Democrat Ned Lamont Exploring A Run For Governor In 2010 Hartford Courant
In a move that sharply changes the dynamics of the governor's race, Greenwich entrepreneur Ned Lamont announced Wednesday that he is opening an exploratory committee for governor.
Lamont, who spent about $16 million of his own money to run for the U.S. Senate against Joseph I. Lieberman in 2006, would clearly be the wealthiest candidate in the race. The other Democrats have started down the path of seeking public financing and would be limited to $1 million in public funds for an August 2010 primary. The winner of a potential six-way primary would then receive $3 million in public money for the general election.
If Lamont spent only half of what he spent in 2006, he would clearly outspend all other candidates in the race.
Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell has not made any formal announcements, but she has formed an exploratory committee that is raising small amounts of money under the public-financing guidelines. With far higher name recognition than the pre-Lamont Democratic candidates, Rell has had the luxury of delaying any official announcements. Her supporters concede that her name recognition has given her a multi-million-dollar advantage over the Democrats who have been in the race so far.
Lamont, though, has high name-recognition statewide, particularly in the Republican strongholds of Fairfield County that have provided votes for the last three governors - Rell, John G. Rowland, and Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. The Democrats have not won the governor's race since 1986 - a drought that will stretch to 24 years by next year's election.
"As I have continued to meet with citizens across our state over the last three years, as co-chairman of President Obama's Connecticut campaign and on behalf of health care reform, I have been constantly reminded that Connecticut is not living up to its potential and that too many of our families are being left behind," Lamont said in a statement.......
......Like businesses, states thrive with strong executive leadership, and they fall behind with weak leadership. As measured by the loss of jobs, young people leaving our state, and the never-ending budget crisis, Connecticut's chief executive is simply not getting the job done."
Currently, Lamont is chairman of Campus Televideo, a firm that he created after moving to Greenwich more than two decades ago. Originally called Lamont Television Systems when the young Lamont was serving on the Greenwich board of selectmen, the company has had various names through the years.
He is also currently teaching political science and overseeing a policy center at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain.
Lamont is planning a speech at CCSU on Thursday that is entitled: "An Entrepreneur's Approach to Government: Businesses reinvent themselves all the time; Why am I still waiting in line at the DMV?''......
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