Activist Ken Krayeske, best known for his arrest during Gov. M. Jodi Rell's 2007 inaugural parade and for tangling with UConn men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun over his hefty salary, is running for Congress on the Green Party slate.
Krayeske, fresh out of University of Connecticut Law School, is a candidate in the 1st Congressional District, where he faces Democratic incumbent John Larson, Republican challenger Ann Brickley and Socialist Party candidate Chris Hutchinson.
"I want to help build the Green Party,'' Krayeske said this afternoon. "I'd like to win, but I'm realist that the odds are stacked against minor party candidates like myself.''
Krayeske says Larson has grown too comfortable in the seat and is more intent on maintaining his leadership position within the House Democratic caucus than discussing issues with the voters of the 1st District.
"Larson has done most of his campaigning out of state,'' Krayeske said. "He's able to do that because it's such a safe Democratic district. But I want him here telling us how he's going to end the war in Afghanistan...I want him here telling us how he's going to get us out of Iraq and how he's going to get federal funds to our school districts...and end No Child Left Behind.''
UPDATE: Larson's campaign manager, Chris Barnes, disputes Krayeske's characterization that Larson is too busy criss-crossing the nation for Democratic candidates that he's ignored the folks at home.
"While he does an occasional out-of-state trip, his focus is Connecticut,'' Barnes said. "We're all Connecticut, all the time.''
Barnes ticked off a list of 1st District events Larson has attended over the past week or so: a breakfast meeting with supporters this morning, the Peach festival in Manchester, a small fundraiser in Glastonbury, a taping of community access television in Granby, a tour of a Coca-Cola plant in East Hartford. "The list is really pretty extensive,'' Barnes said.