Politics & Government

McDonald to Run for Congress

The republican Town Council member will vie for Congressman John Larson's 1st-district seat in 2012.

Congressman John Larson (D) has represented Connecticut's 1st district in the nation's Capitol since 1999. The seven terms he has served are quite enough for Windsor Town Councilman Mike McDonald, who announced Thursday that he plans to challenge Larson for the state's 1st-district seat in November's election.

"Most people are fed up with what's going on in Washington," McDonald said Thursday by phone, adding that Washington politicians "don't understand" the everyday struggles of most Americans.

"With the partisanship and special interests [in Washington]... people are ready for a change. I feel the same way," he added.

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The 34-year-old Windsor resident is calling for "common-sense leadership" to buck the status quo, which he said "is not good enough."

McDonald, a republican, plans to challenge the seven-term democratic incumbent on the need for changes that will benefit everyday Americans — particularly those changes that have caused economic hardship in recent years.

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"We need a safety net, not a bed," McDonald said in reference to recent healthcare and economic legislation passed in Congress.

"Healthcare regulation cripples business in this country," he said, adding that "Government doesn't create long-term jobs, businesses do."

With a total of five terms of public service on the Town Council and Board of Education, McDonald said Thursday that his political experience in town, coupled with his business experience, has provided him with a number of tools that will enable him to lead effectively and enact the change he believes Connecticut residents are ready for.

McDonald is currently an executive for a national firm that provides security services for the entertainment industry and high-end retailers, among other clientele.

His daily dealings with CEO's of fortune 500 companies and experience in local government are what he believes will help him be a "community-based congressman."

"It's about people in the district," he said. "I plan on doing a lot of listening to what the majority of residents want done.

"That's something that I've always done in office: take a look at both sides of an issue and then make the best decision I can."

McDonald plans to officially announce his campaign for office on Mon., Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. at .

McDonald is the second Windsor republican to announce a bid for a seat in Washington.

Windsor lawyer Brian K. Hill (R) is running for Senator Joe Lieberman's seat. Lieberman is not seeking re-election, and plans to retire.

Hill ran for U.S. Senate in 2010, winning 559 votes as a write-in candidate.


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