Conn. professor says VP visit to school is a political move

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Central Connecticut State University Wednesday to be a a part of an abortion rights discussion alongside the nationwide president of Planned Parenthood and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.

CCSU Political Science Associate Professor Jerold Duquette says it is a political move by the vice chairman however mentioned that should not overlook the actual fact the dialogue has benefit. He mentioned the visit to the New Britain college will assist Hayes within the upcoming November election.

RELATED: VP Harris to be part of roundtable discussion on abortion rights at CCSU Wednesday

“Representative Hayes is probably the most susceptible member of…Democrats within the House in Connecticut,” he mentioned. “The Hayes race simply leans Democrat, which suggests there is a slight vulnerability there.”

The fifth congressional district has had each Republican and Democratic representatives. It was beforehand held by now Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Prior to him taking workplace in 2007, Republican Nancy Johnson represented the district. Duquette says her Republican challenger George Logan is a contender for the seat as a result of he is not thought-about far-right and Hayes can not use the nationwide GOP illustration with Logan.

Sign up for the FOX61 newsletters: Morning Forecast, Morning Headlines, Evening Headlines

“This is a very engaging candidate in lots of respects. This is a particular person of colour, a former state senator. This is not an unreasonable particular person,” the professor mentioned.

Logan has mentioned he helps a lady’s proper to select however doesn’t agree with late-term abortions. He says this visit by the vice chairman is a marketing campaign effort to assist the incumbent Democrat, regardless that Hayes mentioned it is not marketing campaign enterprise. Logan says there are extra vital points to voters within the fifth district just like the economic system.

“I feel it might be extra vital to have the chance of getting the vice chairman of the United States of America right here in Connecticut, right here in New Britain to speak about these points which are on most individuals’s minds,” Logan mentioned.

RELATED: AG Tong calls lawsuit targeting post-Sandy Hook gun reforms baseless

Hayes says the economic system is recovering and the dialogue about abortion rights is vital to her and Harris. The consultant mentioned it is to discuss in regards to the elimination of ladies’s rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, permitting states to enact their very own legal guidelines about abortion companies.

“What now we have to drive house is that the evisceration of ladies’s rights is not one thing that comes again shortly. Once these freedoms are gone, they’re gone,” Hayes mentioned.

Duquette says the dialogue about abortion rights in a state that has legal guidelines defending abortion entry is to get nationwide consideration and present Connecticut’s assist for ladies’s rights. 

“The vice chairman would love to have her visit and her speak about reproductive rights to be nationwide information,” he mentioned. “When you’re on the nationwide information, you need to have a video of a very receptive crowd.”

He mentioned the vice chairman is not losing her time having this dialogue in Connecticut because it helps the narrative Connecticut would not need to contribute to eroding girls’s rights to select.

Regardless of the dialogue, Duquette says voters within the state are going to head to the polls with the “massive image” in thoughts that a Republican take over of the House is not one thing they need to assist. He says this will probably be a profit to Democrats within the state forward of the November eighth election.

Harris lately visited the state to ship the keynote tackle on the Coast Guard Academy commencement ceremony in May.

Tony Black is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. He could be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Have a story thought or one thing in your thoughts you need to share? We need to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]

HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS

Download the FOX61 News APP

iTunes: Click here to obtain

Google Play: Click here to obtain

Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by looking out FOX61.

Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click on ‘Get’ to obtain.