By PAUL HUGHES
PROSPECT – A maverick small town politician is volunteering to challenge a Democratic titan in Connecticut politics for U.S. Senate.
Beacon Falls First Selectman Gerard “Gerry” Smith announced he is seeking the Republican nomination to run against two-term Democrat Christopher Murphy before about 60 family members and political friends at VFW Post 8075 on Tuesday evening.
“I am not a politician. I’m just a regular guy like each and every one of you,” Smith said.
Isolating at home with COVID-19, Ben Proto, the state GOP chairman, made Smith sound like the presumptive Republican nominee in remotely delivered opening remarks, urging people to contribute time and money to elect Smith.
“I am not naive enough to predict that I will walk into the Senate,” Smith told supporters. “Like Ben said, I’ll need each and every one of you. I’ll need your time. I’ll need your money. I’ll need your commitment, and I’ll see you on the campaign trail.”
But Smith also could face competition for the GOP nomination. There was a three-way primary in 2022.
A Smith-Murphy contest shapes [JUMP]up as David vs. Goliath [–] a first selectman little known outside of his smallish Naugatuck Valley town taking on a nationally prominent, deep-pocketed U.S. senator.
But Smith does not strike Gary Rose, a professor of politics and government at Sacred Heart University, as a giant slayer.
“I hate to say he’s a sacrificial lamb, but in a way it does look that way,” said Rose, who has researched and written extensively on Connecticut politics.
Murphy had $8.2 million in campaign cash in hand out of $10.2 million raised through Dec. 31. Smith is starting from scratch, having just filed as a candidate Monday with the Federal Election Commission nine months from Election Day.
Smith is a four-term first selectman in a town of roughly 6,600 people running statewide for the first time. He is a 62-year old insurance broker who also works in general construction.
Rose said challenging U.S. Senate candidates typically requires a broad base of support to be competitive, but Smith appears a political unknown outside of Beacon Falls.
He said one possible plus is Smith’s executive experience as chief elected official of a town.
“I think people could look on that as a good resume, but beyond Beacon Falls I’m not sure where that goes,” he said.
Murphy has become one of the recognizable names and faces in state and national politics. His political resume includes state representative, state senator, U.S. representative and U.S. senator, and there has been speculation about presidential ambitions.
Murphy came to prominence nationally as an advocate of gun control. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012, weeks before the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School happened in the congressional district he had represented for six years.
Most recently, Murphy has been making headline news again as one of the architects of a bipartisan Senate bill that pairs border enforcement policy with military aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. Smith slammed that legislation.
Murphy also has become a power broker in the Democratic Party in Connecticut, helping to raise money and recruit candidates, including Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes in the 5th Congressional District.
“Murphy today in Connecticut is the real power player in the Democratic Party,” Rose said.
Smith acknowledged his underdog status when speaking to reporters ahead of his announcement speech. “I am realist,” he said.
Smith has been a political maverick in Beacon Falls, having been elected first selectman initially as a Republican in 2011 after switching from unaffiliated status, a petitioning unaffiliated candidate for a second time in 2019, a candidate of the independent Beacon Falls First ticket in 2021 and a Republican again in 2023.
Smith said he wants to at least present voters a contrast to Murphy and what he called his lockstep adherence to Democratic Party dogma and policies. If elected, he pledged to be an independent voice and vote in the Senate.
“I’m a firm believer in if you don’t like what’s going on, get involved and do something, or stop complaining,” Smith said.
He also objected to the idea of Murphy possibly running unopposed after being told that was likely if he declined to run against him. “We can’t let that happen,” Smith said.
