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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
With the national party in crisis, CT Democrats can't agree on whether it's time for change
With Democrats struggling nationally over their future direction, the party in Connecticut is facing some similar questions of ideological and generational lines as younger liberals challenge the 'Old Guard' that has held office for years. The generational shift includes a challenge by state Rep. Josh Elliott, 40, against Gov. Ned Lamont, 71, with liberals saying that Lamont has not been progressive enough on the taxation of the wealthy and disagree with his recent vetoes of key bills on affordable housing and awarding unemployment compensation for workers on strike for more than 14 days. Lamont supporters counter that the latest polling by Morning Consult shows Lamont among the most popular governors in the country with an approval rate of 63% and a disapproval rating of 29%. In another race, former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin, 46, is seriously considering challenging longtime U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, who turns 77 on July 22. Larson has won 14 consecutive elections, but has suffered two public episodes in which he temporarily 'froze' in the middle of speeches. In a nationally televised speech in February on C-SPAN, Larson suffered a 'complex partial seizure' on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as he was making remarks. Larson underwent tests and said later that he had previously had a heart valve replacement years earlier. He suffered a second incident in April during a press conference at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, where he paused again during an answer before recovering and soon after having his picture taken with other attendees. Liberal Democrats are angry at CT's governor and no longer hiding it. 'There will be a challenger' Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves, who was installed as the new state Democratic chairman earlier this year after being endorsed by Lamont, is managing the wide-ranging ideologies and is not trying to deter anyone from forcing a primary. Instead, he follows the mantra of Lamont, who welcomed Elliott to the race. 'We're the big tent party,' Alves told The Courant in an interview. 'Personally, I think we need to be the bigger tent party. With the divisiveness in Washington, D.C., they all have a strategy on what they think they can do better. In Connecticut, it's tough because people see what's going on nationally and they want the Democrats to do more. I look at everything we've done already — we hold every office. We have super majorities in our state Senate and our state House for the first time since 2008. That's because Democrats have been delivering and our message has been resonating with people.' Concerning primaries, Alves added, 'This is democracy. This is a right that people have, and we won't get in the way of democracy. What the governor said is 'Welcome to the race.'' At the same time, younger Democrats are looking for leadership roles while others have held office for decades and have reached higher ages. Besides Larson, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro is 82 years old, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is 79, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney is 72, and Lamont is 71. 'Are younger folks upset with what they're seeing elsewhere and it's maybe permeating into some local stuff? Perhaps,' Alves said. 'Look, I'm a 41-year-old mayor in Danbury and the first Democratic mayor in 22 years. I'm much younger than my opponent that we beat to get here and actually my opponent now.' On the national level, Democrats have been frustrated as they try to find their way in the ongoing battle against President Donald Trump, who has consolidated power with Republicans controlling the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Deputy House Speaker pro tempore Bob Godfrey of Danbury said that the national leaders, such as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, need to do more. He said they missed their chance when President Joe Biden was in the White House and the Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress in 2021 and 2022. 'Where's the Democratic platform? I don't see any,' Godfrey said in an interview. 'So far, your platform has one plank, and it's 'We're not Trump.' Not enough. We lost working-class voters. What are you doing to get them back? Crickets.' Kevin Rennie: The smarts of this CT candidate are what people are talking about Noting that he was an elector for Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016, Godfrey said the party needs to get back on its feet after Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris of California. 'Concentrating on marginal issues instead of working class family issues has hurt the party nationally,' Godfrey said. 'Happily, we've retained the working class vote here in Connecticut, and we've worked at it.' Democrats differ sharply over the lessons learned from the stunning primary victory of Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and others. Mamdani came out of nowhere after Cuomo led by wide margins in the early polls based largely on his name recognition as the former governor. Liberals and young Democrats have been highly energized by Mamdani's victory, and he is now facing Cuomo and current mayor Eric Adams in the general election in November. Liberals said the win showed that the 33-year-old Democratic socialist could take out the 67-year-old former governor from the Old Guard. But others say there are no widespread lessons to be learned from Mamdani. 'That's such a New York City parochial thing,' said Godfrey, who graduated from Fordham University in The Bronx. 'It doesn't translate into Westchester County or Long Island, for crying out loud. Or northern New Jersey. … I have no qualms about saying New York City's issues and voting don't translate outside of the city.' Alves agreed, saying that New York is 'unique' with its own issues and problems. 'The lesson we can learn is that relentless campaigning, engaging younger voters, talking to people about kitchen-table issues are important,' Alves said. 'Grassroots campaigns still work. It's not about money and the last name. It's about engaging your voters and talking about things that are on their mind. That's what wins elections.' State Republican chairman Ben Proto agreed with Democratic counterparts, saying, 'I think New York City is reflective of New York City. Ultimately, I don't think it's reflective of Connecticut as a whole or upstate New York or Long Island in that regard. New York City is kind of an entity unto itself.' For frustrated Connecticut Democrats, Alves is encouraging activists to help the national push to recapture the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. 'If what is going on in Washington is really bothering you, we need to flip four Congressional seats,' Alves said, referring to the House. 'Let's ensure that our Democratic delegation wins here, but then let's help with resources to other folks. Let's find those four Congressional seats and support them by making calls, donating, knocking doors, being a part of their campaigns as well and finding things that we can do. … Be part of the solution. Be part of that strategy, that fight and that team that can help change these things in two years and four years.' Asked by The Courant about the turmoil in the Democratic Party nationally, Lamont responded, 'I think the Democrats know where they stand. I don't know where the Republicans stand. I don't think there's a Republican in this building or down in Washington who would have voted for that budget-busting deficit bill that Trump put forward say 10, 15 years ago. This time around, they all saluted. Not one of them has the right to ever use the words fiscal conservative again.' Lamont added, 'I'm surprised there is no unrest amongst the Republicans. They voted for a budget they would have said no — hell no — to just 10 years ago. I have no idea where they stand now. I don't think they do, either.' One of the defining issues in the governor's race is that liberals oppose Lamont's stance on blocking any tax increases on the state's wealthiest residents beyond the current highest rate of 6.99%. Democrats have called for a surcharge on capital gains, which generate huge amounts of money for the wealthiest investors. Lamont, a Greenwich multimillionaire who funds his owns campaigns, has opposed tax increases for the past seven years as the state has rolled up large budget surpluses. 'For some people, a tax increase is a first resort,' Lamont told reporters recently. 'For me, it's an absolute last resort. We don't need it. We've done well. We're growing the economy. People are moving into the state.' Elliott, 40, represents the other end of the spectrum, saying that the middle class pays too much of a percentage of their income in a variety of taxes, including sales and property. Beyond taxes, Elliott has other concerns. 'I was astonished and horrified that our governor went to D.C. for Trump's inauguration after he had already seen the kind of president that Trump was,' Elliott said. But Lamont, who held fundraisers at his Greenwich home for the Democratic campaigns of both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, said earlier this year that he went to Trump's inauguration out of respect for the office of the presidency. Lamont spent part of the time chatting with fellow governors and did not attend the inaugural balls or participate in the Republican celebrations during a trip that lasted less than 24 hours in Washington, D.C. Proto said, 'If Elliott thinks being the Mamdani of Connecticut is the way to win, then he's living in a fantasyland.' Going forward, Lamont will be working with the legislature in a special session as early as September to plug holes in the federal government's support for Connecticut on issues like Medicaid and food stamps. Top legislators have repeatedly said they do not know how much money will be cut, but the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that Connecticut could lose as much as $13 billion over 10 years. Godfrey said the governor needs to work closely with the General Assembly during the special session and during the next regular session that starts in February 2026. 'The governor made a big mistake in vetoing the housing bill and vetoing the striking workers bill,' said Godfrey, a liberal Democrat. 'In Connecticut, it's not ideology. The governor just needs to improve his relations with the General Assembly and actually collaborate with us. We'll see how that goes.' While many liberals are backing Elliott, the House moderate caucus is strongly backing Lamont, even after the two vetoes. Overall, 18 House Democrats, including moderates from more upscale communities like Greenwich, Glastonbury and Simsbury, voted against the housing bill, which was crafted by Democratic leaders to address the state's affordable housing crisis. 'With the recent vetoes, Governor Lamont demonstrated the thoughtful, steady leadership Connecticut needs,' the moderates wrote in a statement. 'As proud moderate Democrats, we believe we reflect the views of the majority of Connecticut residents — and we're proud to stand with a governor who does the same.' Concerning various Democratic primaries for Congress and governor, Proto said, 'For years, it's always been said the Republican Party was a dysfunctional party. It looks like the Democrats are taking on that mantle in 2026. It will be fun to watch what they're going to do to each other.' Longtime Democratic strategist Matthew Hennessey of Hartford said Lamont's only threat is in the primary because he believes that Lamont could defeat any Republican in the field, including Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich and Mayor Erin Stewart of New Britain. 'Ned has left the door open on the left side of the party,' Hennessey said. 'That's his only threat. His threat is not in the general election, even though Republicans like to say that. It's just never going to happen. … I don't think Josh can beat him, but there is going to be a lot of people who are going to use Josh's campaign as the vehicle to tell Ned that these things that he's been doing are not where the Democratic Party is today.' With liberals and moderates often at odds on key issues, the state party chairman is the one who plays the role of keeping the party together. 'What Democrats have to understand is Democratic messages don't have to be uniform all the time,' Alves said. 'Everybody has a seat at our table because nobody has the market cornered on good ideas. We might not always agree with each other, but as long as we disagree respectfully and come out with policies that can work. Not everybody is always going to be happy. At the end of the day, it's the Democratic values and the Democratic principles that are important to keep our progress and keep our state moving forward.' Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Connecticut leaders announce increased funding for Community Health Centers
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut leaders, including Gov. Ned Lamont (D), held a news conference Wednesday morning to announce an increase in financial support for Connecticut's Community Health Centers. Gunshot victim walks into New Haven hospital, police investigating The nonprofit, community-based facilities provide primary and preventative care to everyone, regardless of income or insurance status. Gov. Lamont said that service is crucial right now. 'I think it represents the very best in health care in our country,' Gov. Lamont said. 'Something we ought to try to replicate.' The state's Community Health Centers serve approximately 440,000 people each year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Arkansas one of several states weighing fluoride ban
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont this week signed legislation requiring the state to keep fluoride at existing levels. But Florida and Utah have banned adding fluoride to drinking water, and other states may follow, as the decades-old practice of adding it to public drinking is facing renewed attacks, including from the federal government. Arkansas state Sen. Bryan King, a cattle and poultry farmer in Fayetteville, told CBS News he has "concerns" about adding fluoride to water. Since 2011, when the state mandated most public drinking water to include fluoride, King has thrown his anti-fluoride voice behind a handful of bills seeking to repeal that mandate. Fluoride is a natural mineral. It strengthens teeth and fights dental decay. It's been added to the U.S.'s public drinking supply since the 1940s. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rated fluoride as one of the top ten public health achievements of the 20th century. And according to the American Dental Association, "70 years of research, thousands of studies and the experience of more than 210 million Americans tell us that water fluoridation is effective in preventing cavities and is safe for children and adults." "If that's the case, they need to individually go out to each water district and sell it to the people there, and let them make their own water decisions," King said. At least 19 states have considered legislation to remove, ban or make fluoride optional in public drinking water this year. One of fluoride's most prominent critics is Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In the latest skirmish over science, fluoride opponents argue that at high levels, it can lead to kidney and liver damage and lower IQs in children. The National Institutes of Health's toxicology program in 2024 determined "with moderate confidence" that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQs in children. That conclusion was based on studies involving fluoride levels of about twice the recommended limit for drinking water. The American Academy of Pediatrics has questioned the validity of the NIH's report, noting it had "important limitations," including the high fluoride levels, and that other reviews have come to different conclusions about fluoride's risks and benefits. The EPA in 2011 lowered the recommended limit for fluoride in water to cut down on fluorosis — when spots appear on kids' teeth — and in the wake of a 2006 report from the National Academy of Sciences that found a lifetime of overconsumption of fluoride can lead to weakened, brittle bones and teeth. At Arkansas' Fort Smith water system, Lance McAvoy, who oversees the system, told CBS News it's monitored 24/7. "We actually take samples every 15 minutes to verify the online equipment," McAvoy said, adding there had never been an instance of significantly higher fluoride levels to date. Dentists such as Kenton Ross, who also serves as president of Arkansas' dental association, say the science supporting fluoride is indisputable. "You're gonna see a 25% reduction in tooth decay," Ross said of adding fluoride to drinking water. "We have over 75 years of research over community fluoridation." For dentists, losing fluoride could mean losing the battle against tooth decay. "It's gonna affect the children the worst because if they don't get it, we can't put it in later in life," Ross said. Trump pushes senators to make $9.4 trillion in spending cuts Child rescued after getting stuck in claw machine Fight over fluoride in water continues, despite warnings from dentists
CBS News
4 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Arkansas one of several states weighing fluoride ban
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont this week signed legislation requiring the state to keep fluoride at existing levels. But Florida and Utah have banned adding fluoride to drinking water, and other states may follow, as the decades-old practice of adding it to public drinking is facing renewed attacks, including from the federal government. Arkansas state Sen. Bryan King, a cattle and poultry farmer in Fayetteville, told CBS News he has "concerns" about adding fluoride to water. Since 2011, when the state mandated most public drinking water to include fluoride, King has thrown his anti-fluoride voice behind a handful of bills seeking to repeal that mandate. Fluoride is a natural mineral. It strengthens teeth and fights dental decay. It's been added to the U.S.'s public drinking supply since the 1940s. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rated fluoride as one of the top ten public health achievements of the 20th century. And according to the American Dental Association, "70 years of research, thousands of studies and the experience of more than 210 million Americans tell us that water fluoridation is effective in preventing cavities and is safe for children and adults." "If that's the case, they need to individually go out to each water district and sell it to the people there, and let them make their own water decisions," King said. At least 19 states have considered legislation to remove, ban or make fluoride optional in public drinking water this year. One of fluoride's most prominent critics is Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In the latest skirmish over science, fluoride opponents argue that at high levels, it can lead to kidney and liver damage and lower IQs in children. The National Institutes of Health's toxicology program in 2024 determined "with moderate confidence" that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQs in children. That conclusion was based on studies involving fluoride levels of about twice the recommended limit for drinking water. The American Academy of Pediatrics has questioned the validity of the NIH's report, noting it had "important limitations," including the high fluoride levels, and that other reviews have come to different conclusions about fluoride's risks and benefits. The EPA in 2011 lowered the recommended limit for fluoride in water to cut down on fluorosis — when spots appear on kids' teeth — and in the wake of a 2006 report from the National Academy of Sciences that found a lifetime of overconsumption of fluoride can lead to weakened, brittle bones and teeth. At Arkansas' Fort Smith water system, Lance McAvoy, who oversees the system, told CBS News it's monitored 24/7. "We actually take samples every 15 minutes to verify the online equipment," McAvoy said, adding there had never been an instance of significantly higher fluoride levels to date. Dentists such as Kenton Ross, who also serves as president of Arkansas' dental association, say the science supporting fluoride is indisputable. "You're gonna see a 25% reduction in tooth decay," Ross said of adding fluoride to drinking water. "We have over 75 years of research over community fluoridation." For dentists, losing fluoride could mean losing the battle against tooth decay. "It's gonna affect the children the worst because if they don't get it, we can't put it in later in life," Ross Tin and Sara Moniuszko contributed to this report.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Connecticut wants to make generic GLP-1s. Will RFK Jr. lend a hand?
Connecticut passed a new law last week in an effort to lower its spending on weight-loss drugs for its state insurance program — HUSKY Health, which includes Medicaid and CHIP enrollees — and it could help other states do the same if it succeeds. The bill, signed by Gov. Ned Lamont on July 8, focuses on efforts to control drug prices but has a section dedicated to generic GLP-1 drugs, similar to Novo Nordisk's (NVO) Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly's (LLY) Mounjaro and Zepbound. Combined, the four drugs have been ballooning the state's spending — contributing costs of $140 million in fiscal year 2024 — a problem plaguing many states. Some states have chosen to restrict or limit who can be prescribed the drugs, while others have stopped covering them altogether. Connecticut expanded coverage in 2023. The new law calls for the Commissioner of Social Services to petition the US Health and Human Services Department (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to exercise the federal government's right to own the patents of GLP-1s and contract with generic manufacturers to produce a version of the drugs in exchange for royalties that Connecticut says it will pay. "The commissioner may enter into a consortium with officials in other states in contracting with such manufacturer for such drugs," according to the state's new law. State Sen. Matt Lesser, who introduced the bill, told Yahoo Finance that other states, both red and blue, have already expressed interest. He said the state has 30 days to submit the petition. "The governor and Sec. Kennedy have known each other for a very long time. So I don't know what conversations they may or may not have had. But, I think we're also having some early conversations," Lesser said of the state's social services commission. HHS did not reply to a request for comment from Yahoo Finance. The power to claim ownership of the patent comes from a section in the US Patent Code, 28 US 1498, which is described by experts as similar to eminent domain. If RFK Jr. accepts Connecticut's request, the drugmakers would be compensated based on a benchmark closer to production costs, not to market rates, according to Robin Feldman, a professor of law and director of the Center for Innovation at the University of California, San Francisco. "So recent cases are royalties of 10% or 7.5%," Feldman told Yahoo Finance. Lamont, meanwhile, signaled caution when signing the bill last week. "While well-intentioned, this provision may present an overreach of Section 1498, which was intended to provide a remedy for patent holders for when the federal government uses patented inventions for its own purposes," he said. "The administration will work collaboratively with the industry, healthcare professionals, and advocates to ensure that provision is implemented as appropriate under federal law." The strategy faces some uncertainty, but it could be coming at just the right time, according to some experts. Connecticut's effort comes as prices have begun to ease in the wake of increased supply from drugmakers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Both are offering vials at cheaper prices than injectables in direct-to-consumer avenues to counter the massive compounding market. Former Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jørgensen previously told Yahoo Finance that the compounding market is "approximately as big as our own business." Compounders were initially allowed to provide the copycats without FDA approval when the drugs were in short supply. The FDA has since ended the shortages, but some compounders continue to produce the cheaper copycats, claiming they have protections for "personalized medicine." That debate is making its way through the court system and is currently in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Lesser said Connecticut considered compounding but wasn't comfortable with the lack of FDA approval for the products. In addition to lower prices, Novo Nordisk's drugs are facing the end of their exclusivity period, which is regulated by the FDA. This is separate from the patents protected by the US Patent Office. While the patents expire in 2031, the FDA exclusivity has already partially expired for semaglutide in recent years On top of all that, generic competition is already on the horizon in Canada, which means a manufacturer is currently setting up production and getting approval from a comparable regulatory body to the FDA, according to Rachel Sachs, a professor of innovation policy and patent law at Washington University in St. Louis. That could also be useful if states decide to import from Canada — and would be quicker than the FDA process to contract with a US-based facility. "So this is a sort of sweet spot for those products, where it would be a particularly impactful time for the (patent) law to be used," Sachs said. The law Connecticut wants HHS to invoke has been used in the past. In 2017, Louisiana invoked the same law to try to get Hepatitis C drugs at a lower cost. At the time, more than 35,000 Medicaid enrollees using the drugs were costing the state $764 million. The drugmaker, Gilead Sciences (GILD), ultimately struck a deal with Louisiana to implement an "innovative payment model," which capped the state's costs. And post-9/11, when there was an anthrax scare, the US government invoked the law to stockpile Bayer's (BAYRY) drug Cipro. Bayer ultimately agreed to lower its price. Recently, North Carolina tried a different strategy by leveraging its relationships with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which had manufacturing operations in the state last year. It was unsuccessful and had to cut coverage for state employees while keeping coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries. The state petitioned HHS and then-Secretary Xavier Becerra to negotiate lower prices on its behalf but stopped short of invoking the patent law, though some advocacy groups suggested it at the time. It's why experts and advocates are closely watching how RFK Jr. responds to this petition. But so far, the Trump administration has made no progress in its efforts to curb costs, according to Amy Kapczynski, a professor at Yale Law School and expert on intellectual property rights. "The Trump Administration has been weak in addressing drug pricing as a problem, undermining some of the gains of the recent Biden bill to lower drug prices for Medicare," she told Yahoo Finance. "They may not want to do this, and argue that they can't — but really, I see it as a question of political will." UCSF's Feldman echoed a similar sentiment, adding that the situation could end well for the drugmakers too. "There should be a deal to be made that provides very handsome returns for the companies who have brought (these drugs) to society, but in a way that's sustainable and doesn't break the bank," she said. — Anjalee Khemlani is the senior health reporter at Yahoo Finance, covering all things pharma, insurance, provider services, digital health, PBMs, and health policy and politics. That includes GLP-1s, of course. Follow Anjalee as AnjKhem on social media platforms X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky @AnjKhem. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest health industry news and events impacting stock prices
