Opinion: Local Resident Supports Dan Carter for U.S. Senate

REDDING, CT — The following letter to the editor is an opinion piece written by Brookfield resident Matt Grimes. The viewpoints expressed here do not necessarily reflect that of Patch or its editors. To send your letter to the editor, email wendy.mitchell@patch.com.

Dan Carter is a Republican from Bethel, Conn. who is running for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Richard Blumenthal.

"Connecticut has a history of supporting Congressional incumbents, both in the Senate and House. Barring a “tidal wave” election, incumbents here over the years get returned to office, sometimes with narrow margins and sometimes with landslides.

Acknowledging the divisiveness of the Presidential race, and the fact that most do not expect Connecticut to be competitive, I encourage voters to take a hard look at the election for United States Senate.

The incumbent Senator, Richard Blumenthal, is certainly known to Connecticut. He has a long history of public service as a state legislator, Attorney General, and the last six years in Congress. His two decades as Connecticut’s head prosecutor earned him a well-deserved reputation as a consumer advocate and public interest spokesperson.

When he was elected to the Senate, Blumenthal attempted to continue the previous twenty years. Unfortunately - for him as well as Connecticut - Blumenthal was in the wrong job and forum. Gone were the evening news conferences holding up a lawsuit or subpoena on behalf of Connecticut citizens. The one man show as “top cop” became the low man on the totem pole in a Senate minority. Lawsuits and subpoenas were replaced by bills meaning little to the average Connecticut resident, sure to get lost in the inner workings of Washington.

Instead of the larger-than-life spokesman proud of making things happen overnight, our Senior Senator became one of 100 – grossly unfamiliar with legislative processes, and struggling to find his voice. Consequently, Connecticut – which continues to fall behind economically with an ineffective Governor and legislative majority – suffers from no voice on the national stage.

It comes little surprise that Blumenthal refuses to commit to serving a full-term if reelected, with eyes fixated on a Clinton Department of Justice. State Rep. Dan Carter, Sen. Blumenthal’s Republican opponent, pledges to be a different kind of Senator for Connecticut. His resume of military service and building his career in the private sector certainly impress – but his actions speak much louder than his qualifications.

Dan entered the General Assembly in 2011 after having defeated another Democratic incumbent who was also “inch deep and a mile wide at the mouth”. He immediately began to learn, appreciate, and effectively use the intricate workings of the legislative system to deliver to those he represented in one of the most diverse districts in Connecticut.

His constituents, who knew little about Dan Carter when they first elected him, quickly found their voice. In Dan, they found a middle-class guy with their values – someone not looking to “change the world” but one who endeavors meaningfully to get things accomplished. Dan never stops listening to his constituents, spends time with them whenever he can, and stands up when the Democratic majority told Connecticut they needed another dose of government control and higher taxes.

I first got to know Dan Carter as a candidate in 2010. He continually came to Brookfield, even though it was not in his district. I was struck by the depth of his knowledge, ability to get to know people, and form unending friendships. I admire the respect Dan shows to his wife and children.

Dan knows that to make important change, one must take bold risks. He knows that – even when his cause suffers a defeat - the battle never ends for his constituents or the effort to make things better. When he votes against something, Dan immediately articulates the reasons. He shows those who question him what the better way would be, for the legislature and the people of Connecticut. All of these are severely lacking in a Washington plagued by twenty years of bare-knuckles division with no sign of ending after this Presidential election.

Many legislative and Congressional candidates talk of being a “different kind” of representative for those they serve. Few have done so as positively and affirmatively – and with results - as Dan. Yes, Dan Carter has given Bethel, Redding, Danbury, and Newtown exemplary representation in the General Assembly.

It would be a real treat for the Nutmeg State if he were sent to the United States Senate – to give all of Connecticut that same exemplary representation - on November 8th."