Rep. O’Brien Opponent’s Negative Campaign Is Repudiated By Voters

The voters of Assembly District 24 covering parts of New Britain and Newington not only re-elected State Rep. Tim O’Brien last Tuesday by an overwhelming margin. They rejected a malicious campaign by Republican challenger Cris Carillo.

Carillo, a pawn in a GOP attack strategy, relied on mailers developed by New Britain-based CT Republicans that stamped the word “guilty” over O’Brien’s face for taking “our hard-earned money” accompanied by misleading statements on the state budget. It should be remembered that Carillo attacked O’Brien for not delivering enough state aid for New Britain while calling for major cuts in state spending. Though a novice he learned how to talk out of both sides in a hurry under the tutelage of the state and local GOP leaders who’ve made personal attack politics their stock in trade.

In a second mailer against O’Brien the face of convicted murderer Steven Hayes appears and asks: “Do you think O’Brien would still try to repeal the death penalty if his family or someone close to him was brutally victimized?” That appalling statement was due to O’Brien’s opposition to the death penalty, a position held by the Catholic Church, among others.

These vile messages, paid for by the taxpayers under the Citizens’ Election Program, got Mr. Carillo exactly 26% of the vote in New Britain. They also sullied young Mr. Carillo’s reputation and character in the minds of most voters who responded to O’Brien’s issue-based and positive campaign with a strong vote for his representation against a well-financed opponent.

This may be good time for some disinfectant to remove any leftover literature over at Republican State Central on Ellis Street.  (from www.newbritaindemocrat.org)

This mailer used by the campaign of Republican Cris Carillo in New Britain to attack State Rep. Tim O;Brien. The Republican State Central Committee, based in New Britain, used it as a template against other Democratic legislators around the state.