Windsor Election Guide 2012

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Windsor Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about every race in town. Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near. 

President

(D): The president came to Connecticut last election to stump for his Democratic colleagues, although this year he could be more busy campaigning for himself.  

(R): The former governor is no stranger to Connecticut, having most recently visited in May for a lucrative fundraiser.

U.S. Senate

 (D): The Democratic congressman is polling ahead of his closest party rival by a 50-20 margin as he tries to win outgoing Sen. Joe Lieberman’s seat.

 (D): The Democratic candidate for Senate has her work cut out for her as she tries to lessen U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy’s strong lead as the August primary approaches.

Sylvester Salcedo (D): The Bridgeport lawyer is known for being one of the few Asian-Americans to run for U.S. Senate in the 2012 election — perhaps now the only one since  — as well as driving to the Mexican border earlier this year to gain a some attention for his campaign.

Lee Whitnum (unaffiliated): The Greenwich resident sparked some controversy when  because Gov. Malloy and Rep. Chris Murphy are "lying to the people to pander to the ultra conservative branch of the Jewish community." She announced in June that she would 

 (R): The former WWE executive tried – and failed – in her run for U.S. Senate two years ago. This year, she was the Republican favorite after .

 (R): Despite losing the party nominations to Linda McMahon, .

Kie Westby (R): , the Southbury attorney said that career politicians have had their chance to make changes. "It requires a fresh face, a fresh approach," he said. Although he hasn't officially suspended his campaign, Westby recently announced that he wouldn't submit the signatures required to be part of the Republican primary.

First Congressional District

John Larson (D): Rep. John Larson has been serving the first congressional district in congress since 1999. During his tenure, Larson has secured the defense contracts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's F-135 Engine, which were built in Connecticut in 2011.

He recently started the Connecticut with the purpose of the program being to bring what are known as "Track One” candidates together with prospective employers who are looking for a certain skill set.

Last month, he introduced "the 'Victory for Veterans' commemorative stamp, which is a .21 cent stamp that has no postage value, but can be placed on letters to show support for our veterans," according to an email from his spokesman.

John Decker (R):  On his Facebook page, John Decker states that he is a "real person" and not a "career politician." 

"I look forward to a time when we elect real people at home in their communities instead of re-electing career politicians interested in spending our money and in their own self-preservation," he wrote on his Facebook page.

Decker has served Connecticut as a financial advisor for the past 16 years. He recently earned his certified financial planner designation, serves on the Board of Directors of Business for Downtown Hartford and is a deacon, according to his Facebook page.

Fourth District Probate Judge

Jim Welsh (D): The only candidate who is a Windsor native, Welsh touts more than thirty years of legal experience, having worked as Connecticut's assistant attorney general, special assistant attorney general and legal director for the Department of Developmental Services. He also says he's been involved in thousands of local probate proceedings over the years. He picked up the bulk of Windsor's support at the democratic party's convention.

Marianne Lassman Fisher (D): Marianne Lassman Fisher is the former probate judge of East Windsor and South Windsor's court. The restructuring of the state's probate system created the Greater Windsor Probate Court, in which Lassman Fisher was pitted against Windsor's Brian Griffin in a 2010 election. Griffin won the vote, receiving overwhelming support in Windsor, while Lassman Fisher took home both East Windsor and South Windsor. She picked up support from the South Windsor and East Windsor democrats at the party's convention.

Kevin McCann (R): The South Windsor attorney picked up the republican party's endorsement on the strength of his 22 years of exclusively practicing trust, estate and probate law. A South Windsor resident, McCann was recognized by Hartford Magazine as a top attorney in trusts & estates in the area.

Judith Paquin (I): An adjunct professor of legal studies at Quinnipiac University, Paquin has practiced law for 22 years, including temporary custody, adoptions, trusts and other probate matters. A democratic South Windsor resident, Paquin has qualified to run on the ticket as an independent.

(I): Also a democrat running as an independent, South Windsor's Keith Yagaloff currently sits on the town's town council, and operates a legal practice concentrated in the areas of probate, family law and civil litigation. Approved by the State of Connecticut to serve as guardian ad litem for children in family and juvenile matters, Yagaloff's probate experience includeds cases of guardianships for children and the mentally disabled, conservatorships, probating wills, administering estates and probable cause hearings for committed persons.

Fifth District State Representative

Leo Canty (D): The chair of Windsor's democratic town committee, Canty has made it his mission to increase the chances of a Windsor resident represent the town's residents in the capitol. His hard work paid off this year with the redrawing of district lines, and the creation of a Windsor majority in what was Hartford's fifth assembly district. Canty received the majority of delegates' votes at the democratic party's convention

Brandon McGee (D): McGee is the only Hartford candidate in the race, but he's already received significant support, including that of the district's current state representative, Maria Lopez Kirkley-Bey, who has announced her retirement at the end of this term. McGee received the second most votes from delegates at the democratic party's convention, qualifying for an August 14 primary alongside Canty and Trinks.

Don Trinks (D): Windsor Mayor Don Trinks did not pick up the town democratic committee's nomination for state representative, but that hasn't slowed him down in his pursuit of representing his fellow residents in Hartford. Trinks has qualified for the August 14 primary as well.

Paul Panos (R): Current minority leader on the Windsor Board of Education, Panos is a republican with decades of experience at the town level. An engineer by trade, Panos has pushed for education reform for years, and is now looking to make changes at the state level.

Fifteenth District State Representative

David Baram (D): Having been sworn into office in 2009, Bloomfield-resident David Baram has written or co-sponsored a number of significant bills-turned-laws, including the state's encouragement of schools' incorporation of genocide history in school curricula, and legal protection for municipalities in the event of recreational negligence. Baram at the party's recent convention.

Quentin Johnson (R): As a republican, Johnson has the tough task of interrupting five consecutive terms of democratic representation in the 15th district. His political experience includes the Bloomfield fair rent commission and board of assessment and appeals.

Sixtieth District State Representative

Peggy Sayers (D): First elected to represent the 60th house district in 1999, the Windsor Locks resident has introduced a number of bills to the general assembly, including bills concerning voting rights, and one to increase penalties for voter intimidation and interference. She also introduced a bill concerning sexual violence on college campuses.

Michael Russo (R): Russo, founder of Windsor Locks' Russo Lawn & Landscape, Inc., is a former president of the town's chamber of commerce, and he currently serves on the town's economic and industrial development commission, and the capital improvement committee. He says,

Sixty-First District State Representative

Elaine O'Brien (D): A Suffield resident, O'Brien is completing her first term in office. During her first two years, O'Brien has introduced a number of bills to the general assembly, including acts concerning the desecration of war or veterans' memorials, an act concerning urban revitalization, an act concerning the state's military facilities and an act concerning special education programs in the state.

Tami Zawistowski (R): Tami Z says she's running for two reasons: the inability to continue to pay rising taxes under Gov. Malloy's "tax and spend policies;" and the stories of her unemployed or underemployed neighbors.

Second District State Senator

Eric Coleman (D): Coleman has represented the 2nd senatorial district for 17 years, and served in the house of representatives dating as far back as 1983. The Bloomfield resident currently serves as senate chair of the judiciary committee and vice chair of the human services, and planning and development committees.

Malvi Lennon (R): Lennon is no stranger to running for office, but she's made significant gains in the 2012 race, picking up Windsor, Hartford and Bloomfield republicans' support to run against the incumbent Coleman. Lennon is running on a "jobs, taxes and education" platform, and has been critical of democrats' unwillingness to challenge the governor's stance on economic and jobs issues.

Seventh District State Senator

John Kissel (R): In the only district in town with republican representation, Kissel is holding strong, currently finishing his tenth term as the 7th senatorial district's representative in the capitol. He's the ranking member of the Senate's judiciary, and program review and investigations committees, and is a Windsor native.

Karen Jarmoc (D): Jarmoc, a former state representative of the 59th District, unsuccessfully challenged Kissel in 2010, but the loss was by fewer than one thousand votes. She says Windsor needs someone who "can initiate and get things done." She worked on a number of issues in the State House, including safer work conditions for correctional employees and legislation protecting children during the nation's recession.