On the Stump in Greenwich

Gov. Dannel Malloy gave a motiviational speech to stir about 100 party faithful at a rally Tuesday night to help bolster campaign efforts for the local candidates seeking to break the Republican hold of state legislative seats.

In a 12-minute speech punctuated by applause and cheers from Greenwich Democrats, Malloy praised state house candidates Stephanie Paulmeno, David Rafferty and John Blankley. "To have them step forward is a great honor," Malloy said of their candidacies.

"We have to make sure that people understand that we stand for our fellow citizens ... (that) there is a difference between being a Democrat and a Republican," Malloy said. "We in this room measure ourselves by the success of our community, the success of our neighbors, of our friends in that community."

To that end, Malloy said, "I want this nation, I want this state to have fair and equitable distribution of opportunity, to have fair and equitable distribution of success in our community, in our school and in our nation. That's what we're about. That's why we're here tonight."

Malloy attended the rally at the invitation of Blankley, a technology company entrepreneur, who is seeking to unseat six-term Republican incumbent Livvy Floren. Malloy joked that he accepted the invitation for the party at Blankley's mid-country Greenwich home "so that I might see what affordable housing in Greenwich looks like."

Coming to Greenwich, Malloy said, was akin to a homecoming. Even though his family hailed from Stamford, Malloy said his mother graduated from the former Greenwich Hospital School of Nursing and he had several relatives in Cos Cob where he spent much time during his childhood.

Blankley said he was pleased with the turnout of the crowd he and Democratic Selectman Drew Marzullo estimated at 100 to 125 attendees which included former selectmen Lin Lavery and Dick Bergstresser. Attendees also included several Representative Town Meeting members including Greg Schulte, Nick Edwards and Christine Edwards, state Democratic State Central Commitee members Beth and Ed Krumeich; and Greenwich DTC Chairman Frank Farricker, treasurer Shari Aser, secretary Phyllis Behlen, and vice chairmen Bill Gaston and Glen Canner.