Caliguiri considers switch to challenge Rep. Chris Murphy

[ccharles000]

The Connecticut Republican Party chairman is publicly urging Senate candidate Sam Caligiuri to switch races and run against Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy's statement, which was just released, makes public what many have suggested privately since the state senator, Caligiuri, entered the race. Caligiuri is seen as a rising star, but he has been drowned out of the Senate race by four well-funded opponents. In the meantime, he was a rare bright spot for the GOP in 2006, when he took Murphy's state Senate seat from the Democrats.

Republican Afghanistan veteran Justin Bernier has raised about $200,000 for the race and was recently added to the National Republican Congressional Committee's (NRCC) Young Guns program.

Caligiuiri has raised about $320,000 for the Senate race and could use all of it for a House run, but he would start with about $30,000 less in cash on hand than Bernier.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/68159-conn-gop-chair-urges-caligiuri-to-switch-races

[brendan120678]

1. Well that certainly would be an interesting race...

but Chris Murphy is very popular in this area, so I don't think that Caligiuri would be able to beat him.

It would probably be close, however. The 5th Congressional District, while overwhelmingly Democratic, is also pretty moderate to Conservative.

[Bitwit1234]

2. Remember ..Newt told republicans

that they could win in democratic districts if they switched and ran as democrats and that is what they should do. No wonder we have a mess in congress. That is most certainly what the Blue Dogs did, and we better damn sight get rid of them in November. Especially Schuler, he lives at C Street and you know what that means.

[Jennicut]

3. No one is beating Chris...best rep we have ever had here in my district. I hope he runs for Senator

here some day.
Chris is extremely popular in my town of Plymouth/Terryville.
He actually lives in Cheshire, the town I grew up in, to the chagrin of my conservative parents. Caligiuri is my parents State Senate rep....not too fond of him...moderate Repub or liberal Dem. No contest there.