NEW LONDON- Feverishly chanting for one of the two U.S. Senate hopefuls they would soon hear, members of a crowd of about 200 spilled from the sidewalks onto State Street in front of the Garde Arts Center.
A group of labor union members carried signs that read “don’t cut my minimum wage”, a reference to Republican candidate Linda McMahon’s response to a question on that issue. A group of veterans clutched signs that read “he’s a liar”, referring to Democratic candidate Richard Blumenthal’s embellishment of his military record.
The intensity of the crowd seemed to engulf the area, forcing motorists to slow, or come to a complete stop, as they took in the sights and sounds of what could only be described as controlled chaos.
A Blumenthal supporter armed with a bullhorn threw verbal jabs at the small army of McMahon supporters on the opposite side of the street.
“ WWE, World without Employment,” he teased, causing a group of his allies, standing behind him, to erupt in laughter as they, too, chanted the phrase.
“Linda, Linda, Linda,” the McMahon supporters chorused, nearly drowning out the Blumenthal supporters.
Politics have an uncanny ability to bring out the best and worst in people, as was demonstrated at the October senatorial debate here.
It’s not uncommon to see candidates use personal attacks in campaign ads against one another as they attempt to convince voters that they, and not their opponent, have the best solutions to issues.
In this election season, when voters’ anxiety over the continued slumping economy has led to fears about their futures and discontent with incumbents and long-serving politicians, it’s easy for the voices of reason to be drowned out by waves of anger.
The chaotic scene outside the Oct. 12 debate, provided ample proof of the tumultuous political atmosphere of the 2010 midterm elections.
For some voters, the tone of this year’s election has left them disgusted by the candidates and pundits and indecisive about which way they will vote Nov. 2.
Lisa Sweetland, a University of Connecticut Alumni Association employee who lives in Union, said she has had enough.
“ I don’t know why, but it seems like it’s more vicious than in the past,” Sweetland said. “You did get your bickering and back-and-forth in the past, but nothing like this.”
With candidates accusing each other of being liars and supporters from both parties shouting  their disapproval of each others’ candidates and their policies, this year’s political climate  has seemed as turbulent as the 2010 hurricane season.
Adding to her sense of bewilderment is the pile campaign fliers and ads Sweetland said she encounters daily.
“I’m so turned off by all the constant information,” Sweetland said, pulling at least 20 fliers from a shopping bag.
Sweetland, a self-described “life-long Democrat,” said for the first time in her life she remains an undecided voter with elections just a few days away.
“I usually know beforehand, who I will be voting for,” Sweetland said. “This time around, I’m not too sure.”

NEW HAVEN, Conn.—The struggle for name recognition has been an uphill battle for U.S. Senate candidate John Mertens of the Connecticut for Lieberman Party.
“We always expected it to be tough to get equal time,” Mertens said.  “But to be honest I didn’t expect it to be as bad as it has been.”
Despite his best efforts, Mertens was excluded from both of the televised debates featuring rival candidates Democrat Richard Blumenthal and Republican Linda McMahon, but an innovative solution allowed him to participate, albeit in front of a much smaller audience.
While Blumenthal and McMahon fielded questions at the Garde Arts Center in New London, Mertens sat on a stool in his campaign manager’s living room among a small group of supporters and their families.  Using a digital camera to stream live video to his website, Mertens listened to Blumenthal’s and McMahon’s answers to the questions, then muted the television to give his responses.
The live stream is just one of the many ways Mertens has used the internet to build momentum for his campaign.  He has also been running advertisements on Facebook and Twitter and posting videos on his blog.  “I have hopes of getting six percent of the vote,” Mertens said.  “If it weren’t for the Internet, I wouldn’t have a chance of doing that.”
“Facebook has been huge and it’s enabled me to get onto traditional media shows like TV and radio by getting my name known,” Mertens said.
In addition to being shut out of debates, exclusion from polls has hindered Mertens’ effort to build name recognition.  “(Quinnipiac University poll director Doug Schwartz) absolutely refuses to ever include third party candidates in his polling,” Mertens said.  “If I’m not included in the polls, I get zero percent.  I did some polling on my own a year ago and, with no name recognition, I was getting 13 percent because there are more unaffiliated voters in Connecticut than there are Democrats.  If they knew there was an independent on the ballot, they would be excited.”
Mertens, a professor of engineering at Trinity College who also teaches public policy and environmental science, was the first candidate for Connecticut’s U.S. Senate seat to earn a ballot line for the 2010 election, when he earned the Connecticut for Lieberman (CFL) Party’s nomination on Jan. 13, 2010.  He ran for U.S. Senate in 2006 as an independent, but switched to the CFL this year because the party already had a ballot line.
“We’re using the CFL because we were denied a petition by the Secretary of State’s office in 2006 for the independent party,” Mertens said.  “They betrayed the public trust by preventing us the opportunity to get on the ballot and we weren’t sure we were ever going to defeat them on that.”
While he has never held public office before, Mertens says his experience on faculty committees would serve him well in Congress.  “Anybody who’s done a lot of committee work understands that working on a committee is about building consensus, it’s about educating people face-to-face,” Mertens said.  “In my first hundred days, if I were elected, I would meet with all 99 senators one-on-one, Republicans and Democrats, and I would move them to the right positions on a lot of issues.  You can do it if you aren’t afraid of the other party getting credit for something good happening, and that’s the problem now.  Republicans or Democrats would never give each other any credit for anything.  Their main goal is building their party’s power instead of solving problems.”
Mertens’ long-term goal is to help build the independent party into a major third party over the next decade.  He plans to run for U.S. Senate again in two years, but is not sure whether he wants to run beyond 2012.  “I’ll still be involved with the independent party, but I don’t know, we’ll just have to wait and see,” Mertens said.

Connecticut gubernatorial candidates offered different ideas this fall for an ailing public school system in a state that lost President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top challenge and continues to face a wide achievement gap.

The disparity between Connecticut’s white and minority students and wealthier and poorer students is one of the widest in the nation. Connecticut also fell out of the running for the competitive Race to the Top federal grants in July, grants that many legislators counted on as the means of implementing various education reforms.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dannel Malloy and Republican nominee Tom Foley frequently spar over education policy, while Independent candidate Tom Marsh falls somewhere in the middle.

Foley said he supports a “market-based” approach that funds performing schools and diverts resources away from underperforming schools.

“I think it’s a disgrace that Connecticut has the worst achievement gap in the country,” he said during a gubernatorial education forum at Macdonough Elementary School in Middletown Sept. 28. “We need to react quickly when these schools aren’t performing well.”

University of Connecticut student Kristen Roeckle works as a intern at Windham High School as part of UConn’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education Program. She said she disagrees with Foley’s logic.

“A ‘market-based approach’ to teaching makes absolutely no sense to me,” she said. “This isn’t economics, it’s education. Windham is a wonderful school, but it would only be a more incredible place if these kids had access to more resources.”

During the forum Marsh shied away from discussing funding and offered a more neutral, if not optimistic approach to the achievement gap.

“The reason for the achievement gap is because what we do well, we do very well, but then we have this other end of the spectrum,” he said.

Malloy focused on reprioritizing early education, saying Connecticut will avoid a continuing achievement gap in the future if students receive equal opportunities during early education. He proposes a statewide, universal pre-kindergarten system in which parents pay daycare centers based on a sliding income scale.

“We can’t deny a four-year-old those first years of education because of financial means,” he said at the forum.

Jason Ortiz, a UConn senior and Independent candidate for state representative of the 54th District, agrees that Connecticut’s education needs reprioritizing. Ortiz advocates for education reform on UConn’s campus. He works with UConn’s SCORE, or the Student Coalition on Reprioritizing Education.

“Connecticut is heading in the complete opposite direction of where we should be heading with education,” he said. “It’s all about how we structure priorities in this state and education should be a top one. Our public education is the backbone for our social and economic growth.”

He said he supports “reinvesting” in Connecticut’s education by increasing funding for elementary and middle schools and by keeping struggling elementary schools afloat. He also advocates for greater transparency in university budgeting, stronger cost controls for large universities and tuition freezes at all Connecticut public universities.

“Education helps empower communities and that’s what matters most,” he said.

The debate between the three gubernatorial candidates incites heated discussion from both students and political activists, but all three candidates agree charter schools should play a vital role in the future success for Connecticut’s educational system.

“There will never be enough charter schools in the state,” Foley said at the Macdonough forum. “We need to enable additional resources of funding to our charter schools and to schools that are succeeding.”

Malloy agreed, saying Connecticut needed to take lessons learned from the success of charter and magnet schools and apply them to the rest of the public school system.

MANSFIELD – A clear divide between youth and experience was apparent when the four candidates for the General Assembly’s 54^th Representative District squared off recently at E.O. Smith High School during the 2010 Mansfield Candidate Night hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Jason Ortiz and Brien Buckman are both University of Connecticut students who claim no political party affiliation and are running for the seat being vacated by Democrat Denise Merrill, who is running for secretary of state. Democrat Greg Haddad and Republican Chris Paulhus also are vying for the seat.

Many UConn students who attended the forum applauded at the two younger candidates’ remarks. Buckman was very casual and made several jokes that garnered laughter from the crowd during the forum.

Paulhus drew snickers and whispers from the young audience when he said Buckman and Ortiz were “under qualified.” Paulhus, who has served on the Mansfield Town Council for six years, said his experience in local government gives him an advantage over the two younger candidates.

Students were displeased with Paulhus’ approach to the debate. “He (Paulhus) was very blunt. He did not really say much about anything,” said UConn senior Frank Cervo.

Attendees asked questions about education, jobs and the economy. Each candidate had a total of 10 minutes to respond to questions.

“My number one concern is education,” said the 27-year-old Ortiz. He ensured audience members – about two-thirds of whom were students – if he is elected he would vote against any budget cuts to the state universities.

Ortiz’s supporters were very satisfied with the results of the forum.

“We (volunteers) have all been campaigning hard for the last couple of weeks,” said Cervo. “Tonight was really important to our campaign. We got to hear all the candidate views and we were able to inform the electorate about Ortiz.”

Paulhus and Haddad did not seem to address the needs of students, Cervo said. Haddad, however, did explain he wanted to increase the university’s research opportunities to encourage enrollment and bring in outside businesses to the area.

The candidates did not agree on many issues. They all, however, stressed the importance of addressing state and town budgets.

“We may have to raise taxes, but it will certainly not be the first option,” Buckman said. He acknowledged that Mansfield in particular relies heavily on state funding and must find a “sustainable tax base,” to combat state budgetary constraints.

Ortiz retreated to his highly college-friendly policies including legalizing marijuana and preventing recidivism to help reduce prison populations, which he said are costly to maintain.

Paulhus, who left the event early saying he had “prior engagements,” had already left the stage when the panel addressed this issue.

ENFIELD – Residents who attended a recent Enfield Youth Vote debate at Enrico Fermi High School here said they need a state senator who demonstrates a strong support for education.

Students, parents and other residents attended as incumbent Republican Sen. John A. Kissel and Democratic Rep. Karen Jarmoc exchanged words about their political philosophies and future plans for the state of Connecticut.

Both are vying for the 7th Senatorial District seat. The district encompasses East Granby, Enfield, Granby, Somers, Suffield, Windsor and Windsor Locks.

Joyce Hall, an Enfield resident who attended the event, said she likes Jarmoc’s support of education, including being an advocate for after-school programs. Hall said she knows and has worked with both candidates. She and Lynn Scull, who also attended, said they both favor Jarmoc over Kissel because of Jarmoc’s stance on education.

Jarmoc is vice-chairwoman of the Select Committee on Children and is a member of the legislature’s Public Safety and Security, Education and Human Services Committees, according to information on her website.

On the other side of the political aisle, Kissel supporter Nicole Cline said the senator’s biggest asset is working to create more jobs for the citizens of Connecticut. Cline said the price of living in the state convinces many students to migrate to another state in search of jobs after graduation.

Kissel asked the audience whether life had gotten better or worse for the people of Connecticut during the years his opponent has served in the House of Representatives and her party has controlled the legislature. He said the state is on the “brink of bankruptcy,” partially because of Jarmoc, he said.

Jarmoc said she is “ready to change the way our government works,” because of the “lack of leadership” that she said she sees through Kissel’s representation in the state Senate.

“I’m going to be your champion to help us live within our means,” she said.

Kissel urged the audience to remember: “votes are votes and talk is talk.” He said Jarmoc voted to increase the already very high cost of electricity in Connecticut. Kissel said he abstained from voting on the proposed electric rate hike. He is a corporate attorney for Northeast Utilities.

Many in the audience were not swayed, however.

“Kissel is a little out-dated,” said Enfield resident Rachael Walsh. “Jarmoc would be able to implement more policies…(and) is more forthcoming as an individual.” Walsh recalled that Jarmoc organized a pancake breakfast several years ago to raise money when Walsh’s cousin was injured in a local farming accident.

NEW BRITAIN – Despite having a website, Twitter and Facebook accounts, Republican Cris Carillo also employs old-fashioned campaigning methods. He walks through neighborhoods knocking on people’s doors, a satchel filled with fliers hanging off his shoulder. To those who open their door, he makes his pitch. If no one is home, he leaves a handwritten note.

“Sorry I missed you,” it reads.

Carillo hopes to paint the General Assembly’s 24^th representative district red come Election Day. He is challenging four-term incumbent Democrat Tim O’Brien in the district that encompasses parts of this city and Newington.

Carillo, 30, is the youngest candidate in the race. He has not held public office, but said his business and life experiences will fill that gap.

Carillo is among numerous GOP candidates, including U.S. Senatorial candidate Linda McMahon and gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley, who reject the image of career politician in favor of the entrepreneurial everyman.

“I feel we can turn the state around by changing our anti-business sentiment and use a new approach to attract new companies and encourage start-ups to stay within the state,” said Carillo.

Erin Stewart, a volunteer for the New Britain Republican Town Committee, said Carillo’s youth will shed new insight on some old issues facing New Britain.

“Cris will be a young voice for New Britain,” she said. “He will bring his small business experience and common sense to get things accomplished. He will vote for lower taxes and smaller government. Cris is enthusiastic and won’t be a rubber stamp.”

Not all voters are swayed by Carillo. Julio Nieves, 21, a local musician who has lived in New Britain all of his life, said he’s voting Democratic.

“I don’t think that he can handle a job like this,” Nieves said. “He’s young and obviously just wants the glory. He and the Republicans in general aren’t convincing me that they won’t just cater to the rich.”

Carillo said he hopes to strike a chord with business owners.  He favors lower taxes for businesses and reform in state health care as ways to fix Connecticut’s budget crisis. He blames unfunded state mandates for high property taxes in New Britain.

“I would not support any unfunded mandates,” he said. “When the state increases the requirements on the city and does not provide any funding to help pay for the costs, these are the situations when the taxpayers foot the bill.”

Carillo also said with half the city’s property tax revenue going to fund education, the district needs more businesses to help bear the load.

“Connecticut cannot take a hands off-stand off approach to business and economic growth,” Carillo wrote in a letter to the New Britain Republican Town Committee. The letter is posted on its website.

New Britain has a 12 percent unemployment rate compared to 9.1 percent statewide, according to the Connecticut Department of Labor.  In an Oct.12 debate at Trinity on Main in New Britain Carillo said he would negotiate with businesses across state lines to try to attract them to the district. He also supports a state-funded bus line to New Britain and the building of a new police station on Arch Street.

While Connecticut has had a Republican governor for years, the General Assembly is controlled by Democrats and the state’s urban centers are generally Democratic strongholds.

Carillo was born and raised in New Britain. He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2002 with a degree in economics and has been self-employed since 2008, according to information on his website.  His grandfather was a lifetime worker at Stanley Works and both his parents have been teachers in New Britain public schools for 60 years.

MANSFIELD – On Nov. 2 Jason Ortiz, 27, may become the youngest representative in Connecticut’s General Assembly. He is competing for a seat in the 54^th Assembly District.

“I’m proud to be a young candidate,” Ortiz said recently as he was driving home from the University of Connecticut. He is an 8th-semester political science major there.  “It is an asset and I would never hide from it.”

Ortiz said his youth will resonate with voters. He thinks he will be seen as someone willing to take on the status quo.

“[Voters] are tired of old people making the same mistakes…I’m ready to get in there and shake things up a bit,” he said.

Ortiz said even voters who “give him a jab” for being so young, also react positively toward his campaign.

“People have been very positive and I hope their reactions translate among the turn out,” he said.

Ortiz is in a tough four-way race. He faces Democrat Gregory Haddad, Republican Christopher Paulhus and another young third-party candidate, Brien Buckman.  But Ortiz said he is not worried about his youth being used against him.

“I never really ran into stereotypes of youth during my campaign,” he said. “The two parties have done my work for me.  People always think that it must be hard running while I am young, but I say it is really not…and I am not that young.  I’m 27.”

But, if what Ortiz said is true, then he ran into his first stereotype from rival Paulhus during a 54^th Assembly District debate Oct. 20 at E.O. Smith High School.

“Paulhus said that he and Greg Haddad were the only ones that deserved to be up here [on the stage],” said Ortiz.  Ortiz used this outburst to support his own platform in the campaign.  “It’s a pretty clear example of the arrogance of both parties. There’s a feeling of entitlement.  It is also an example of why I am running and if students don’t get involved then these are the guys who end up in office.”

Ortiz also said he is annoyed students are not viewed as part of the Mansfield community.

The district encompasses Mansfield and Chaplin. Democrat Denise Merrill currently holds the seat, but she is running for secretary of state this year.