The most important meal of the day

During the past week, we have been making the early morning rounds to local diners and coffee shops in the 32nd District talking to voters about the important issues of this campaign. Last week we visited Patti's in Thomaston and joined George Seabourne and company for cup of coffee and ran into, among others, former Thomaston First Selectman Eugene McMahon (D). As luck would have it, Eugene and I are distantly related. Small world!

We also visited Fritz's in Oxford with former Oxford Selectman Dave Haversat, a popular public figure in Oxford who opted not to seek re-election to the Board of Selectmen this year. And our most well known stop was to Nick's in Bethlehem where First Selectman Jeff Hamel organized a group of voters to talk about the issues with me. The Waterbury Republican-American covered our visit in their "Brass Tacks" section on Monday:

Not his hometown

Republican State Senate can­didate Robert J. Kane ventured into his opponent’s hometown Friday, seeking to learn more about the people he hopes to represent. Kane, a 40-year-old Water­town councilman, met with about 15 Bethlehem residents during breakfast at Nick’s Country Kitchen on Flanders Road, discussing taxes, con­cerns about the regional school district and the need for leaders to provide small-town repre­sentation in Hartford. “I’m not a career politician,” Kane told the group in the restaurant’s barroom. “I’ve been out there with a real job making something. I think peo­ple are receptive to that.” First Selectman Jeffrey Hamel introduced Kane, who will face off against Democratic candidate Kenny Curran of Bethlehem in a Jan. 15 special election for the right to fill Louis C. DeLuca’s vacated seat. “When you get to Hartford, remember where you are from,” Hamel told Kane. “We’ll be supporting you, and we’ll be watching you. We need you.”