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Fierce Fight In Danbury's 5th District Between Esty, Greenberg

DANBURY, Conn. -- The incumbent Democrat in the 5th District, which includes Danbury, has fought fiercely to keep her seat in Congress, said a longtime political observer, but the Republican challenger is starting to fight back.

Democrat Elizabeth Esty, seeking re-election in the U.S. 5th District, facing a challenge from Republican Mark Greenberg.

Democrat Elizabeth Esty, seeking re-election in the U.S. 5th District, facing a challenge from Republican Mark Greenberg.

Photo Credit: File
Elizabeth Esty is seeking re-election in the U.S. 5th District.

Elizabeth Esty is seeking re-election in the U.S. 5th District.

Photo Credit: Esty Campaign
Republican Mark Greenberg is running for the U.S. 5th District.

Republican Mark Greenberg is running for the U.S. 5th District.

Photo Credit: Greenberg Campaign

Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, managed to throw Republican Mark Greenberg on the defensive in the early part of the campaign, said Professor Gary Rose from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Esty "has thoroughly maligned" Greenberg by attacking his stance on issues such as Social Security, said Rose, chairman of the Department of Government and Politics at SHU.

"She has dug up some old clips of Greenberg speaking against Social Security," he said, referencing her television ads that attack Greenberg's position on retirement.

"She is really doing the grassroots bread-and-butter-type issues that are important to the district and in other districts," Rose said.

The 5th Congressional District covers most of northwest Connecticut, including Danbury in the southwestern part of the district. 

Greenberg was thrown off balance by the ferocity of Esty's campaign, he said.

"Greenberg has been running a very poor campaign," Rose said. Greenberg has ramped up his attacks on Esty in recent weeks, but Rose said he wonders whether Greenberg left it for too late in the campaign.

But Greenberg may be helped by the fact it is a mid-term election and a time when Democrats are under fire, Rose said. In 2012 when Esty was first elected, she was able to grab onto President Barack Obama's coattails and win, Rose said. 

The vote in cities such as Danbury, New Britain, Meriden and parts of Waterbury came out strongly for Obama and those votes helped to propel her to victory. Now Obama is not running, an unpopular Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is at the top of the ticket and those voters may not turn out to vote, Rose said.

If that happens, the odds of Greenberg winning become stronger, Rose said, although he said he wasn't making any predictions on who would win the race.

The district also includes Bethel, Brookfield, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Sherman as well as seven towns in Hartford County, six towns in New Haven County and 22 towns in Litchfield County.

 

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