Merrick Alpert spoke to The Courant's Rinker Buck on Friday night at the Democratic Party convention.
Alpert said, "They cut every backroom deal possible to deny me the nomination. They don't want a primary because it's easier for Dick Blumenthal to run unimpeded by opposition within his own party. But the fact is that if we held the general election today, the party wouldn't be strong enough to prevail. I went to Nancy DiNardo and said, 'Why are you blocking me?' Allow me to speak at the convention. She said she couldn't tell the rules committee what to do. But it was her rules that they were enforcing."
Alpert's campaign treasurer, Patrick Terrell of Mystic, said that Alpert's exclusion from the state convention is simply a policy that was practiced all year by the Democrats. At many Democratic Town Committee meetings, where candidates go months before the convention to try and line up delegates, Alpert was denied entry and wasn't allowed to speak to the delegates, Terrell said.
"It's wholly undemocratic,'' Terrell said. "We've been blocked out. This is our one chance to talk to the delegates of a Democratic convention. But we are the opposition they never wanted to take seriously. In theory, this is a party that celebrates inclusiveness. But there was no inclusiveness tonight."
The Blumenthal and DiNardio strategy was clear--deny Alpert the 15 percent of votes that would have allowed him to get on the ballot for a primary and thus avoid an expensive extra fight at a time when Blumenthal prefers to take on his likely GOP opponent--Linda McMahon--right away.
But not all Blumenthal delegates at the convention agreed with this shutout strategy, and its implications for the image of the Democratic party in the state. Tim Bowles is a delegate from Preston and a strong Blumenthal supporter with Blumenthal stick-on badge pasted to his shirt. He is a member of the Democratic Town Committee from Preston.
"I think the party should be inclusive. I'm on the town committee in Preston and we had Alpert come to speak to us a few months ago and I thought he was very impressive. He's not ready yet for the office he is seeking, but he's quite an impressive guy. I would like to have seen a more open and democratic process."