Christopher Keating’s blog at the Courant <read>
“I’ve put about 10,000 miles on my car,” Merrill said. “I am not exploring. I am running for Secretary of the State.”
A longtime legislator and former co-chairwoman of the budget-writing appropriations committee, Merrill is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable lawmakers at the Capitol.
The Secretary of the State’s office is “a place where fair and clean elections must be guarded,” she said.
Merrill has strong support in the House, while another candidate, Sen. Jonathan Harris of West Hartford, has support on the Capitol’s third floor in the Senate.
Merrill was endorsed by some of the highest-ranking and longest-serving lawmakers in the state, including House Speaker Christopher Donovan of Meriden, deputy Speaker Bob Godfrey of Danbury, Rep. Jack Thompson of Manchester, transportation committee co-chairman Tony Guerrera of Rocky Hill, deputy speaker Marie Kirkley-Bey, and Rep. Mary Mushinsky of Wallingford – the dean of the House.
Our goal is that all candidates in the race recognize the key role that the Secretary of the State should play in election integrity and that election integrity be an important part of the discussion. It should be a prime consideration for party delegates and for voters in choosing among candidates.
