Support for Shays

To the editor,

For the past ten years I had been an active member of the Connecticut Republican Party, holding various leadership positions in party leadership at the state and local level including elected and appointed office.  My mentor during this time was Congressman Christopher Shays.  Chris held the same values as I, both politically and professionally.  Chris’s hard work and dedication to his principles, even in the face of unpopularity showed me what kind of good could be in my party and in the political process.

 

A little more than two years ago I ended my involvement in state and local politics.  The event culminating my disdain for what the CT Republican Party had become was the nomination of Linda McMahon to be our standard bearer in the 2010 US Senate election.  Linda achieved her status being the antithesis by doling out large donations to local town committees so that their delegates would support her over her opponent, another former Congressman and war hero, Rob Simmons.  During my face to face meeting with Linda, she was so devoid of knowledge she continually had to defer to her aids questions about policy and procedure.  Additionally, she donated over $30k to the National Democratic Campaign Committee and Congressman Rahm Emmanuel.  Certainly not the actions of  a deserving senatorial candidate. She was not the right person for the job then….

 

 

……and she clearly isn’t now.  I would like CT Republicans to consider a few things on August 14th.  Who worked tirelessly for 31 years as a state and federal legislator?  Who stood by our President on his visit to CT when doing so would almost certainly hurt his re-election chances within his own district?  Who dictated his actions by conscious, not polls in his elected positions?  Who worked their way to the apex of the political system by hard work instead of payoffs? Who has promised to run only as a Republican in the fall election? Finally, who has the guts to sit down with the media and answer their questions;  Linda McMahon, won’t do any of there things, Christopher Shays has and always will.  Please do the right and sensible thing and send the one person who deserves to represent the Republican Line on the ballot, vote Christopher Shays August 14th.

Sincerely,
Michael E. Hahn

Former 2nd Vice Chairman, CT Republican Party