Donovan Opens Meriden Campaign Headquarters, Nets Town Committee Endorsement

State House Speaker Chris Donovan (D-Meriden) opened up the headquarters for his campaign for U.S. Congress on Monday in Meriden, the Rep. announced at a city event Monday night.

Donovan told members of the city's Democratic Town Committee, who were gathered to nominate their fall slate, that he had just put signs up at his new office at 5 Colony St. in Downtown Meriden. It's the first office for this campaign that Donovan has opened, according to spokesman Gabe Rosenberg. 

The speaker has his impending run for the District 5 Congressional seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (D) throughout the spring and summer, but has not had an official kick-off. Donovan officially registered to run in Mid-May, according to his campaign. He said he was initially waiting until the state's biennium budget made it through the legislature, and the legislative session ended on June 8. But prolonged state budget negotiations have caused Donovan to keep the run on the backburner, and to cancel at least planned for late June.

Murphy is vacating his seat for a run for the retiring Joseph Lieberman's spot in the U.S. Senate.

Despite the lack of an official kick-off, Donovan's campaign announced that he had raised more than $230,000 in the second quarter of 2011 - after only 22 days of fundraising following the legislative session.

Donovan joins of Cheshire as a Democratic contender for the seat. Esty's campaign announced that as of July 15 she had raised $251,442.99 in the second quarter, and $423,653.99 overall in the four months she has been campaigning.

Other Democratic contenders include Justin Roberti of Kent, Mike Williams of New Preston. Republicans who have officially announced a run for the seat include of Farmington, of Simsbury, Justin Bernier of Plainville, and Mark Greenberg of Litchfield.

Following the announcement, Meriden City Councilor Hilda Santiago (D) asked if the town committee would endorse Donovan's run.

The endorsement was quickly made by a member and approved by the committee.

Donovan thanked members and told the crowd, "We care about this city, and we're going to fight our hardest for it."

Updated, Tuesday, 10:15

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