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Community Corner

Letter to the Editor: Why I'm Voting For Justin Bernier

Who is most electable? And who has the right foundational principles to lead our country through the problems we face today?

 

To the Editor:

As Republicans decide whom to vote for in August 14th’s primary, they should keep in mind two factors in who to choose as our nominee. Who is most electable? And who has the right foundational principles to LEAD our country through the problems we face today? In past years, we’ve selected nominees who have failed in one or the other. 

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If fellow Republicans endorse Andrew Roraback for Congress, I will not be voting for him in November. I’m not a casual voter. In fact, I’ve worked as state coordinator for John McCain, Gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley, several other candidates and served on my local town council. And I’ve voted for 3rd party candidates in the past. 

Mr. Roraback has never stood up for any controversial proposal that any other Republican would have in his 18 years in the Legislature. Most of his work in Hartford has been going along with the status quo, promoting environmental measures, and bragging about his perfect attendance record. He has never run a competitive race in his northwest district. The Roraback family has a legacy in Connecticut politics back into the 1800s, scaring away competitors. Apart from his radical stances supporting implementation of Obamacare (which he now says he opposes it but never made any effort to slow it down in Connecticut), and pro-choice views, any of his three opponents would exert stronger and more effective leadership on the challenges we face as a nation. 

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I respect Ms. Wilson-Foley and believe that her interests in helping our generation are genuine. She is certainly an accomplished businesswoman in healthcare and a variety of family friendly venues. Yet, her failure to produce records proving that John Rowland actually did the work she claims he did for her husband’s business while also “volunteering” for her campaign shows poor judgment early in the campaign. 

This leaves me to choose between Mark Greenberg and Justin Bernier. Both of these men would make an excellent Congressman. They have the right principles in mind to repeal and replace Obamacare, improve the economy, and understand that more needs to be done for women who have troubled pregnancy during the midst of a bad economy. They are both pro-life. 

Yet, Justin Bernier’s foreign policy experience and experience in the military sets him apart from the rest of the field. He is a strong debater, often making direct and clear statements on his positions. Other candidates tend to walk on both sides of the fence to confuse voters, as Roraback did in answering a question on abortion. Bernier also was a legislative aide to former Congressman Rob Simmons, and his political skills have been honed precisely to be effective in Washington while maintaining firm principles. 

In November, unaffiliated voters will want a Congressman with a breadth of experience, clear communication style, and firm convictions to confront the variety of challenges facing our country. I urge voters to join me in supporting Justin Bernier on Tuesday, August 14th.

Chris O'Brien, Wolcott

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