Donovan Congressional Announcement Postponed By Union “No” Votes

State House Speaker Christopher Donovan (D-Meriden) cancelled an event to announce his intent to run for U.S. Congress in 2012 Wednesday, following the news that a concession deal with state employees may fall through.

His intention an open secret for months, Donovan had planned to formally kick off his campaign for the 5th District U.S. Congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Chris Murphy (D-5) Thursday at 5 p.m. on the steps of Meriden's City Hall. 

"I waited on the campaign because of the budget," Donovan said by phone from the Capitol Wednesday afternoon. Aides have told reporters for months that Donovan was waiting to announce until after Gov. Dannel Malloy's budget was approved. "Now that there’s some concern about the SEBAC agreemeent – I'm up at the capital right now working."

The announcement has not yet been rescheduled, and volunteers for Donovan were scrambling Wednesday night to phone supporters and tell them the event was off. 

State unions will cast their votes this week until Friday on a concession package that would freeze wages and cut pensions but guarantee job security for four years and health benefits until 2022, according to the Connecticut Mirror. Late Tuesday night, a major AFSCME bargaining unit voted against those plans, making its ratification unlikely, the Mirror said.

The state will have to shore up $1.6 billion for the next budget if the concessions aren't approved, Malloy's senior advisor Roy Occhiogrosso told the Mirror. That means officials will have to work on new plans to fill the gap.

Donovan said the deal's not dead yet, though.

"There's still voting going on, I want them to approve it, because I think it'll be good for everyone," he said.

Donovan  at a state Democratic event in May, but still has not formally joined a growing group of candidates in District 5 who have thrown their hats in the ring to replace Murphy, who is running for Senate in 2012.

Democrats  of Cheshire, Justin Roberti of Kent, and Mike Williams of New Preston, are already in the running, and Republican contenders include  of Farmington,  of Simsbury, Justin Bernier of Plainville, and Mark Greenberg of Litchfield thus far. Esty has already received backing from national woman's organization .