Dem candidates for Congress visit NW Corner

SHARON — A noontime gathering on Aug. 13 at the home of Anthony and Elizabeth Piel on Route 41 drew more than 100 area Democrats and others who were interested in meeting the candidates vying for the Democratic endorsement to run for the 5th District U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2012. The seat will be vacated by current 5th District U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, who is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, representing Connecticut.Four candidates spoke about their goals for change and progress in Washington, including improved organization, better care for veterans, jobs, infrastructure upgrades and health care. They also spoke one-on-one with potential voters while sharing sandwiches and coffee in the Piel’s house, porch, patio and garden. The candidates present were Christopher Donovan of Meriden, who is the current Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives and has been the state representative from Meriden since 1992; Elizabeth Esty of Cheshire, who was a state representative from Cheshire, Hamden and Wallingford from 2009 to 2011; Dan Roberti of Kent, who is a member of the Kent Democratic Town Committee and works at DKC, a public relations firm in New York City; and Mike Williams of New Preston, who is a professor of government at Wesleyan University in Middletown and is an advisor to the U.S. Department of State, NATO and the Department of Defense.All spoke of their commitment to the 5th District and to the voters of Connecticut, to representing their voices and their needs in Washington, D.C.The primary for the seat will be in 2012, leading into the November 2012 election.