Lamont A Little Dodgy
by Christine Stuart | Nov 23, 2009 3:43pm
(2) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Election 2010
Ned Lamont, who may seek the Democratic nomination to run for governor, was a man of few words Monday.
He joined state and local elected officials at the CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 headquarters in Hartford, but bailed before helping to bag up 223 turkey’s along with all the fixings for families with members serving overseas, veterans, and laid-off workers.
Before he left the event he was cornered by two reporters, who he politely brushed aside saying he was in a hurry and didn’t have time to talk.
Asked about when he would be making his decision to fully-commit himself to the governor’s race, Lamont said, ” I don’t think I’ll be sitting around dithering forever. Shortly after the first of the year.”
And with that he was gone.
State Sen. Gary LeBeau, who is also exploring the Democratic nomination for governor, said he didn’t think Lamont wanted to answer any questions about whether he would use his own personal fortune or participate in the state’s public campaign finance system.
“He’s waffling. He’s allowed to do that,” LeBeau said. “We’re all waffling to some degree when you consider the court challenge.”
LeBeau was referring to the fact that the constitutionality of the state’s public campaign finance system was struck down by a federal court and is currently being appealed to the Second Circuit Court. The legislature has yet to come in an amend the 2005 law to ensure the Citizens Elections Program continues.
LeBeau, unlike Lamont, is fighting for some name recognition in a crowded field of gubernatorial candidates on the Democratic side.
“The whole battle for me is name recognition. People who know me generally like me,” LeBeau said.
He said he’s visited close to 30 Democratic Town Committee’s in the state and the response is positive. “They like me and they like my message, but they say they won’t vote for me,” LeBeau said.
According to the latest Quinnipiac University poll, LeBeau would receive just 2 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. Lamont received 23 percent, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz received 26 percent, and Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy received 9 percent. LeBeau is only one point ahead of Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi who received 1 percent of the vote and one point behind former Speaker of the House James Amann who received 3 percent of the vote.
When asked if he would seek to refocus his efforts on the lieutenant governor position, LeBeau said “it’s really too early to be thinking about that.”
LeBeau said he’s still interested in the state’s top spot and will continue to focus his efforts on it.
Click here for Greg Hladky’s take on today’s events.
(2) Comments
posted by: ctkeith | November 23, 2009 8:44pm
Next time you see Greg Hladky you might want to explain to him that right now “the law” he kept referring to in the most assinine article I think I’ve ever read in the Advocate is in total limbo.
Maybe if he read CTNEWSJUNKIE once in a while he’d have known that.
Right now “the Law” is “DODGY"and Lamont was very smart to avoid answering any questions on his intentions.If you want proof of that just look at what not knowing the consequences of “the law” has done to Jim Amanns campaign.
posted by: nomorebureaucracy | November 24, 2009 11:09am
So what kind of event was this up in Hartford? A good will/donation food drive to kick off the holidays and help the less fortunate?
Or a political sideshow for the Democrats to get some good face time with their union buddies?
I can see LeBeau & Lamont there stumping for their run for governor; they can always rely on the unions to back their campaigns.
Lamont promising them the world when he ran for US Senate in 06 and LeBeau delivering on his promises as a State Senator in the Democratically led state senate.
But Barbara Lambert from Milford up in Hartford at a union event? What was she doing there? Reminding the union brass that she’ll need their help next fall b/c of her faux pas of playing solitaire on the House floor? I’m sure the R’s will be gunning for that seat. Nothing worse than a do nothing legislator in a do nothing legislature.