POLITICOS IN MY HOMETOWN AND FAMILY !

I grew up on the old "Pinnacle Rock Farm" which sat along side of and on top of Rattlesnake mountain,in the quite little towns of Plainville and Farmington Connecticut.The historic farm was previously owned by Governor Henry Trumbull and his family.Governor Trumbull flew from what is believed to be the first air field in Connecticut.Located near where the Plainville high school now stands.
Republican Nancy Johnson of Connecticut was first elected to the United States House of Representatives with support of my father Joe Pugliese in 1982. My father was a four term State Representative in that district and had been involved in local politics for many years. In fact many of my blood relitives were and are presently politically involved both locally and state wide.Many are involved in politics to this day.

My father's brother Frank Pugliese, was a member of many Plainville boards and commissions and a long time member on the Plainville planning and zoning commission and also elected to the Plainville town council.I have a cousin, Paul Gionfriddo who was elected the Mayor of Middletown Connecticut and also a State Representative from that city. I have a cousin, Kathy Pugliese who was elected to serve on the very same town council my father and my uncle had served on for so many years. Looking back I see that politics must be in my blood. One of the times my father ran and won re-election to the state house of representatives he ran against David Koskoff, David was a well known and respected attorney in town and both of David's parents where former state representatives from our town. When David gave his concession speech at our campain headquarters he had a tear in his eye. I knew David's family and have a memory of David's father Milton Koskoff,sitting in his chair eating freshly roasted peanuts. In 1994 David Koskoff's wife Charlotte ran against Nancy Johnson and lost. Charlette Koskoff ran against Johnson three times for the seat and narrowly lost the third time with a 49 to 49 percentage point split. That congressional district is historically Republican.

Another fellow resident of my home town of Plainville Connecticut, Pauline Keezer ran for Governor and lost.Pauline Keezer lived two houses away from Donald Saint Pierre. Mr Saint Pierre ran against my father for the house seat and won once,then my father ran again and beat Donald Saint Pierre by a mere four votes.
Family friend Bill Petit ran for State Senate and lost his bid as did my father when he ran for that seat and lost his bid in that race. The Petit family also was very involved in local politics with Bill Petit's brother Charlie Petit whom I knew very well, and Bill Petit's daughter Johanna Petit Chapman also serving on the Plainville town council.

Presently Plainville is proudly and thankfully represented in the state house of representatives by my former fourth grade teacher Betty Boukis, who also just happens to be a niece of my aunt Helen Pugliese. Another Helen that has been involved in the local scene is Helen Bergenty. I remember as a young lad visiting her "Starline"real estate agency with my Father to talk about the happenings in town. Helen Bergenty has served on the town coucil for many years with much love for our hometown.Even starting and publishing a local paper the Plainville "Hometown Connection"

In 2006, Rep. Nancy Johnson was challenged by Chris Murphy, who ran on a platform of, among other things, fiscal responsability, The result? Johnson was crushed.
Rep. Nancy Johnson, a 12-term Republican Congresswoman who ran a tough on terror campaign lost her re-election bid to anti-war Chris Murphy. Nancy Johnson was the longest serving representative in Congress in the states history. Not only did the Democrats take control of both houses of Congress in 2006, but more unusually, not a single Democratic incumbent in either the U.S.House of Representatives, or Senate lost an election.
So my reasoning and politico humble opinion on this election, people are going to vote in this 2008 election year not for or against the candidate on the Iraqi war and secure the United Staes from terrorist issue.With gasoline prices sucking the change out of everyones pockets, It's the economy stupid.