Connecticut's Blumenthal to Obama: I'm With You, Comrade!

By Stuart Schwartz

Each day brings new stories about Democratic candidates running away from President Obama, insider Washington, and the most radical anti-business agenda ever seen in the nation's capitol. Even Democrats, for example, are running against Obamacare. But Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, vying to replace retiring Senator Chris Dodd, tonight kicks off a novel strategy-he's embracing the president.

Blumenthal's approach: I'm with you, comrade! Raise taxes, drive jobs away, increase the cost of living...together we'll show'em how government is supposed to work! Blumenthal tonight welcomes Barack Obama to this deep blue state to "energize" his campaign and raise money for his fast tightening race with Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate who defied the GOP establishment to win the nomination. In the Stamford Marriot will be the crème de la crème of the state's tax-and-spend Democrats, welcoming the president who is honoring what the Wall Street Journal has called Blumenthal's "aggressively antibusiness (sic) record."

In twenty years on the public payroll, Blumenthal has used litigation to drive utility rates in the state to record levels, push for global warming taxes on Connecticut industry, and now supports the Obamacare legislation that has already caused health insurance hikes of more than 20% in the state. And with increased attention by state voters to his record, polls show McMahon has closed the gap on Blumenthal from a 41-point lead at the beginning of the year to six points this week.

A bold and contrarian move by the candidate the head of the state Republican party described as "an elitist snob, living off a trust fund, who does not believe" in free markets? Embrace Obama, and voters will beat a path to your door-does Blumenthal know something the voters in others states somehow haven't grasped? Stay tuned...November is just around the corner.

Thomas Lifson adds: The respected non-political Cook Political Report today changed its assessment of the Connecticut Senate race to a toss-up.