House Republican Press Release

November 13, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

The 2006 Election Awards

By State Representative John J. Ryan

So the results are in, there are only a few straggling lawn signs left, and you cannot be blamed for hoping that you never hear a negative TV or "robo-call" again! So it is time for some (not entirely serious) awards to put the recent election season into perspective.

The envelopes, please!

• "Big Winner Award": Governor Rell, right? Wrong. If you look at the big picture, Rell justly earns major plaudits for running a campaign on issues only, and cruising to a huge win over her opponent, who even pulled out the slimy "she was Rowland's Lieutenant Governor!" card. But as we warned in this space weeks ago, the real issue (which the "major media" only mentioned days before the election) was the "supermajority" possibility, and it is now reality. Governor Rell now not only has to work with a team of constitutional officers that are all Democrats (except her new Lt. Governor), but the General Assembly, where the Democrat majority can override any veto on a purely party-line vote! Think that will effect what happens in Hartford?

• Best impersonation of a "Survivor" TV show champ: Christopher Shays. O.K., I have never watched one minute of these shows, but I think I have the idea. After being stalked by nearly all of the major media endorsements for his opponent, after listening to umpteen predictions of his demise and watching his "tribe" of New England Republican Congressional colleagues be massacred, he is not only back, he won with a 7,000+ vote cushion.

• Vote total the 'major media' didn't tell you: after all the editorial burbling that Ned Lamont 'really won,' did you see anywhere that Lieberman got more votes than Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger combined? (It is amazing what you can learn with arithmetic....)

• "Stick a fork in 'em Award": this is actually borrowed from a less-diplomatic campaign consultant friend of mine who said that this one "goes to Diane Farrell after nearly 4 non-stop years of campaigning, with tons of out-of-town $, every big-time Dem politico appearance, the two best Dem election years in recent memory, the media giving her a complete pass on her tax/spend record in Westport, and the anti-Iraq sentiment, and she still didn't even get within 5,000 votes!"; and he actually got all that off in one exasperated breath.

• Best TV ad: Lamont as Jimmy Stewart in the "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"; but $15 million of your own money seems to me to be a bit pricey if all you are left with this award!

• Best Campaign Manager: unanimous, all-World pick for Michael Sohn, for Chris Shays. He had a plan, kept to it, and managed resources, time and assets with amazing results under the most adverse circumstances, and like his candidate, did it with class.  Of course, the major media has no idea of what Mike did, or how he did it, and I suspect he will be savvy enough not to let on.

• Best "local" race: (at least under my definition of "best" being sticking to the issues, well-thought out and produced campaign materials, no personal attacks on opponent, campaign effort and plan) hands-down to the 25th State Senate Duff/Wilms race, where both stuck to their message. Duff can justifiably be proud of the manner in which he won, and Wilms certainly worked hard.

And I wish we had room for a few more, such as 'worst batting average on predictions',  but in future columns we will get to a little hindsight on the statistics of editorial endorsements and get to the important issues of how the 2007 General Assembly Session will shape up.

Finally, as you meet with your families and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, remember that while we love to complain about government, we could take a moment to be  thankful for the freedoms that we tend to take for granted, and for the efforts and sacrifices of so many who have done so much for us. Happy Thanksgiving!

Please feel free to contact me with your concerns and issues. As your state representative, it is my job, and my priority to represent you and to make sure that your needs and concerns are addressed at the capitol.  You can write to me at Room 4200, Legislative Office Building, Hartford, CT 06106-1591, send me e-mail at John.Ryan@housegop.ct.gov or call my office toll-free at 1-800-842-1423.