By CHRISTOPHER KEATING and JENNY WILSON, ckeating@courant.com/
UNCASVILLE — The Republican state convention opened Friday with nominations for five Congressional races, but the regional victories were overshadowed by a clash in the lieutenant governor’s contest that centered on racial politics.
Rep. Lisa Marie “Penny” Bacchiochi charged that a “whisper campaign” against her was circulating among Republican delegates because she has a black husband and four black stepsons. She made her allegations publicly on a talk radio show Thursday, and the delegates were talking about the allegations throughout Friday’s opening day of the party’s convention at the Mohegan Sun casino.
Bacchiochi initially mentioned rival candidate David Walker of Bridgeport, which prompted Walker to issue a strong and detailed statement that he was not involved in any way in the allegations.
Late Friday, Bacchiochi suddenly apologized and withdrew her previous statements, which she described as a “misunderstanding.”
“Neither Dave Walker nor his campaign made any insensitive remarks toward me or my family,” Bacchiochi said in a statement. “I apologize to Dave and his family. Dave and I have met and agreed to put this matter behind us, and to focus on the critical work of the convention.”
Walker responded, “I accept Penny’s apology, and I believe she issued it with all sincerity.”
In a late-night surprise, John McKinney’s campaign announced a press conference for 9 a.m. Saturday at Mohegan Sun to announce that Walker will be his running mate.
The state party chairman, Jerry Labriola, said, “I’m pleased that Penny and Dave have resolved this matter. Now we can move on to the reason we are all here this weekend — to nominate our candidates.”
The exact repercussions of the flare-up will become known Saturday when the delegates vote on the nomination for lieutenant governor, in the three-way race among Bacchiochi, Walker and Heather Bond Somers.
Bacchiochi’s campaign had earlier released a statement that said: “Desperate campaigns sometimes walk outside the lines and make political contests personal. It is unfortunate that one candidate’s campaign in this race has decided to attack my family.”
Somers questioned whether Bacchiochi should remain in the race.
“If somebody makes that kind of an allegation and can’t prove it the night before a convention, they should really think whether they should be running,” Somers told The Courant in an interview Friday. “We need people with principles and character, and unless it can be substantiated, it brings that into question — no doubt.”
Somers added, “I think it’s really unfortunate for the party. It’s bad timing. It’s bad taste for the party.”
Lumaj For Secretary Of The State
In the final action of the evening, Republicans voted after 9 p.m. to nominate attorney Peter Lumaj for secretary of the state, the state’s chief elections official. Lumaj is pledging to end same-day voter registration, which was enacted in recent years after extensive controversy as some Republican legislators feared it would lead to voter fraud.
Lumaj defeated Mike McDonald, a former candidate for Congress who served on the school board in his hometown of Windsor. The final tally was 86 percent to 14 percent, meaning that McDonald did not qualify for a primary.
Greenberg In The 5th District
Litchfield business executive Mark Greenberg won the endorsement in the state’s 5th Congressional district, handily defeating Sal Lilienthal of Kent, who did not draw enough votes to force a primary.
Standing beside his wife and four of his five children, Greenberg accepted the nomination Friday with a promise to revive the economy and to create jobs.
“The policies of President Obama, Harry Reid and Elizabeth Esty continue to fail many of our citizens and businesses,” Greenberg said. “We need to repeal Obamacare and replace it with market-based solutions which re-establish the patient-doctor relationship.”
A congressional candidate the past two election cycles, Greenberg is looking to unseat freshman U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty in perhaps the state’s most competitive district.
In his speech Friday, he slammed career politicians who spend “more time raising money than raising bills,” and pledged to “serve no more than eight years” and “to abide by the same laws that Congress passes for everyone.”
The party nomination was an expected victory for Greenberg, who raised close to $150,000 in the first quarter of 2014. He lost a primary challenge in 2012, but his focus from the beginning this year has been on the general election. He already has run three different ad spots this year — one of them promoting his own qualifications and the other two slamming Esty for her support of the Affordable Care Act and her opposition to the death penalty.
Debicella In The 4th District
In a three-way race in the 4th Congressional District, former Sen. Dan Debicella emerged victorious with 92 percent of the vote as he defeated Dr. Joseph Bentivegna and Carl Higbie in a contest that was held off the main convention floor. Neither Bentivegna nor Higbie qualified for a primary.
Debicella already ran once against Democratic incumbent Jim Himes of Greenwich, and he is now preparing for a second battle. He gained unanimous support from delegates in Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Trumbull, Westport and his hometown of Shelton, among others.
In his victory speech, Debicella said he is “disappointed in Congressman Jim Himes, who has decided to become part of the problem in Washington.” He criticized Himes for his votes in favor of President Barack Obama’s controversial health care law and against its repeal, but Himes has defended his votes in the past.
The other congressional nominees are Matthew Corey in the 1st District, who will run against incumbent Democrat John B. Larson; Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh in the 2nd District, who will face incumbent Democrat Joe Courtney; and James Brown in the 3rd District against incumbent Democrat Rosa DeLauro.