{news} (NEWS RELEASE) CT Greens Look to '07 and '08 After Historic Slate of Candidates

Tue Nov 14 08:29:16 EST 2006

GREEN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT

  NEWS RELEASE- For Immediate Release- November 14, 2006

  Contact: Tim McKee, CT Green Party National Committee Person, cell

(860)860-778- 1304 or (860)-643-2282

  Ralph Ferrucci, U.S. Senate candidate (203) 430-9342

  Cliff Thornton, Green Party Candidate for Governor (860)

657-8438-Home or (860) 268-1294 cell

  Jean de Smet, State Co-Chair (860)456-2188 (Lt. Governor candidate)

CT GREENS LOOK TO `07 AND '08 AFTER HISTORIC SLATE OF CANDIDATES

  Millions vote for US Greens, elect 64 in 2006- total 223 in office

  Hartford, CT- Green Party candidates and officials reflected back on

their historic slate of state wide candidates and said it was well

worth the effort, in a statement released today. Breaking new ground

in Connecticut politics, with the first slate of third party

candidates for U.S. Senate and State Constitutional officers and the

first African-American candidate for Governor, Greens felt like they

made real progress in reaching these milestones, despite being shut

out of the debates by the Democrats and Republicans.

  Tim McKee, a National Committee person for The Greens explained,

"State Greens have elected city councilors in the past, but this time

we raised our profile to the highest level, on a state wide basis, for

the first time. We will continue to be part of the state political

process and have learned a lot from the past election. We gain several

ballot lines that we did not have before, but I think there IS STILL

SOME racism in the state as our line for Governor fell just short,

while all the under ticket including a few candidates who spent no

money GAINED ballot lines, mysteriously. But next time, if we have to

file lawsuits to get into debates, we will!

  McKee added "Our lawsuit against the new horrible campaign finance

reform law that SHUTS OUT Independents and third parties and that

Governor Rell bragged about in commercials, goes to a hearing this

spring."

  Cliff Thornton, candidate for Governor said "Our goal was to reach

out to young leaders, minority kids and those who did not have a voice

in the state's insider's mentality of government and politics. Yes,

Governor Rell and Mayor DeStefano LIED to the public that they wanted

me included in the debates and we did not get to discuss REAL issues

like the crumbing infrastructure, health care, race and crime, but I

will not go away! I spoke to media from across the country and even

world news outlets about our issues and almost every state paper or

media outlet, but I was shut OUT of the daily coverage of the nightly

news, that the two other candidates got as well as the debates. In the

end, Rell's "Rose Garden" strategy of playing it safe, swamped the

Democrat by almost 2 to 1 and the state lost out on debating OUR new

ideas."

  Most of the other state wide Green candidates said their were NO DEBATES for their office races, so even the Republicans were also shut out of debating the Democrat office holders. Mike DeRosa, candidate for

Secretary of State, said the other candidates held a debate but Susan

BYSIEWICZ refused to show or debate at another time.

  Nationally, Greens elected 64 candidates out OF 380 running in 2006

with several passing the 100,000 vote mark. Highlights include:

       Illinois Governor candidate RICH Whitney 11% or 325,589 votes

       Jill Stein, Sec of State MA 18% 351,495

       Jaime O'Keefe, Treasurer MA 16% 322,493

       Peter Camejo, Governor CA 2.3% 160,402

       Todd CHRETIEN, Senate CA 1.7% 111,402

       Pat LaMarche, Gov. ME. 10% 51,991 

  Local Greens are looking at the many town and city council races. In

2005, CT Greens ran 18 candidates for local offices.  Greens hope to elect new local city leaders, and having previously elected Greens in Hartford, New Haven and other towns.

  McKee added on a national level Greens are united in running a full,

strong candidate for President in 2008. Several Greens have announced

that they are planning Presidential runs, and Ralph Nader has not

ruled out a Presidential run in 2008, after supporting local Greens

and state parties.

  -30-

  National Green Party Press Release:  http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_11_09.shtml
  Web site: www.gp.org

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Tim McKee cell (860) 778-1304 or (860) 643-2282
   National Committee Member of the Green Party(Connecticut)
    Cliff Thornton for Governor- Campaign Manager

  Paid for by Thornton For Governor, Max Wentworth, Treasurer-   www.VoteThornton.com

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