A Meriden resident's claim of an anti-gay push poll in a hotly contested special Senate election has drawn condemnation from state Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo and her Republican counterpart, Chris Healy.
The telephone poll, first reported yesterday by Pat Scully in his Hanging Shad blog, included the following question: "Would you be comfortable or uncomfortable with a state senator who is openly gay?"
Democratic candidate Tom Bruenn, a retired teacher and member of the city's school board, is being targeted because he is gay, one of his supporters, Kevin Larsen, told Scully. Bruenn is facing Republican Len Suzio in the special election to replace former state Sen. Tom Gaffey, who resigned earlier this month after pleading guilty to larceny charges.
"Attacking a candidate because he is gay has no place in Connecticut politics," DiNardo said in a statement. "Leonard Suzio should take responsibility for this push poll and apologize immediately. The Connecticut Republican Party and Senate Republicans should join me in condemning this despicable attack."