Ex-TV anchor Peckinpaugh urged to challenge Courtney

Hartford - Republicans in eastern Connecticut have been urging Janet Peckinpaugh, a former TV journalist known throughout the sprawling 2nd District, to challenge Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney in the fall.

In a brief interview Friday afternoon, Peckinpaugh confirmed that Republicans have called to ask her to consider a run against Courtney, a two-term congressman from Vernon who previously served in the state legislature.

But Peckinpaugh said she is only listening for now and has made no decision about whether to run.

"I think it's fair to say that a number of Republicans have urged me to consider it," she said. "I'm certainly talking to residents in the district, but I haven't made a decision."

Peckinpaugh is running Republican Lisa Wilson-Foley's campaign for lieutenant governor, and she said she is focused on that task.

Peckinpaugh's entrance into the 2nd District race might tilt into uncertainty what has seemed a safe seat for Democrats. She has 30 years' worth of name recognition in the state, including stints anchoring the news at the Connecticut affiliates of NBC, CBS and ABC.

Courtney, meanwhile, currently faces two little-known Republican challengers, Matthew Daly and Daria Novak, who have struggled to gain traction and raise enough funds to challenge the incumbent.