Shays: Energy Independence = Lower Gas Prices

A Republican vying for the US Senate seat of retiring Senator Joe Lieberman says gas prices wouldn't be so high if America had more energy independence.

"In spite of the fact that we have some of the largest energy deposits in the entire world, we spend an astonishing one billion dollars every single day buying fossil fuel from overseas," Christopher Shays said in a statement.

"We need increased energy production here at home," he added. "Let's create energy independence and more American jobs by developing our own vast resources of natural gas and oil."

For the Republican nomination, Shays is up against businesswoman Linda McMahon, who, in 2010, lost her bid for a US Senate seat against Democrat Richard Blumenthal. In a recent interview with The News-Times, Shays said he was running behind McMahon in the polls.

Shays has his headquarters located in Stratford at the former home of Connecticut's first US Senator William Samuel Johnson. The house is located at 2103 Main St.

"It's simply unacceptable that gas prices are skyrocketing, especially in the middle of winter when prices typically fall," Shays said.