In what may be Peter Schiff's most important endorsement to date, John A. Kissel, a veteran Republican lawmaker from Enfield, is backing the Weston author's U.S. Senate bid.
The endorsement will come tomorrow afternoon at a press conference on the steps of the state Capitol. Kissel had previously supported Republican Rob Simmons; will his decision spur other Simmons allies to transfer their affections to Team Schiff?
Even if that doesn't happen, Kissel's announcement is significant on its own. The state senator from Enfield is perhaps the highest ranking member of the Republican establishment to embrace the renegade Republican author and pundit, whose base of power is far from the polished stone floors of the state Capitol. In fact, a big part of Schiff's appeal, especially among Tea Party activists, is his outside-the-building mentality.
Then again, Enfield is somewhat of a hub of Schiff activism: the Enfield Republican Town Committee was among the first to endorse him.
If his petition drive to win a spot on the Aug. 10 primary ballot is successful (the deadline for signatures is tomorrow), Schiff will need those big name endorsements as he gears up for a intra-party brawl with the GOP's endorsed candidate, Linda McMahon.