Future 4th District Congressman Jim Himes is airing his first ad. Click here to share it with your family, friends and neighbors.
Himes has a lot of events coming up, and that walk across the district looks especially fun.
The race in Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District is finally heating up after the Republican and Democratic nominating conventions, with experts saying that it’s going to be a barnburner. What do you think?
Actually, there is a news source — less reputable than The Onion though it may be — that cares what you think about the race in the 4th CD. The Greenwich Time asks in its May 14 daily poll:
Will Greenwich Democrat Jim Himes beat incumbent Republican Chris Shays for the 4th District Congressional seat?
Click on over to the Greenwich Time and give them your answer.
Two time challenger to Chris Shays in Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District, Diane Farrell, endorsed Jim Himes yesterday. Enthusiastically:
Farrell described Himes as a man “with his finger on the pulse of the needs of families” who “understands the needs of the district.” Noting Himes’ involvement at the local level, as well as his support of her own runs for congress, Farrell praised Himes’ “important work for families in this area.”
Farrell added, “Jim Himes will be a superb member of Congress. I enthusiastically stand in support of Jim.”
Unrelated Pharrell video. Enjoy!
Happy fifth anniversary of the end of major combat operations in Iraq, I guess. MoveOn.org Political Action is highlighting the anniversary with a cake:
Jim Himes spoke today about the impact of the past five years in Iraq on the 4th CD:
“Five years later, it is clear that George Bush and Chris Shays have no plan to get us out of Iraq,” said Himes. “This war has cost our district alone more than $3.1 billion, or $4,700 of per household. The runaway spending on Iraq has meant that critical missions here at home are not accomplished. Imagine what we could accomplish if we invested this money where it is most needed. We should be investing in improving our schools, moving us towards energy independence, and creating a health care system that works for everyone.”
The war costs an unimaginable amount of money when you look at the total numbers, and the costs are still unimaginable at the district or even city level.
In the 4th CD where the war has cost $4,700 per household, that’s nearly $1000 per household per year.
How much is your stimulus rebate? Not enough to pay for your share of the war, I know that. And I contend that if half the money spent on this war were spent on accomplishing the missions at home mentioned by Jim Himes that the economy in which we find ourselves today would not be taking a turn for the worse.
Jim Himes has an Earth Day op-ed in the Connecticut Post that’s not so much about what you can do for the earth, but what doing good for the earth can do for you:
For years, I led the New York office of Enterprise Community Partners, an affordable housing non-profit. There, we made a substantial commitment to green building. The environmental benefits of green building are obvious: green buildings conserve and reuse valuable resources, are healthier, and use less energy. And that matters because 40% of the energy we use is consumed in our homes and offices.
So green building makes clear economic sense. Under some circumstances, Energy Star appliances, energy saving windows, and smart heating and cooling systems can reduce utility bills by as much as 75%. Green roofs lower heating and air conditioning costs, reduce heat-island effects, and extend the life of a structure. Rainwater and grey water capture systems lower water bills by recycling water already in use. Non-toxic products like low-VOC paints and green carpeting and flooring are healthier for inhabitants and reduce health care costs down the road.
Best of all, green technology creates “green collar” jobs. These jobs are generally well paid, career-track jobs that range from low-skill entry-level positions to high-skill higher-paid jobs. Many are in construction, installation, maintenance, and other industries. And, unlike the manufacturing jobs that Stamford, Norwalk, and Bridgeport have lost in recent years, they cannot be outsourced. In short, green building is a win-win-win proposition. Green buildings are healthier to live in, better for the environment, and a source of good jobs.
Being green saves you money and can earn you some money. That’s win-win where I come from.
One of the things I like about Jim Himes is that he’s not using this op-ed to tell us to buy those re-usable shopping bags, or switch some of our incandescents for CFLs — we already know that — he is explaining the long-term benefits of environmental consciousness we can reap right here in Connecticut. How much better will the future in the 4th CD will look when Jim Himes applies his Enterprise Community Partners experience in congress? A lot.
I’m running a bit behind with the news/blogging lately, but I think it’s important to highlight the progress that Jim Himes is making this cycle in his effort to unseat the last incumbent Republican congressperson in New England.
From the Himes campaign announcement of Q1 fundraising numbers:
* Jim Himes raised over $420,000 in the first quarter of 2008, his strongest fundraising quarter yet.
* Himes has raised a total of more than $1.3 million this cycle and has over $1 million cash on hand. This is both the highest total amount and the most cash on hand ever raised by a challenger to Chris Shays by the end of the first quarter of an election year.
* Demonstrating widespread grassroots and netroots support, over 25% of contributions to the Himes campaign in the first quarter were $25 or less.
“[T]he most cash on hand ever raised by a challenger to Chris Shays” means that Jim Himes has even more money right now than Diane Farrell did at this time two years ago, and she nearly beat Shays.
This is going to be a barnburner, as they say. Be sure that you’re signed up to help unseat the last Republican congressperson in New England.
Gabe at CTLP and Jon K. at MLN have further coverage.
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