Only 5 Connecticut Residents Donated to Dodd

Senator Chris Dodd has a problem, he supposedly represents the people of Connecticut in the Senate but he’s apparently having to look elsewhere for campaign cash… Only $4,250  of $604,745 raised during the first three months of 2009 by Chris Dodd for 2010 his re-election campaign came from Connecticut residents:

Sen. Chris Dodd appears to have looked everywhere but his home state to fuel what pundits anticipate will be one of the most hotly contested races in the nation in 2010.

The five-term incumbent reported raising just $4,250 from five Connecticut residents, including one from Redding, during the first three months of the year while raking in $604,745 from nearly 400 individuals living outside the state.

Dodd’s five Connecticut contributors are:

• James McDermott of Watertown, an attorney at Holland Knight, $2,000
• Robert Patricelli of Simsbury, executive at Women Health USA, $1,000
• Elaine Wilson of Redding, homemaker, $500
• Richard Mulready of West Hartford, executive at Servus Corp., $500
• George Finley of South Glastonbury, self-employed consultant, $250

While incumbents often turn to special interests for early campaign fundraising, Dodd’s out-of-state total seems unusually high and comes at a time when he has been plagued by poor approval ratings among state voters.

I’ve written previously about Sen. Dodd’s dismally low approval ratings, they’re a problem not only for Sen Dodd but for his Republican challengers. The 2010 mid-terms are still a long way off but if Dodd’s  poll numbers stay where they are there’s a good chance Democrats will ask him to step aside to make room for a stronger candidate.

Greenwich First Selectmen Roger Pearson is reportedly considering a primary challenge to Dodd. Pearson isn’t well known outside Greenwich and I’m not sure how he’d fair in a statewide race…

Bottom line we need Chris Dodd politically wounded not dead. Wounded he’s vulnerable and there’s good chance Rob Simmons or Sam Caligiuri could win the seat.

If Sen. Dodd’s poll numbers stay where they are he’s politically dead and I have to think a generic Democrat is probably all it would take to hold the seat.