海角换妻 Democrats kicked off their state convention Friday night by cementing one of the top spots on their 2022 ticket and making the argument for why the party should maintain its stranglehold on the state鈥檚 Congressional and statewide elected offices.
The delegates who were in attendance at the Xfinity Theater in Hartford made quick work Friday night of endorsing Sen. Richard Blumenthal as he prepares to run for his third term in the U.S. Senate.
Fellow Senator Chris Murphy nominated his senior colleague, casting Blumenthal as someone who would fight for the party鈥檚 platform and ideals.
鈥淩ight now, we are in a fight. We are in a fight for democracy 鈥� There is one person that I know that wakes up every single day itching to be in the middle of a righteous fight, and that person is my friend Dick Blumenthal.鈥�
Before the crowd of roughly 2,000 delegates, Hartford delegate Ayesha Clarke and House Majority Leader Jason Rojas seconded the nomination, holding up Blumenthal 鈥� and the state鈥檚 Democratic party as a whole 鈥� as a bulwark against policies and decisions that would seek to strip individuals of their right to an abortion or block people from accessing the ballot box.
The nomination was confirmed with a resounding chorus of 鈥渁ye鈥� before Blumenthal took the stage to Tom Petty鈥檚 鈥淚 Won鈥檛 Back Down.鈥�
The senator鈥檚 acceptance speech sought to convey a sense of urgency. Citing the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, Blumenthal argued that the Republican party is a threat to Democracy and some of the most basic rights of Americans.
鈥淲e are in a break-the-glass moment in this Democracy,鈥� Blumenthal said. 鈥淎nd we need to stand up to the Trump Republicans, to special interests, to anyone who would put us back in time on worker鈥檚 rights, women鈥檚 rights, civil rights and liberties. It is the fight of our lifetime.鈥�
After two years of battling a global pandemic and a corresponding recession, several speakers made the case that it was Democratic policies that helped 海角换妻 and the country to recover from the crisis.
Blumenthal emphasized the billions of dollars in federal assistance that he and the other members of 海角换妻鈥檚 Congressional delegation helped secure for families, businesses and local governments to carry them through the public health crisis.
That support, he said, has continued under the recent federal infrastructure bill that is providing even more money for transportation and environmental projects in 海角换妻.
鈥淲e鈥檝e begun what we need to do on rebuilding our roads and bridges and rail and broadband,鈥� Blumenthal said.
Some delegates said they think the party needs to be doing a better job of communicating those victories.
Democrats 鈥渄on鈥檛 do a good enough job telling how well the state is doing,鈥� said Will Farmer, a delegate from Stratford. 鈥淲hat brings me out is hopefully some of the candidates will inspire me with more than just lip service.鈥�
鈥淚 think they need to explain a little more as to where we are, where we鈥檝e come from, so that people understand it 鈥� voters鈥� rights, women鈥檚 rights,鈥� said Maryann Levesque, a delegate and town council member from Vernon.
Levesque said she remembers what it was like for women before the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, when many sought out illegal and dangerous procedures to end a pregnancy.
鈥淚 remember the back door. No, a woman can鈥檛 survive like that. And if they take the right to your body away, what鈥檚 next?鈥�
That sentiment was expressed by many of the delegates and speakers Friday night.
It was clear from the start that the state Democratic party is eager to emphasize reproductive rights, given the news earlier this week that the the nearly 50-year-old legal precedent that legalized abortion.
鈥淎bortion will be on the ballot this November,鈥� Nancy DiNardo, 海角换妻鈥檚 Democratic chairwoman, announced to a round of applause. 鈥淎nd we will fight for candidates at every level of government who will make women鈥檚 reproductive rights a priority.鈥�
Delegates also expressed concern over voting rights 鈥� as evidenced by the and the energy around that race.
鈥淣ationwide, the Republicans are trying to steal the ballot, that鈥檚 my opinion. And that鈥檚 the reason why everyone and their brother in every state in the union 鈥� including 海角换妻 鈥� wants to run for Secretary of State,鈥� said Steven Alexander, a delegate from Wallingford. 鈥淓ither you want to suppress voting if you鈥檙e a Republican, or you want to expand voting if you鈥檙e a Democrat.鈥�
Hyacinth Yennie, a delegate from Hartford, said, 鈥淲hen it comes to Secretary of State, we want to make sure our democracy stays intact. We want to make sure everyone has a right to vote. We want to make sure we have polling places that will open and stuff like that.鈥�
Yennie said she is concerned about what鈥檚 happening beyond 海角换妻鈥檚 borders.
鈥淟ook at all those states gerrymandering and preventing people, taking people off the voters list. That is downright disgraceful. We don鈥檛 want that to happen in 海角换妻.鈥�
Blumenthal concluded his acceptance speech with a rousing call on the party to mobilize voters in every race, from the U.S. Senate to their local legislative districts.
鈥淭his November, we鈥檙e going to send a message. We are going to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, we鈥檙e going to win for America,鈥� he said.