WASHINGTON (CNN) - Another Republican has officially jumped into the race to challenge Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd in 2010.
State Sen. Sam Caligiuri is the second Republican to officially announce a bid to run against the embattled Dodd, who has come under fire over his admission that he added a loophole into the stimulus package that allowed AIG and other companies that received bailout money to pay millions of dollars in bonuses to their employees.
"I am running to take us into the future and away from what Washington has come to represent: career politicians in power for so long, and with so little accountability, that they feel they can do – or fail to do – anything they want and still get elected," Caliguiri said in a statement released Tuesday. "Regardless of who my opponent may be, I am committed to changing Washington in ways that career politicians are simply unable to do."
Former Rep. Rob Simmons, a Republican, announced his decision to run for the Senate earlier this month. As of now, Dodd does not have any official Democratic challengers.
Recent polling shows that the incumbent may be in for a tough fight. The latest Quinnipiac University poll released March 10 shows Simmons getting 43 percent of the vote, with Dodd at 42 percent. According to the same poll, Dodd would beat Caliguiri 47 percent to 34 percent.
From CNN Politics
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a great time for term limits ..... , ,,,, retire and move back to iowa............ again....
not gonna happen, I am not voting rethuglican, period. You can thank fox news for that.
42% of the people in Conn are idiots.
Even the most liberal Dem can see that Chris Dodd is bad for the party. The guy lied with a straight face on national TV saying he had not idea about the AGI bonuses,then the next day had to admit he actually added the language to the bill. Wounder if that had anything to do with the campaign money he received for the AGI employees? I'm fed up with the politicians in our government,voting for anyone in the two party system is just a big joke and a waste of time. Personally I see no difference in one or the other.
What a crook! The very personification of what is wrong with our government! The fact that a few hundred Iowans actually voted for this guy for president both amazes and scares me.
Someone seriously primary Dodd.
What a mess the Republican party has become.
So, let me get this straight. Anytime the media reports something about republicans it is straight up, honest reporting. Let a negative story come out about a democrat and it is a bunch of cruel, unwarranted lies. Unbelievable!
Republicans have NO answers to any problems. They like to throw their hats into the ring. Morons.
Hope that Dodd gets a Democratic challanger in the primary. Dodd must go – I will never forgive/forget that he tried to run Hillary out of the the primaries last year – and then she went on to get 18 million votes. Which is more than Obama got and about 17, 995,000 more than Dodd got!
Dodd must go......
Put a fork in yourself Chris Dodd, because you're done.
katie Springfield MA
He's a liar and a crook. He doesn't deserve to be re-elected. Send him home and let him make a living honestly like the rest of us.
Someone anyone should replace Dodd. He should be sent to jail along with Frank for what they have done. It still amazes me how many people ignore what these two have done to this country.
Dodd needs to go, HE LIED, at minimum he should be forced to give up his seat on the Committee, the voters of Conn can decide if they want to him to return in the next election. So much for accountability and ethics..if Obama wants to change Washington, he should call for Dodd's resignation as Chairman...but surprise SILENCE, they are too busy scouring private air terminals looking for CEO's getting of company owned jets!!
Dodd is a spineless dud, toss'im!
Dodd had more to do with the collapse of our financial system than Bush did. Dodd was the one overseeing the banks. Look at when our economy started to tank: 2006, the year Democrats took over the Senate and House.
Though I am a firm believer in Democratic positions, and a great supporter of Obama, politicians like Dodd need to be voted out! Please run another Dem in the primaries against this guy. We need honest Democratic government, and Dodd does not fit the accountability/transparency test. No more Republicans, either!
I agree he must go, but I think it could go to another Democrat. Alot of people really cannot trust Republicans.
Once again Kevin in Ohio, Do some research, Clinton left close to a billion dollar surplus, Bush never had the two wars in the fiscal budget. Clinton had a ten year project surplus of 1.5 trillion dollars. Oh yeah it was EIGHT YEARS OF SPENDING. Get a life.....
Why is this man not in handcuffs? Dodd and the rest of the Dumbocrats have ruined this country with their spending and idiotic plans. This guy is as corrupt as they come. He has gotten over 200k from Fannie and Freddie, 120k from AIG, illegal loans and housing deals from his buddies. Demanded campaign contributions of 2k from all AIG management.
And for the sheep that think this is a Republicans fault please explain how things were bad when Bush took office, got worse at 9/11 and then got better? Then explain how the Dumbocrats took over 2 years ago congress and things got worse again?
Simmons does have a legit shot here in CT. Former Rep Simmons was kind of a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time during the 2006 elections for siding with Bush much of the way for the better part of his term. It was kind of a bum rap for Simmons since he fought his tail off to save the New London Sub Base, which saved thousands of jobs for Connecticut. He's generally moderate republican, and the best thing for Repubs to do now would be to get anyone with an (R) next to their name in a CT senate seat.
Enlightened Voter – isn't Dodd a democRAT? Talk about ruining things!!! We can only hope a Republican gets the seat!
Plus you might as well number Joe Liebermann under the Republican crew at this point. Though 2012 it might be bye bye Joe.