“Chris Donovan has worked diligently and effectively on making government more responsive to the interests of working and middle income families in our city and the state. We commend his leadership on passage of the health care insurance partnership that lowers costs and extends coverage for middle class families. We applaud his work on a paid sick leave law that protects workers and the public health and enactment of greater protection for victims of domestic violence. Chris stands out for his support for minimum and living wage policies and protecting Medicare and Medicaid eligibility and benefit levels from cuts. He will bring these priorities and our interests to Washington,” said New Britain DTC Chair John McNamara. “Chris’ grassroots experience working in New Britain and other communities and his legislative record demonstrate that he will be the strongest of voices for economic and educational opportunity that is now out of reach for too many Connecticut families.”

“I’ve fought for the middle class families of New Britain since the beginning of my career, and I look forward to continuing that work with my friends on the New Britain DTC. Together we will work to grow good jobs with strong benefits, and to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from the draconian cuts planned by Congressional Republicans. I thank John and the members of the DTC for their endorsement and support,” said Donovan.

The New Britain DTC joins Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, former 5th CD Congressman Jim Maloney, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, the Connecticut Working Families Party, the Meriden DTC, the Newtown DTC, the Bethlehem DTC, the Burlington DTC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Blue America, Sheet Metal Workers Local 40, AFT Connecticut, AFSCME Council 15, the Connecticut Council of Police, the Connecticut Education Association, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists, the IAFF – Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Connecticut Laborers District Council, and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 in endorsing Chris Donovan as the best candidate to fight for the families of Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.

“We are excited to announce our endorsement and support of Chris Donovan. Chris is a trusted friend and ally and we know that he will never stop fighting for working families,” said David Roche, Business Manager/Financial Secretary Treasurer of Sheet Metal Workers Local 40. “We are standing with Chris, because he has stood with us so many times. We trust him to go to Congress and fight for the things that matter to the families of Connecticut – great jobs with solid benefits, protecting the foundations of the American middle class – Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, a world-class education for our children, and the ability to afford to retire and know that our families are taken care of.”

“Thank you to the hard-working Sheet Metal Workers of Local 40 for your endorsement, support, and encouragement. I have spent my career working for the middle class families of Connecticut, and I am excited to continue that fight together. In these tough economic times, good jobs, access to quality, affordable healthcare, and protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from craven political attacks are even more critical,” said Donovan.

Sheet Metal Workers Local 40 joins Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, former 5th CD Congressman Jim Maloney, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, the Connecticut Working Families Party, the Meriden DTC, the Newtown DTC, the Bethlehem DTC, the Burlington DTC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Blue America, AFT Connecticut, AFSCME Council 15, the Connecticut Council of Police, the Connecticut Education Association, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists, the IAFF – Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Connecticut Laborers District Council, and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 in endorsing Chris Donovan as the best candidate to fight for the families of Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.

“There is an overwhelming amount of support for Chris Donovan for Congress on the Burlington Democratic Town Committee. Our members indicated that there was no reason to wait to formalize their support behind Chris,” said Daniel Zabel, Chair of the Burlington DTC. “Member after member expressed their belief that Chris will be the strongest and best candidate for the Democrats. They also feel that Chris is the person the 5th Congressional District needs representing us in Congress, and fighting for our interests and concerns.”

“I look forward to working with my friends on the Burlington DTC to help grow good jobs with strong benefits, protect Social Security and Medicare, and to make sure every family in Burlington and across the district has access to quality, affordable health care. I am honored to have their endorsement and support,” said Donovan.

The Burlington DTC joins Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, former 5th CD Congressman Jim Maloney, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, the Connecticut Working Families Party, the Meriden DTC, the Newtown DTC, the Bethlehem DTC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Blue America, AFT Connecticut, AFSCME Council 15, the Connecticut Council of Police, the Connecticut Education Association, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists, the IAFF – Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Connecticut Laborers District Council, and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 in endorsing Chris Donovan as the best candidate to fight for the families of Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.

Like President Barack Obama, House Speaker Christopher Donovan began as a community organizer — a biographical footnote not lost on supporters of Donovan’s bid for the Democratic nomination for the 5th Congressional District seat.

Mayor Timothy O’Brien welcomed Donovan to New Britain’s Pulaski Club, calling him “an advocate in the state legislature for working people.” O’Brien was joined by Secretary of the State Denise Merrill and state Comptroller Kevin Lembo, both of whom also endorsed Donovan’s candidacy.
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“The Bethlehem DTC is proud to endorse Chris Donovan for Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District. Chris is a leader with a strong record of fighting for working people and families,” said Theresa O’Neill, Chair of the Bethlehem DTC. “In Congress, we trust him to fight for good jobs, to protect and expand Social Security and Medicare, to stand with farmers and protect our open spaces, and to ensure that all of our children have access to a quality education.”

“I am proud to have the endorsement and support of my friends on the Bethlehem DTC. Together, we will work to ensure that the hard-working families of Bethlehem have access to good, reliable jobs with great benefits, quality, affordable health care, pristine open spaces, educational opportunities for their children, and can afford to retire with dignity and respect,” said Donovan.

The Bethlehem DTC joins Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, former 5th CD Congressman Jim Maloney, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, the Connecticut Working Families Party, the Newtown DTC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Blue America, AFT Connecticut, AFSCME Council 15, the Connecticut Council of Police, the Connecticut Education Association, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists, the IAFF – Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Connecticut Laborers District Council, and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 in endorsing Chris Donovan as the best candidate to fight for the families of Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.

“So people are working, putting in 40 hours week 52 weeks out of the year, and their earning poverty wages,” Donovan added.

About 106,000 people in Connecticut earn the minimum wage and around 83 percent of them are over the age of 20, he said. Many of the jobs that the state has gained as its worked its way out of the recession have been low paying, he said.

“We have mothers and fathers who lost their jobs and are now trying to make ends meet and the jobs that are available to them, because they want to work, are minimum wage jobs. We have to do our best as a society, as members of the General Assembly to say, ‘We understand that you’re working hard and we want to make sure you get enough wages that you are not poor,’” he said.
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MERIDEN, CT – The Secretary of the State of Connecticut, Denise Merrill, and State Comptroller of Connecticut, Kevin Lembo, today announced their endorsement of Chris Donovan for the Fifth Congressional District seat.

“We need a proven leader like Chris Donovan to go to Washington and break the gridlock,” said Merrill. “Chris has a history of standing up for the issues that matter most to the hard-working families of Connecticut – issues like raising the minimum wage, paid sick leave, protecting our seniors, and expanding access to quality education and affordable health care. Chris has proven time and time again that he takes on the important fights – and wins.”

“We can trust Chris Donovan to go to Congress and fight for Connecticut’s middle class and working families,” said Lembo. “In Congress, I know Chris will fight to grow good jobs with strong benefits, to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and to ensure that every child has access to a world-class education, and every senior can afford to retire with dignity and respect.”

“Denise and Kevin are devoted public servants who work hard for the people of Connecticut, and I am honored to have their support and endorsement,” said Donovan. “I will work closely with Secretary of the State Merrill and Comptroller Lembo and other state leaders to fight for the families of the towns and cities of the Fifth Congressional District, for well-paying jobs with solid benefits, and against Republican attacks on Medicare and Social Security.”

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill and Comptroller Kevin Lembo join former 5th CD Congressman Jim Maloney, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, the Connecticut Working Families Party, the Newtown DTC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Blue America, AFT Connecticut, AFSCME Council 15, the Connecticut Council of Police, the Connecticut Education Association, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists, the IAFF – Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Connecticut Laborers District Council, and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 in endorsing Chris Donovan as the best candidate to fight for the families of Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.

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Surrounded by teachers from the Meriden public school district, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Connecticut President Sharon Palmer announced that the union both nationally and locally would be backing Donovan as its candidate in the state’s 2012 race for the 5th District.
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“Chris has been one of the strongest supporters of teachers, students and public education in Connecticut, so this was an easy decision for our union to make. We are proud to offer our endorsement to Chris Donovan, and we pledge to work hard for his election to Congress.” said Sharon Palmer, President of AFT Connecticut. “We trust Chris to fight for the issues important to students, parents and teachers – to improve our public schools, for increased access to early childhood education, and to make higher education more affordable. ”

“I thank the members of AFT Connecticut for their support and endorsement, and I’m excited to be working with them. From my experience teaching at the University of Hartford, I know just how difficult the jobs of these hard working teachers are, and how important. We must commit to supporting our students, teachers, and schools, to making early childhood education a reality for all of our children, and to bring higher education within reach for every student,” said Donovan.

AFT Connecticut joins former 5th CD Congressman Jim Maloney, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, Connecticut Working Families Party, the Newtown DTC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Blue America, AFSCME Council 15, the Connecticut Council of Police, the Connecticut Education Association, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists, the IAFF – Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Connecticut Laborers District Council, and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 in endorsing Chris Donovan as the best candidate to fight for the families of Connecticut’s fifth congressional district.

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