Connecticut Dems Back Shays For Peace Corps

Connecticut Democrats have always had their guns trained on Republican Rep. Chris Shays, but now that they finally beat him, they're feeling magnanimous.

Jim Himes, the Democrat who beat Shays, has co-signed a letter to President-elect Obama with the other four Connecticut House Democrats endorsing Shays for director of the Peace Corps.

At first glance, this may sound like a gracious move after ousting Shays, a well-liked moderate. But the endorsement has some merit — Shays was a Peace Corps volunteer from 1968-1970 in Fiji and has a passion for international aid and foreign relations.

In his letter to Obama, Himes noted that Shays is "a former Peace Corps volunteer and a strong believer in America's special obligation to work toward peace and freedom, Congressman Shays would do a wonderful job of representing our country to those nations of the world served by the Peace Corps." 

Himes cc'd the entire Connecticut congressional delegation in the letter.