Connecticut Treasurer Candidates Trade Barbs

The normally mundane race to operate Connecticut's state pension funds, among other duties, has turned into a political war of words between the incumbent Democrat Denise Nappier and Republican challenger Tim Herbst.

Herbst, Trumbull's first selectman, went on the offensive after it was confirmed that Nappier's campaign had been conducting some form of telephone polling across the state.

"She refuses to debate me on the issues of importance to the taxpayers but she does have time for her campaign to conduct polling that is very misleading," Herbst said during an interview Monday. "She's ignoring me and she's ignoring the media."

On the second issue, NBC Connecticut has submitted numerous requests over the past several weeks to interview Nappier in her bid to once again become Connecticut's treasurer.
Nappier has not responded to those requests.

Nappier also has not appeared at a public event during her campaign in quite some time.

Connecticut's Democratic Party did not respond to requests for comment on either issue.

Nappier addressed Herbst's criticisms of her campaign tactics with a statement through her campaign spokesperson, Rose Ryan.

“A number of positive and negative messages were tested—including negative comments that Mr. Herbst has made regarding our campaign. If Mr. Herbst would like to learn the difference between a tracking and push poll, I can put him in touch with the appropriate people," Ryan said in the statement.

Herbst denounced Nappier's decisions, arguing that her public persona is essential to letting pensioners know the state of their funds.

“It’s disconcerting because the treasurer is the second most important position in state government," Herbst said. "You’re responsible for billions of dollars of taxpayer investment. Billions of dollars of taxpayer assetsthat affect the security of tens of thousands of workers."

Denise Nappier has held the position of state treasurer since 1998.

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