The Plot Thickens

According to a story in the Hartford Courant Republican candidate for US Senate Alan Schlesinger was sued by two New Jersey casinos over gambling debts. Schlesinger continues to insist that he has done nothing illegal, and so far as we know he hasn't. But this continued bad press does not bode well for him. Most Connecticut voters have never been in a casino and even if they had, a $28,000.00 debt seems an astronomical debt to your average voter. What if any effect does this have on his campaign in light of Governor Rell's and Chairman Gallo's request that he withdraw? I think that he will have a hard time raising money for his campaign and without money his candidacy is doomed. I'm sure Schlesinger makes a good living, but he's no Ned Lamont and Joe Lieberman has a war chest is more than ten times larger than either of his challengers. According to Open Secrets.ORG Lieberman has over $8,000,000.00, Lamont has just under $800,000.00 and Schlesinger has slightly over $20,000.00. To date the candidates have spent: Lieberman over $5,000,000.00, Lamont over $500,000.00 and Schlesinger has spent $1,823.00. We are four months away from the election, do you think Schlesinger can catch up with the millionaire and the incumbent?
Alan Schlesinger is hoping that televised debates will raise his profile and firm up his candidacy. In this day of 500 channels and 22 second attention spans, I think he'd be lucky to see a 10 point bounce. I'm somewhat interested in politics, but even I would rather put the new flea collar on the cat than listen to this debate. Lieberman will go after Lamont's inexperience, Lamont will accuse Lieberman of kissing Bush and both of them will more or less ignore Schlesinger because Lamont needs him and Lieberman needs only to survive the primaries more or less unscathed.