HARTFORD- Pressure on one Connecticut senator to make a decision is heating up as a vote on a U.S. nuclear deal with Iran draws closer.
Dozens of people rallied in support of the deal outside Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s office Wednesday.
Blumenthal is the only Connecticut congressional delegate who has not announced whether or not he supports the plan, which is intended to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.
"I'm going to be listening to the people of Connecticut as I make my decision. But, for me, more importantly, I'm going to decide what is the right thing to do for the United States of America. That's my job,” Blumenthal told the crowd.
The senior senator is also the target of multiple advertisements on both sides of the issue. According to Fox CT senior manager, Steve Rabb, a couple hundred thousand dollars is being spent in the Hartford-New Haven television market on the Iran issue.
"We have three organizations that have been buying time. We have two that are opposed to the deal, one that is in favor,” Rabb said.
Blumenthal said he is consulting experts, such as nuclear physicists, and asking questions of the Obama administration in order to make an educated decision.
"One important task is to ask the administration questions and I'm asking strong tough questions of the administration along with a number of my colleagues who as yet also have been undecided,” he said.
If he decides to support the deal, Blumenthal’s vote would add to a majority of Democrats, which could outweigh the 67 “no” votes needed to override the president’s veto power.
The vote will take place in September.
