Whitnum Stalking Himes??

Apparently so.

Jim Himes is doing a seventeen day "Listening & Leading Tour" through the 4th's seventeen towns, and Lisa Lee Whitnum keeps showing up in the audience.

The campaign reports that Whitnum has appeared at five of the eight campaign stops so far. I saw her last night in at the Fairfield Library, and it was.... well, strange.

Nothing happened. She lurked in the hall, and then after awhile sat quietly in the back. Sometimes she looked bored, sometimes petulant, sometimes almost asleep. (I've got a short video clip, which might come later.) But no demand for a debate, no calling Himes out on some pet issue, no uproar, nothing. Perhaps she's just waiting for a TV crew and camera?

At the end of the forum, Gentleman Jim actually introduced her to the audience of about fifty. I thought that the leading candidate was exceedingly polite, and somehow he referenced Lee in a manner that didn't come off as patronizing.

For the record, I wanted desperately to interview her, to ask her why she was running, what she thought her chances were of success, and about her missing FEC filings. (and also about the weird debate she scheduled and announced, before some of the proposed participants even knew about it.)

But literally Whitnum fled the moment the event was over, without talking to a soul. I hope it wasn't my camera.

To be honest, I've got mixed feelings about Ms. Whitnum. On one hand as a Democrat I wonder if she's doing more harm than good, and I resent the time and expense that will be wasted on a meaningless primary. On the other hand I kind of feel sorry for her. One woman on a self-inflicted crusade for something...