeking the seat.
The forum, held in the auditorium of Mansfield Middle School, was organized by the Quiet Corner Democrats, a group of activists from throughout northeastern Connecticut. It wasn't a debate; instead, each candidate was asked to respond to the questions of the moderator.
Given Mansfield's rural nature, it's no surprise that there was a question about farm policy (all three agreed that family farms need support.) And being close to the University of Connecticut, the topic of college costs came up as well, with each candidate saying costs need to be reined in and aid to those who cannot afford an education needs to be made available.
But the economy dominated the night. At the outset, each of the three were asked to define the term "middle class" and explain what they would do to protect it.
Tong spoke of middle class in terms of its hopes and fears.
"We're not just a constituency to be polled and tested,'' he said. "We're not just a group to be talked to in an election season. We're people, trying to hold onto a quality of life, trying, and hoping to do better."
Tong invoked his own story of ascending into the middle class, from his days working at his parents' Chinese restaurant to a candidate for U.S. Senate. He joked that he probably knows how to make every dish on a standard Chinese menu.
Murphy, whose mother grew up in a New Britain housing project, said the middle class is measured more by mindset than household income. "I don't think that the definition of the middle class is a number,'' he said. "If you worry about what would happen to you if you lost your next paycheck, if you aren't really sure how you're going to get your kids through college, if you contemplate what it would be like if one of your family members got sick, you're a member of the middle class. If you don't worry about those things, you're probably not."
Bysiewicz defined the middle class "as just about everybody except for the wealthiest among us." She favors repealing the Bush-era tax cuts for those in top tax brackets, and raise taxes for "people like Mitt Romney and Warren Buffet" while providing tax relief to those earning more moderate wages.
The three Democratic candidates are scheduled to meet again on March 3 at a debate in Norwich hosted by the The Bulletin.
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February 19 2012
For the original article, please visit the Farmington Patch
The Farmington Democratic Town Committee voted yesterday to endorse Congressman Chris Murphy in the race for U.S. Senate. Farmington joins its Valley neighbors – Avon, Burlington, Canton, and Simsbury – in support of Murphy’s candidacy in the race for the open seat being vacated by Sen. Joe Lieberman.
First District Councilman and Chair of the Democratic Town Committee, Mike Demicco, said, “I am proud to support our Congressman and help him to become our next Senator. Chris is a great representative for Farmington. Whether it’s education funding or support for infrastructure, Chris understands the priorities of our town and works hard each and every day for us.”
Democratic Town Committee member and long-time Murphy backer Zalman Nakhimovsky said, “Simply put, Chris delivers. He stands up for progressive principles while bringing a pragmatic approach to achieving results.”
Murphy was thrilled to add Farmington’s endorsement to his list of town committee endorsements that span the state. “It means so much to me to have the support of close friends and constituents who have worked hard to elect me to office,” Murphy said. “Having the endorsement of your constituents is one of the greatest testaments to your work ethic, and it’s that work ethic that I hope to bring to the entire state.”
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February 13 2012
For the original article, please visit the New Haven Register.
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy said Monday he is introducing new legislation designed to call attention to loopholes in the Buy American law.
Murphy announced his plans to introduce the Full Disclosure in Federal Contracting Act during a press conference Monday morning at Dewey Manufacturing. The Oxford-based manufacturer was beaten out for a Transportation Safety Administration contract last summer by a Virginia company that George Dewey, owner of the local company, claims is an American company in name only.
Murphy’s bill would require all federal contract solicitations to list all of the countries whose products could satisfy the contract. That way, he said, American business owners will have an idea of who they are competing against.
“We need to make manufacturers more aware of the loopholes because if every manufacturer knew how many there were, they’d storm the Capitol,” Murphy said. “It’s bad business for the federal government to be misleading manufacturers about who their competition is.”
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January 31 2012
For the original article, please visit the New Haven Register.
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5, is taking Transportation Security Administration officials to task for buying bracelets commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks from a Chinese company.
In a letter sent to TSA Administrator John Pistole on Tuesday, Murphy called on agency officials to explain the legal authority by which the contract was awarded. Murphy is co-chairman and founder of the congressional Buy American Caucus.
“I was frustrated to learn that your agency recently purchased 70,000 bracelets commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the September 11th 2001 attacks that were made in China,” Murphy wrote to Pistole. “These bracelets cost U.S. taxpayers $17,500, and was another poor decision in a long line of contracting awards throughout the federal government that have cost American jobs and sent American tax dollars to manufacturers overseas. While your goal of commemorating the tragic events of that day is one we all share as Americans, this purchase could have, and should have, been done in a way that supports American jobs.”
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January 23 2012
For the original article, please visit the New Haven Independent
New Haven Democrats gave Chris Murphy a rousing show of support for his U.S. Senate campaign—even as his opponent claimed some of them as her own backers.
The event took place Sunday at the East Rock home of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. It marked the launching of Murphy’s campaign organizing drive in the third U.S. Congressional District. He’s running for the 2012 Democratic nomination of the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Joe Lieberman.
Some 80 Democrats, many of them elected officials and influential activists, crammed the downstairs of the home DeLauro shares with Democratic strategist Stanley Greenberg. As Dan Malloy learned in the 2010 gubernatorial elections, New Haven Democrats, the state’s largest and best organized bloc of urban votes, are the big prize in statewide elections. Both Murphy and his leading opponent for the Democratic nomination, Susan Bysiewicz, have been calling and calling ward-level Democrats for months seeking their support.
Murphy drew an impressive turnout at DeLauro’s home Sunday. Leading state legislators like state Sen. Majority Leader Marty Looney and Reps. Toni Walker, Roland Lemar, and Gary Holder-Winfield all spoke in support of his campaign. And 16 members of the city’s 30-member (all-Democratic) Board of Aldermen showed up, including many of the newly elected labor-backed activists who represent a formidable vote-pulling force.
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January 20 2012
For the original article, please visit the Register Citizen.
TORRINGTON — School officials welcomed Congressman Chris Murphy, D-5 to East School as Murphy highlighted the importance of the American Jobs Act which could provide money to make needed infrastructure improvements to the dilapidated elementary school.
As part of the bill, more than $25 billion would be available to prevent teacher layoffs, but also repair schools like East School in Torrington.
Acting Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Kloczko said the school needs about $28 million to make the repairs, which include roof replacements, boiler upgrades and roof-top unit replacement. The project would require the school to close while the renovation takes place. Capital projections place the project in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
“I care about education for a number of reasons,” Murphy said. “My wife is a teacher, I went to Connecticut public schools and I have two little boys that will soon be school-aged. We need to do something about the state of our crumbling schools.”
Murphy said he toured other schools recently in Monroe and Meriden where issues similar to those in Torrington also exist.
“I truly believe our country’s economic salvation is tied up in the decisions in the next five to ten years about educational quality,” Murphy said. “We are never going to be the cheapest place to make something, but let’s be the smartest place.”
Murphy said it is hard to maintain the level of excellence we expect from our teachers and students when the buildings are falling down around them. The congressman said throughout the state he has seen instances where buildings are aging and are badly in need of work. Read More »
