Gathering Support Along Party Lines

By Shannon Hicks

Three weeks before their primary, Democrats from Newtown were joined by a few registered members of that political party on Tuesday evening for a Debate Viewing Party at Newtown Meeting House.

West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, and members of the Newtown, Bethel, Danbury, and Ridgefield Democratic town committees assembled at 7 pm for an hour of conversation led by Mr Slifka, who is running with New Haven Mayor John DeStefano. The viewing party was timed to coincide with the first televised primetime debate between Mr DeStefano and Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy.

Mr Slifka spent time talking about what he and Mr DeStefano would bring to the state’s executive branch if they were to win November’s gubernatorial race, and offered reasons why the Democrats should replace the Republican governor, M. Jodi Rell, currently in office.

“The governor’s lack of service at the mayoral level may be a setback to her,” he said. “She’s done well so far as governor, but she’s going to lose her momentum.”

Mr Slifka was reelected for a second mayoral term in November 2005. He was elected to the town council in 2001 and 2003, and prior to becoming mayor he served for nearly three years as deputy major.

His running mate has been the mayor of New Haven since being sworn in on January 1, 1994.

Those who watched the debate probably noticed how many big issues the two candidates agreed on — affordable housing, improving transportation, job growth, and universal health care among them — while it was the details of these issues that brought the most heated discussion during the hour-long program.

Mr Slifka had alluded to that possibility during his predebate conversation.

“What differentiates us? It’s depth,” said Mr Slifka. “We agree on many of the issues, but it’s in the details and it’s going to be about who can deliver.

“There is a conventional wisdom across the state, and maybe across the nation, and that is when people have problems, they don’t feel like they can turn to the government for help,” Mr Slifka continued. “We’re going to restore faith in government. We want people to believe they can trust in us.

“We’re not looking for greatness out of our leaders anymore, we’re asking for confidence,” he said, pointing out what he sees as another negative trend in public thinking. “With John DeStefano you’re going to get greatness.”

Mr Slifka’s talk Tuesday night ran long, preempting the first 15 minutes of the debate. A small black-and-white television was kept turned off until he was finished speaking.

The next face-to-face meeting planned between the Democratic gubernatorial candidates is scheduled for Saturday, July 22. Mr Malloy and Mr DeStefano will be live on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 from 9 to 10 am.