State senator to run against Himes

Republicans dealing with the aftermath of state Senate Minority Leader John McKinney’s (R) surprising decision not to run against freshman Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) have landed another state senator to fill to void.

From the Connecticut Post:

State Sen. Dan Debicella on Monday filed documents with the Secretary of the State, kicking off his campaign to challenge first-term U.S. Rep. Jim Himes for the 4th Congressional District of southwestern Connecticut in 2010.

Debicella, R-Shelton, a second-term lawmaker who is the ranking member of the budget-setting Appropriations Committee, has used his business-school credentials to become the voice of the Senate minority caucus against Democratic plans to raise taxes.

Debicella, 34, joins political novice Will Gregory, 24, of New Canaan, in the GOP field angling for the right to unseat Himes, who in the Obama landslide last November, became the first Democrat to represent the 4th Congressional District since 1969.

During a Monday interview with Hearst’s Connecticut Newspapers, Debicella said he wants to be a moderate voice in Washington.

An assistant vice president of marketing at The Hartford Financial Services, Debicella said that partisan ideology seems to be obscuring potential solutions to economic crisis; making the health-care system less expensive for consumers and bettering the state’s transportation infrastructure.

“We need someone who is going to be a practical problem-solver to improve the quality of life for families in Fairfield County,” he said. “We need a congressperson who’s going to take a moderate course to actually get something done.”