
I recently had the chance to catch up with former U.S. Senator and former Governor Lowell Weicker, who recently turned 90. I have interviewed Governor Weicker several times over the years, and remember the first time I interviewed him around 1992 or 3 and found him to be a bit intimidating. I really enjoyed talking with him after that because he is walking history.
Thirty years ago this week tens of thousands of protestors gathered at the state capitol to demonstrate against the state’s new income tax. The man who was the target of the protestors, was Governor Lowell Weicker, who had signed the tax into law.
Weicker was a former Republican who ran for governor in 1990 as an independent and created his own party, “A Connecticut Party.” in 1994 his lieutenant governor Eunice Groark carried the ACP banner into the election, but lost and the party vanished. Until now.
A group of former Republicans in West Hartford has brought back the party and met the political maverick just recently. You’ll see their introduction this morning at 10 on This Week in Connecticut on WTNH followed by Capitol Report with Tom Dudchik, Weicker’s former chief of staff.
By the way, one of the Republicans in the above picture is Rick Bush, who tapped me to be his assistant basketball coach in 2019 and our kids had a great season: we won the championship! Basketball is not my sport, and I am grateful to Rick, a former UConn player for some awesome pointers. See you Sunday!


Categories: Connecticut history