Community Corner

McCoy's U.S. Senate Ambitions Taking Flight

Vernon Mayor's campaign moves past the exploratory stage.

The U.S. Senate campaign of Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy has moved past the exploratory stage. He stepped things up over the weekend by making it clear he is running.

It's been a busy past few days for McCoy, who announced in July that the would not seek a third term as Vernon's mayor and would explore a run for a Senate seat.

Late last week, the local Republican Party honored him at a dinner. On Sunday McCoy said he will be seeking the Republican nomination for a Senate seat on "Face the State." Mayor McCoy also spoke during the 80th-annual GOP clambake and campaign kickoff event at Greenwich Point and reiterated that announcement.
 
“I have decided to run for Senate, because our country needs a leader with experience - a leader who can say no to higher taxes, out-of-control government spending, and wasteful borrowing," McCoy said. “As a Connecticut mayor, I have cut taxes and passed a fiscally responsible, balanced budget for the past four years. I have eliminated wasteful government spending and duplicity. I have the experience to send a message to Washington, a message that the status-quo of big government, fiscal irresponsibility and unsustainability must stop."
 
Washington already has a member of Congress who hails from Vernon - Democratic U.S. Rep. Joseph Courtney. McCoy's comments, however, were far from bi-partisan.

“In Connecticut, we have a governor who has decided to not only raise taxes, but to also retroactively levy them. At the federal level, the Obama administration has announced 1.5 trillion dollars in new taxes,'' he said. “Over taxation and wasteful spending creates uncertainty and stifles the economy. How can American entrepreneurs and innovators, the job creators, create jobs for anyone - for the millions of Americans who are looking or who have stopped looking for jobs - if they cannot plan?"

About 80 people attended the dinner at Georgina's restaurant to honor McCoy after serving four years as mayor.

Former U.S. Rep. Robert Simmons was the keynote speaker.

Guests included state Rep. Pamela Sawyer of Bolton, state Rep. Timothy Ackert of Coventry, whose district includes part of Vernon and Christopher Coutu of Taftville, who is challenging Courtney. 

State Sen. Tony Guglielmo of Stafford,. who also represents Vernon,  presented McCoy with a Connecticut General Assembly Citation.  Deputy Mayor Brian Motola presented a Citation of Appreciation from the Town of Vernon. 

Also in attendance were Robert R. Morra, First Selectman of Bolton and Louis Spadaccini, Mayor of Manchester, as well as Republican members of the Vernon Town Council and Board of Education.

Said McCoy of his Senate bid, “This election is critical for our country. America simply cannot sustain its current economic and political environment – the tax, spend and borrow policies of this administration need to stop. Connecticut and the country need a fiscally responsible U.S. senator."


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