Richard Blumenthal Will Run To Replace Dodd In Senate

HARTFORD, Conn. (Associated Press) -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says he will seek to succeed fellow Democrat Christopher Dodd in the U.S. Senate.

Blumenthal tells The Associated Press that he will announce his candidacy at noon Wednesday at Democratic headquarters in Hartford.

Democratic officials tell the AP that Dodd will announce Wednesday that he will not seek a sixth term in November. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

The 63-year-old Blumenthal has been Connecticut's attorney general since 1990 and served in the state legislature from 1984 to 1990.

The Greenwich resident also served as an aide to U.S. Sen. Abraham Ribicoff and an aide to former U.S. Sen. Daniel Moynihan, when Moynihan was assistant to the president.

Comments

[barbct]

12:02 PM on 01/06/2010

I am disappointed not to have Chris Dodd as our Senator in the future, but Richard Blumenthal is a fantastic choice to replace him. No republican can challenge Richard and win. He has a wonderful reputation as our Attorney General and the support of almost any voting resident of the state. Anyway, we already have a Republican Senator in Lieberman!

[treadway123]

05:01 PM on 01/06/2010

Chris Dobbs purposely steped down to let the Att; General step in. He actually has a better chance than Dobbs did to win! It was very unselfish of Dobbs.

[lafayette2009]

05:23 PM on 01/06/2010

It's Chris Dodd - just for the record!

[livefreest]

12:59 PM on 01/07/2010

do you think Blumenthal will be a conscientious senator who will be able to do something big money doesn't like or are you, in Connecticut, about to get just another senator?

[billobasher]

11:37 AM on 01/06/2010

I hope he wins.

[rwe2late]

11:18 AM on 01/06/2010

From April 2008 article

“Blumenthal was a big Lieberman supporter”

“On October 26, 2006 the FBI investigation into Joe Lieberman’s charges that his website was "hacked" was concluded and found that Lieberman brought down his own website. Yet on October 29, when Connecticut Attorney General (and Lieberman supporter) Richard Blumenthal was interviewed by Connecticut Bob, why did he say that no conclusion had been reached? “

http://firedoglake.com/2008/04/10/did-ct-attorney-general-richard-blumenthal-cover-for-joe-lieberman-video/

[HC4BO]

11:15 AM on 01/06/2010

Who really cares anymore ...

The world has only 2 more years to go ...

[rwe2late]

11:03 AM on 01/06/2010

From Feb. 2010 article

“If you think Senator Chris Dodd was friendly with former Countrywide Financial CEO Angelo Mozilo, check out the bond the Connecticut lawmaker enjoys with Richard Blumenthal, the state's attorney general. While Mr. Dodd refuses to make public the details of his sweetheart loans from Countrywide, the state's chief lawyer not only won't investigate; he has taken to the airwaves to proclaim Mr. Dodd's innocence and even predict his re-election in 2010.
Inappropriate doesn't begin to describe Mr. Blumenthal's appearance this week on Hartford's WFSB-TV. The AG compared Mr. Dodd, who was due to receive an estimated savings of $75,000 over the life of his two VIP mortgage loans, to borrowers allegedly duped by unscrupulous lenders. Mr. Blumenthal claimed that "there's no evidence of wrongdoing on [Mr. Dodd's] part any more than victims who were misled or deceived by Countrywide."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123508724716027847.html?mod=todays_us_opinion

[rwe2late]

11:08 AM on 01/06/2010

correction that should be "Feb 2009" article cited

[BigDogMom]

11:13 AM on 01/06/2010

Are you a CT resident?

[dem 01]

11:00 AM on 01/06/2010

He can run for the likud or kadima !

[rwe2late]

11:06 AM on 01/06/2010

if he runs for Senate,

his foreign policy views should be examined re:
Israel
Iraq
the war on "terror"
Afghanistan occupation
the growing military-industrial-financial complex

[Pablo175]

10:56 AM on 01/06/2010

Perfect fit for the Senate - a complete narcissist.

[BigDogMom]

11:13 AM on 01/06/2010

So Peter Schiff a Ron Paul follower or Linda Evans, who's only claim to fame is the World Wrestling Foundation are better?

[UnoDosUltraviolento]

11:42 AM on 01/06/2010

Peter Schiff is anti-war and has a firm understanding of the economy. Heck, he warned everybody very early about the pending financial meltdown.

[allengoldchain]

01:29 PM on 01/06/2010

Hey dems didn't care too much about voting for a crook back into office so why not have WWE as the next senator? Can't be as bad as Dodd.

[Acolyte]

10:34 AM on 01/06/2010

I hope I am right when I say that I hope that Dodd's retirement is an orchestrated play by the Dems to position good candidates against Repubes they can beat in order to gain seats and get rid of undesirable DINOs (read: Lieberman).

[BigDogMom]

10:40 AM on 01/06/2010

I think you may be right in saying this, the CT DNC didn't want another muck up like the Lieberman race...they wanted a strong canidate and Blumenthal is that canidate.

[RightOn5]

11:31 AM on 01/06/2010

Examine Bloomies links to the Banks and Big Business and then listen to him speak
( zzzzz). His competition will eat him alive in debate. Maybe Obama can give him tp lessons.

[allengoldchain]

01:30 PM on 01/06/2010

having Dodd in there was going to be a definite loss so placing another candidate might give them a chance.

[treadway123]

05:03 PM on 01/06/2010

ya, betcha it is! Dobbs polls are down, an the Att: Generals is real good. So Dobbs steped aside to keep The seat in the Dems category!

[BCALM]

10:31 AM on 01/06/2010

63 year old white guy,,,,, Roland Burris , the only AA and he will be gone

[BigDogMom]

10:34 AM on 01/06/2010

I don't understand your post....if you are comparing Blumenthal to Roland Burris then you are off and apparently don't live in the state of CT where Blumenthal has a 78% approval rating. He has been an Atty. Gen for CT since 1990 and is very well known and liked.

[RnR]

11:08 AM on 01/06/2010

Only because he hasn't crossed the wrong (or right) people, if he had, whatever blackmail-able actions they have on file for him would have been publicized just like Spitzer (whom I **really** like).

[treadway123]

05:05 PM on 01/06/2010

I hear CT like their Att: General, an he's favorable to win Dobbs seat. It's why Dobbs is steping down. To keep a Dem seated.

[UnoDosUltraviolento]

11:43 AM on 01/06/2010

And what does Roland Burris' skin pigmentation have to do with anything?

[orbs]

10:21 AM on 01/06/2010

There something about Connecticut that has voters there preferring aged men in office?

[BigDogMom]

10:29 AM on 01/06/2010

What's the average age of the Senate?

61.7 years, this is the oldest average age it's ever been...so don't put this on CT.

[DannyEV]

10:31 AM on 01/06/2010

something wrong with aged?

[orbs]

10:37 AM on 01/06/2010

In nationally impactful political office...yes.

[johndab]

10:18 AM on 01/06/2010

GREAT CHOICE!!!................BLUMENTHAL WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT SENATOR.

NOW WORK ON FINDING A SUITABLE CANDIDATE TO KICK JOE "I KISS ATENA'S A** " OUT!

[UnoDosUltraviolento]

11:44 AM on 01/06/2010

Easy on the caps, sparky!

[KarateKid]

10:14 AM on 01/06/2010

As a former resident of CT, I know Blumenthal, and he's a good man, folks. He'll make a great senator; in fact, he should have run for higher office before this.

[BigDogMom]

10:17 AM on 01/06/2010

He should have run for Lieberman's seat instead of Ned Lamont, he had more name recognition.

[lafayette2009]

05:31 PM on 01/06/2010

Lieberman won because the Republicans voted for him so maybe you are right that Blumenthal may have had a better chance but he obviously wasn't ready to run in 2006.

If Lieberman runs in 2012, he will do so as a Republican but I think he has already tied up his lobbying position.

[karmafriend]

10:19 AM on 01/06/2010

I agree, but I really hate to lose him as AG.

[KarateKid]

10:12 AM on 01/06/2010

The seat became safe for the Democrats again. Just a little over a year after he ran for President, he retires under fire. Ya think there was some choreography involved in this?

Lamont is running for governor.

Lieberman, you're next.

[BigDogMom]

10:15 AM on 01/06/2010

Morning KK...Lieberman is done in CT and he knows it. He is going to run again as a republican and will loose in 2012.

There are several up and coming Dems in the State House that may go for Lieberman's seat....we'll see.

[KarateKid]

10:20 AM on 01/06/2010

Good morning, BDM. I used to live in New Canaan, from 1986-1998, and know this man's history. Yes, he should have run against Lieberman and he would have beaten him, too. I still don't know why he didn't. He's a great choice and I like his style, low key and honest. He's in no one's back pocket.

[lafayette2009]

05:33 PM on 01/06/2010

Snap - sorry I did not see this post before I responded to yours above.

[BigDogMom]

10:10 AM on 01/06/2010

As a resident of CT, I can't tell you how happy I am to have heard this news this morning.....Dodd had too many skeletons in the closet and it would have been a tough race.

Blumenthal is on the side of the people, and he will fight like a pit bull for us. Let's pray that he is not corrupted while in office, like Dodd and Lieberman, but, I think the people of CT will make sure of that he's not. We've had enough of this and are smart enough here to see the signs, before it happens again.

[KarateKid]

10:24 AM on 01/06/2010

Fanned. (or maybe it's a re-fan)

[henryberry]

10:43 AM on 01/06/2010

If you're as smart as you hope you are, you'll want to know that Blumenthal has been instrumental in the growth and perpetuation of crime and corruption in the Fairfield county State's Attorney's office under his long term. Blumenthal has taken on all of the no-brainers such as keeping the Sound unpolluted, consumer interests, and such. But (in truth, like the typical official) shirked all of the hard stuff--such as curtailing the crime and corruption going on right under his nose. I once wrote an article sent to CT politicians and media titled "Richard Blumenthal - Connecticut's Telegenic, Trendy, Toothless Attorney General." This sums up who he is. I expect he will get elected as senator. He fits right in to the day's casual acceptance of crime and corruption, advance by cultivation of a misleading image, and saccharine manner among ambitious politicians.

As a resident of CT, you'll be interested to know that the investigation into Stamford's Mayor Dan Malloy was hastily--and quietly--dropped after he became aware of my accusations of crime and corruption in the Fairfield County State's Attorney's office. No long afterwards, the Chief State's Attorney Christopher Marano decided not to seek another term in his position. Blumethal's cravenness as the supposed top legal official in CT has had widespread effects on CT politics and law-enforcement.

[BigDogMom]

11:28 AM on 01/06/2010

Mr. Berry I have read your blog and was not too impressed by it, all you have there are allegations, quite a few, in fact numerous, to the point of being a woo woo, with no proof as far I can see. Tried to find you allegations with links, found none.

But I did see that you have a book for sale, hey it works for Palin, so why not you.

[treadway123]

05:11 PM on 01/06/2010

I'm not a bit impressed with your little blog! I believe little of it. My family in CT says he's honest, an have done a great deal for the state!

[whoopingcrone]

09:44 AM on 01/06/2010

NED LAMONT ... the guy who actually won against LIEberman in the Dem primaries.

[karmafriend]

09:51 AM on 01/06/2010

He's going to run for CT governor.

[mk987]

10:35 AM on 01/06/2010

Yep, he's going for governor. I always thought Blumenthal would run against Lie.ber.man in 2012 but this makes sense since Dodd is retiring. Problem is who do we get to run in 2012?

[RightOn5]

11:42 AM on 01/06/2010

and lost against him in the election.