Seger Hopes to Gain Party’s Endorsement for 8th District Run

Although he has never held office, Democrat Dan Seger has quite an ambitious goal — to unseat Connecticut 8th District Sen. Kevin Witkos.

In fact a Republican has held the office since at least 1971 but with a presidential election this year, Seger said the party could benefit if people come out.

“I think it’s certainly going to be a challenging run,” he said. “If we can get the undecided vote and the Democrats that don’t typically vote, we’ve got a good opportunity.”

If he gets the nod from his party at a 7 p.m. convention at the Canton Community Center tonight (Monday May, 2012), it will be Seger seeking those votes.

Earlier this year, Houston P. Lowry, 56, of Avon, also announced his attention to run by as of late last week had not filed with the state elections enforcement commission. 

Seger has filed and is campaigning, and according to his website, has gained the endorsement of the Simsbury and Canton town committees.

As a resident of the district since 1972, Seger has lived in three of its towns. For 26 years he worked for Perry Technology Corporation. He’s also owned his own business since 2005 and been a Canton Chamber of Commerce.

His experience, combined with watching his three children struggle, has the candidate quite focused on jobs and developing further links between education and small business.

“I’ve seen how they and their contemporaries have had issues finding jobs and keeping jobs,” Seger said. “That’s why I am doing this. I think I can help.”

Seger sees support of small business as key to the future.

“Supporting small business in our community is paramount to successful job creation,” he stated in a release. “Small business is the backbone of our future and fostering growth through appropriate legislation such as the 2011 jobs bill will help further the success of the businesses in our community.”

Seger supports several components of the bill such as stipends for companies to hire new employees.

“This is a jobs bill that directly benefits small businesses with less than 50 employees,” he said.

Seger feels Witkos missed the mark by voting against it.

Witkos said that while the bill contained a lot of good, it will also cost taxpayers too much money.

“We’re paying a lot of money without a lot of return on investment,” Witkos said, adding that the state has been burned with jobs bills earlier this year as some high profile companies have not delivered all the jobs they’ve promised, including temporary, marginal or existing ones in their totals.

Witkos and Seger have met each other and both say exchanges have been pleasant.

Witkos said he is seeking re-election and has received his party's endorsement.

It was just earlier this year, Seger became a Democrat, having been a Republican. He again cites seeing young people struggle and said he feels the Democratic party is more tuned in.

“The Republican party doesn’t really support the improvement of the quality of life for everyone,” he said.

The diverse district includes Simsbury, Canton, Granby Norfolk, Hartland, Canton, Simsbury, New Hartford, Avon, Barkhamsted, Colebrook and parts of Granby, Harwinton and Torrington.

“The issues from one town to another in this district are probably quite different,” Seger said.

Seger has lived in Torrington, New Hartford and Canton. He also feels his business background and parenting has given him a good perspective on many of those issues.

He said the citizen’s election program in Connecticut will also help even the playing field so he could, if nominated by the party, wage a meaningful campaign.

Later Monday night, Seger should know if he has gained the support of the party to take on Witkos. The 8th District Democratic convention begins at 7 p.m. at the Canton Community Center, Seger said.

The public is welcome.

Learn more about Seger at http://www.segerforsenate.com/