5th District Congressional convention tonight: Democratic candidates need to prove they can connect with constituents

Dan Nowak

In early April when three-term U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty announced she would not run for another term in Connecticut’s 5th District Congressional, it opened the door for many potential Democratic candidates to step forward who otherwise wouldn’t have opposed her.

As a result, there are five Democratic candidates who hope to get the official endorsement of the party tonight (May 14) at Crosby High in Waterbury as it hosts the 5th Congressional District Democratic Convention.

The event should be interesting.

Each of the five candidates have unique backgrounds. The two early frontrunners are Mary Glassman, a former First Selectman in Simsbury, and Jahana Hayes of Wolcott who was selected the 2016 National Teacher of the Year in the Waterbury school system.

Also throwing their hat in the ring is psychiatrist Dr. Roy Lubit who would be one of three psychiatrists in Congress if elected, Rabbi Shaul Praver of Newtown and Manny Sanchez, a New Britain Alderman.

If you want to learn more about each candidate they all have a presence on the Internet. I could only find websites for two of the candidates, which I find interesting for a candidate at this national level. Two others have a campaign presence on Twitter and another on Facebook.

For information on Glassman you can go to www.Maryforct.com and for Lubit you can go to www.RoyLubitforCongress.com. For Hayes you can go to www.twitter.com/JohanaHayesCT and for Praver you can go to www.Twitter.com/rabbi4rep. Information on Sanchez can be found at www.Facebook.com/mannyforus.

One of these candidates will emerge as the Democratic-endorsed candidate. But here is the bottom line for me.

All the 5th District Congressional candidates talk about the same thing - working hard when it comes to the issues including education, health care, the economy, immigration and veterans. Quite honestly, nothing less would be expected of anyone who won the 5th Congressional seat.

In my opinion, the candidate that separates himself or herself from the others – Democrat or Republican - will be the one that forms a connection with constituents. It will be the candidate who is able to connect with and convince constituents that their voice and opinions matter who will make an impact with voters.

Media political pundits are constantly saying that the problem with Democrats is they have no clear-cut platform or message these days. Here is the message that all Democratic candidates and Democratic officials nationally and locally should express and it’s real simple – Everyone Matters.

That message will hopefully be expressed at the 5th Congressional convention and in the election moving forward.

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