{news} (NEWS RELEASE) STATE CERTIFIES HISTORIC GREEN PARTY SLATE OF CANDIDATES

[Green Party-CT]

  THORNTON FOR GOVERNOR 
  PO Box 1971, Manchester, CT 06045 
  www.votethornton.com 
   
  
  PRESS RELEASE- August 21, 2006- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
  Contact: Cliff Thornton, Green Party Candidate for Governor (860) 657-8438 or (860) 268-1294-Campaign cell 
  Tim McKee (860) 778-1304-Campaign Manager
   
  STATE CERTIFIES HISTORIC GREEN PARTY SLATE OF CANDIDATES
  For the first time in Connecticut history, an African-American will be on the ballot for the office of governor. 
   
  Hartford, CT -State officials today told Green Party officials that they had reached the requisite 7,500 certified signatures to place their slate of candidates on the ballot for November 7, the Green Party announced. Cliff Thornton, a 61-year-old retired black businessman, leads the slate of candidates for constitutional office which includes Nancy Burton for Attorney General and Mike DeRosa for Secretary of the State and Ralph Ferucci for U.S. Senate. "This is a historic day that adds to Connecticut's rich political legacy," Thornton said. 
   
  Thornton, who is the Green Party's first candidate for Governor, collected signatures himself. "More than 75 Green volunteers braved the heat, voter apathy and rejection on summer days to collect almost 13,000 signatures to guarantee the voters more choices and voices on the ballot in November," Thornton said.
   
  Pearl Williams in the Connecticut Secretary of the State's office indicated to Green Party officials that she had counted 7,505 certified signatures, and that her office received more certified petitions with more signatures daily. 
   
  As the first African-American to make the ballot for the Governor's race, Thornton guaranteed that the Green Party candidates will address issues that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats will dare tackle, like race, poverty, class and the violent, failed drug war in Connecticut. "The Republicans and Democrats advocate failed policies, and are too cowardly to admit they have been wrong for decades," Thornton said. "The Drug War is just one example of bad bipartisan government. We can look at education, the environment, transportation and any number of other issues and see the pattern where the two parties lavish money on special interests while the people suffer."
   
  By clearing this petitioning hurdle for ballot access, which the other two parties do not have to do, the Green Party demonstrates that it deserves equal electoral consideration, Thornton said. "Our next step is to gain access to the gubernatorial debates and the polls which currently exclude minor parties," Thornton said. "The Green Party will lead Connecticut's effort to democratize the electoral process." 
   
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