Challenger to Lieberman Steps Over

[Don1]

Ralph Ferrucci yesterday announced he will be running against Connecticut Senator Joseph I. Lieberman in the Democratic primary. Mr. Ferrucci has run for office previously under third parties. In 2003, he ran for Mayor of New Haven, receiving 14% of the vote. Later, in 2004, he ran for Congress as a Green against Rosa DeLauro, D-3. Mr. Ferrucci’s platform is anti-war, pro civil rights, and pro-labor.

Mr. Ferrucci explained that he will be registering as a Democrat to enter the Democratic primary. In that regard, he has written the statement below.

"I have been a Green Party member for many years and have been thinking about running against Joe Lieberman. If I run as a Green it would be to help to build the party but I must forget about myself and the greater good of the Green Party and think about what is best for the people of this state, this country and the world. This is why I have decided that I should join the Democratic Party and primary against Joe."

"For the better good of mankind and womankind alike we need to take down the greatest threat to world peace and put in place someone who will fight for Peace, Universal Health Care and someone who will fight to save the Environment."

"I am independent at heart who will fight for the rights and the better good of the people I will represent. It is time that we had a Government that is of the people, for the people and by the people who speak for us not against what we stand for."

[connecticut yankee]

1. Sounds good

Does anyone know more about him?

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. He has a history of losing elections badly

Looks like he is going to contunue the streak.

[Cappadonna]

12. True, but he was also running as a GP candidate in New Haven

Yeah, Greens lose in New Haven,CT. But anyone who knows New Haven knows its a town whose politics are akin to the old school soviet-- its a one party town with a strong arming Mayor. The Dems vote party line and everyone else stays home.

Having said that, Ferucci can only lose (or to put it more precisely, Joe Lieberman will still be selling us out in DC) unless progressives get off their asses and help the guy win. Sorry, but Ralph and I worked on too many campaigns together and see how wishy washy liberals can be.

[Cappadonna]

10. Yeah, I known him for over 5 years....

He's a good guy, a definite man of the people with a real commitment to working for the less fortunate. He's committed to true democracy. Right, I'm reworking the site
ferucciforcongress.org.
- Cappa

[sellitman]

2. ABJ

Anybody but Joe.

[NewJeffCT]

4. well, he sounds good

hopefully he can raise more money than the professor from Fairfield!

[Don1]

5. Yes.

Seems a daunting task taking on the pro-corporate machine of Lieberman which already has $5 million.

What's he going to do when Bush makes him DoD secretary in January? Give it to his number 2 neo-con in charge?

But this is exactly what must be fought.

Ferrucci will get more than $1000.

[NewJeffCT]

6. snowball's chance in hell of Lieberman becoming Defense Sec.

He was not interested in Homeland Sec... why Defense? I think he pretty much played Bush regarding Homeland Security, and I don't think Bush would go back to that well again.

[Don1]

9. I don't know.

Many rumors flying about all sorts of stuff.

[connecticut yankee]

7. MoveOn might back him

They're trying to find someone to go up against Lieberman, who they're willing to back financially.

I don't know if Ferrucci will meet their criteria, whatever that might be (other than not being Joe Lieberman).

[Don1]

8. I have to wonder about criteria.

There is an unrecognized paradigm shift here of "electability." If MoveOn says Ferrucci is electable, then he is. They have redefined the word. 50K members in CT is a huge block that has influence and money. 50K can talk to others and grow the campaign. 50K each donating an average of $70 to any candidate to get the same funds that Lieberman currently has, $3.5 million.

The problem as I see it is that progressives have not realized yet that they are in much more control of the Democratic Party than they think. They do not realize that they can control the criteria and beat Lieberman merely by standing together.

[woldnewton]

14. It's partly that they don't realize it...

It's partly that they don't want to. Lazy asses, indeed!

The problem as I see it is that progressives have not realized yet that they are in much more control of the Democratic Party than they think. They do not realize that they can control the criteria and beat Lieberman merely by standing together.

[Cappadonna]

11. The guy ran Ralph Nader's campaign for Connecticut in '00 and '04

Whether anyone agrees with that or not, its proof that he's probably more of a MoveOn.org candidate than Holy Joe.

[Eric J in MN]

13. He should put up a website about his candidacy.

Anyway, has MoveOn been told about him?

[woldnewton]

15. NOT TRUE

This information is completely false.

[MrBenchley]

16. Here's more about this ding-dong....

The Advocate calls him a "serial candidate"....

http://newhavenadvocate.com/gbase/News/content?oid=oid:...

[ralphferrucci]

17. Campaign Against Lieberman

As a candidate against Lieberman, I was approached by a few people to run in the primary as a Democrat. The response that was written was something I wrote quick and around a month ago.

I was still discussing this with a few committee members and had not made my final decision on which party I would be running off of until Ned Lamont announced that he would seek Democratic nomination in the primary against Joe.

Even though as of now Ned Lamont is a one issue candidate, End the War in Iraq. As we all know one issue candidates cannot win even opposing a war in a state that the majority of voters agree is wrong and we should leave Iraq as soon as possible.

There needs to be only one candidate in the primary against Joe and I wish Ned the best of luck at defeating him.

I will now put my focus on the General Election as a Green and run off of issues like Universal Heath Care, Job Creation, Fixing Social Security, Repeal the PATRIOT Act and of course complete and immediate withdrawal of Iraq.

[bigwillq]

18. Welcome Ralph.

:hi:

I will be weighing my options as to which candidate I will vote for in the primary.
I know for certain it will not be Lieberman.
Thanks for running.

[bigwillq]

19. You have a bad link there my friend.

In your profile.

[newyawker99]

20. Hi ralphferrucci!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[wordpix2]

21. hi, RalphF, I met Ned Lamont this week & he said he was on land trust

board in Greenwich for many years, I think he said 15. He's an environmental advocate.

[Don1]

22. Ralph

Thanks for this explanation. By the way, you are awesome on the issues.