Rell Backs McCain

Connecticut's Governor Jodi Rell endorses John McCain, saying he "would be the most effective leader to grapple with national security, the economy, energy, the environment and trade policy."

The Norwalk Plus reports Rell was effusive in her endorsement:

“John McCain is a longtime friend,” Governor Rell said. “I have known him for a number of years and greatly admired and respected him for even longer. He is among the most genuine and down-to-earth people I have met. Yet his record of accomplishment makes him extraordinarily well-qualified for the challenge he seeks.

“Frankly, no words can do justice to Senator McCain’s dedication to public service,” the Governor said. “He served his nation with honor and dignity as a wartime naval aviator, as a brutalized prisoner of war and – after his release – as a liaison between the Navy and Congress. And he has given decades of service to the people of Arizona as a Congressman and Senator.

“Now – especially now – I can think of no one I would rather see leading our nation,” Governor Rell said. “Our nation faces so many trials in the years to come. Economic issues, military issues, energy issues, global politics, global trade and global climate issues – all of these are ahead of us. Our need for strong leadership has seldom been greater. I am firmly convinced that John McCain is the leader we need to meet those challenges, deal with them effectively and remain the world’s beacon of freedom.”

According to the Hartford Courant, Rell's only hesitation was McCain's opposition to abortion rights.

I don't think endorsements matter much, but being Connecticut's most recognized and powerful Republican in a predominantly Democratic state, gives Rell's endorsement a little more improtance.