Politics & Government

Bacchiochi Brings Her Lt. Governor Campaign to the Southwest Corner

State Rep. Penny Bacchiochi brought her campaign for the Republican lieutenant governor nomination to Greenwich where she received a warm welcome at a fund-raiser.


Six-term Republican state Rep. Penny Bacchiochi brought her campaign for the lieutenant governor's nomination to Greenwich Sunday in hopes of growing local awareness of her candidacy and to fill her campaign war chest.

More than three dozen party faithful paid $100 to attend the fund-raiser that was held at the Pray Achievement Center just across Greenwich's northern border in Banksville, NY. The late Greenwich businessman Malcolm Pray, a staunch Republican supporter, established the center as an automotive museum where children learn about the principles of achieving success in business.

Republican Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei hosted the event along with Greenwich state Reps. Steve Walko and Fred Camillo, and supportrs Elizabeth Barhydt, Sabrina Forsythe, and David and Mary Staples Webber.

"Her combination of her experience in small business, her background in the legislature ... she's young and fresh from eastern Connecticut, she balances out the ticket," Tesei said. "She has the enthusiasm and desire to turn the tide and salvage the damage done during the tenure of the incumbent governor."

Tesei appealed to the gathering, "Penny is oon the cusp of the $75,000 threshold to qualify for state campaign funds. We want to harness our resources in Greenwich and reach out to our friend from eastern Connecticut who wants the job with aggrandisement."

Bacchiochi, 52, who unseated a long-term Democrat when she first ran for the state house to represent Stafford Springs and Somers on the state's northeastern border, told the gathering, "I hopefully will show you that I'm the type of person, the woman and the legislator who can make things happen."

She said, "People are fed up and have had enough and want to retire Gov. (Dannel) Malloy. One of the problems in Connecticut is we just spend too much money. We borrow too much money. We should only borrow for critical thing we can't do without."

Bacchiochi said she would bring a "nice balance to the Republican ticket from the eastern end of the state," a ticket that is expected to have a gubernatorial candidate from Fairfield County.

"I am focused on making myself the strongest candidate. The most important thing for our Republican party is to unite," said Bacchiochi, who has spent the last several months traveling around the state meeting local Republicans at intimate gatherings.

She added, "I've been a legislator for 12 years. I understand the impact the budget, the capital gains taxes, the estate taxes have on this end of the state. I understand the gas taxes have created the highest gasoline prices at this end of the state."

Bacchiochi said, the state government should pay more attention to the western end of the state because "These are the residents who can afford to relocate elsewhere and we want to keep them."


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