Simsbury Republican Joins 5th District Race

Another Republican has thrown her hat into an early yet already crowded field of candidates hoping to capitalize on an open 5th Congressional District seat next year.

A day after Democrat Elizabeth Esty , Simsbury resident and former lieutenant governor candidate Lisa Wilson-Foley issued a press release announcing her candidacy Tuesday.

“What do you do when the government has pushed you to a point where you simply say, ‘I've had enough?’  My answer is this – you fight.  You fight to take back what is yours – your rights, your money, your freedom – our future.  That is why I have announced my candidacy for Congress in Connecticut’s Fifth District,” Wilson-Foley said in a press release.

Wilson-Foley is a Simsbury business woman who made a run for the lieutenant governor post last year, losing in the Republican primary to Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, though she managed to garner 47-percent of the votes. She also owns Apple Rehab Sport & Spa in Avon.

Her supporters for the 5th District race include state Sen. Kevin Witkos of Canton who endorsed her candidacy in the press release.

The Republican field is especially crowded with Justin Bernier, a former Naval officer who lives in Plainville and Mark Greenberg, a Litchfield businessman, already announcing their intention to run.

In addition, State Sen. Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen), whose district includes Brookfield, is said to be pondering a run as is state House Speaker Chris Donovan (D-Meriden).

About the only two people who have said they aren’t running for the congressional seat is Sam Caligiuri, the former state senator who beat Bernier and Greenberg in the Republican 5th District primary last year and the incumbent, Rep. Chris Murphy, who is eyeing Sen. Joe Lieberman’s seat.

Lieberman has said he will not run for re-election next year.