Recently Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons publicly said what we have all suspected; because of his medical condition, state Senator Andrew M. Maynard has not been serving the interests of the 18th District. His party’s hierarchy has perpetrated a significant fraud upon the district by manipulating his vote and preventing his constituents and the press from communicating with him. Although The Day tried their best to penetrate the Democratic Party’s wall of silence, it took the courageous act by Simmons to lay this matter bare for the public.

Connecticut needs people in elected office to have integrity and character and actually put the interests of their districts and state ahead of their own personal gain and political future. As the budget train wreck continues to unfold in Hartford, and will grow even worse next year, honest and hard decisions will have to be made by the next governor. Rob Simmons is the type of person who can do it.

Clark Pritchett

Waterford

Editor's note: Simmons has endorsed Heather Somers in the race to fill the seat Maynard is vacating.