My endorsement

Since there is only one week until the primary in the 5th district and I know quite a bit about the three Democratic candidates, it is time for me to provide some direction to all the folks who supported me at the convention.

Here is my take on the candidates (in alphabetic order to be fair).

Chris Donovan

1. He seems to be the most progressive/liberal candidate, though not as progressive as I am, so that is in his favor.  
2. However, there is no realistic way for him to escape the taint of the alleged corruption among his top staffers.  Any indication that he was involved will not only damage Mr. Donovan but the Democratic party.   
3. Also, while he is progressive, his campaign has not been nearly bold enough in its positions. 

Elizabeth Esty

1. She has many admirable traits--sincere, hard-working, thoughtful.
2. My main issue with Ms. Esty is that winning seems more important to her than making a difference.  It was a huge mistake not to commit to the "positive campaign" pledge that was proposed at the first debate.  People who served on multiple town committees, the first people each candidate had a chance to represent, asked for a positive campaign.  (Now I know that the campaign has been a study in hypocrisy.)  If a politician is not willing to take a position proposed by the people doing the hard work at the grass roots level, then that says something about how she will "represent" the district.  To me it says that political expediency is more important than listening to constituents.  
3. The fact that will be hardest for her to overcome--taking money from businesspeople her husband regulates--is reflective of the same mindset.  It would have been harder for her campaign to get a strong start with less money, but it would have been the right thing to do do refuse the money that caused the appearance of conflicted interests.  

Dan Roberti

1. I don't know where to start.
2. OK. Saying you wish a Super-Pac would not attack your opponents is laughable.  Especially when its donors number fewer than 10 folks all of whom you surely know.
3. Running a highly negative campaign after pledging to remain positive is what Repbulicans do.
4. Using "different" as a campaign theme for a campaign based on raising money and attacking fellow Democrats is the height of cynicism.  

All that being said, I want a Democrat to win this election.  And I want all Democrats to stop the madness that has caused three good people to do questionable things and try their best to diminish each other.  

While none of the candidates can change how they have raised money, any of them can commit to shut the revolving door.  

I will endorse whichever candidate pledges: "I will not, nor will any member of my staff, accept a job as a lobbyist or working with a lobbying firm for five years after the last day on the taxpayers' payroll."