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By California Yankee Posted in 2006 — Comments (5) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Arizona Senator John McCain campaigned for Governor Rell saying that electing Connecticut's Republican governor to a full term would show the nation that now is the time for reform.

The Hartford Courant's Mark Pazniokas reports McCain reinforced Governor Rell's image as an ethics and campaign-finance reformer who restored faith in government since a corruption investigation forced the resignation of Governor Rowland:

"When we elect Jodi again, this time on her own, I think we will send a message to the country that reform's time has come," McCain said. "It's come time in Washington. It's come time in Arizona and California. And we can look to the state of Connecticut as a model for reform."

Last year Connecticut enacted sweeping campaign-finance reforms, including a ban on lobbyist contributions and a voluntary system of publicly financed campaigns. According to Pazniokas, those reforms are a cornerstone of Governor Rell's campaign.

Read the rest.

McCain also put in a good word for U.S. Representatives Nancy L. Johnson, Rob Simmons and Chris Shays of the 4th. All three Republicans are in tough re-election battles and have been targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee:

This November could be a very, very tough election here in Connecticut. We are going to need you like we've never needed you before.

If the election was held today, the Democrats could take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, he said.

McCain suggested that moderate Northeastern Republicans were an endangered species.

"Jodi and Nancy and Rob and Chris represent an element of our Republican Party that needs to be maintained," McCain said.

According to the Associated Press, about 240 people attended Rell's campaign fundraiser luncheon, which cost $250 to get in and an additional $750 to attended a private reception with McCain.

McCain said the GOP also has to return to fiscal conservativeness:

"We are engaged in a spending spree in Washington that cannot be sustained," he said. "We are in danger of losing part of our Republican base who believes that fiscal discipline is one of the pillars and fundamentals of our Republican Party. It's got to stop and it's got to stop soon and now is our chance to do it."

The Norwich Bulletin's Ray Hackett reminds us that McCain won the 2000 Connecticut primary and spent a portion of his childhood living in New London, where his father was stationed while in the Navy.

McCain was a good choice to headline Governor Rell's fudraiser. They are both popular among Democrats and stand for reform.

From California Yankee.