Pooh-poohing the Republican candidates, popular Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti is seeking the GOP nomination for governor with the party convention just four months away. The former Barnum Festival ringmaster with roots in Bridgeport has lots of ground to make up. The city he governs has one of the largest grand lists in the state that’s fertile ground for fundraising, but Lauretti has no history as a formidable fundraiser. Lauretti plans to raise money through Connecticut’s Citizens Election Program of publicly funded campaigns. It’s an extremely labor-intensive process. The good news is if you qualify early you can spend all your time campaigning instead of begging for money.
Although popular in Shelton, Lauretti is largely unknown in the rest of the state. He is one of the longest-serving mayors in Connecticut history having served as Shelton’s chief executive for more than 20 years.
The federal government spent years examining Lauretti’s administration. The feds won several convictions, but Lauretti himself was never charged with wrongdoing. Irrespective of the federal probe, Lauretti remains a popular figure in Shelton, the business center of the Naugatuck Valley that features a low tax rate, winning reelection by large margins. For the most part he raised little money in his years winning elections. Pivoting from small city mayor to gubernatorial candidate is a whole different world. It’s hard to hit the gas pedal of fundraising with no financial infrastructure in place.
Candidates for governor qualifying for public financing must raise an aggregate amount of small-dollar monetary contributions between $5 and $100 from individuals. For governor, $250,000 to trigger a primary grant of $1,250,000. The grant is millions more for the general election. Qualifying as a gubernatorial candidate is a time-consuming process loaded with paperwork.
Among the Republican candidates for governor trying to qualify for public financing, State Senator John McKinney appears to have the jump on potential challengers. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, State Senator Toni Boucher and 2010 GOP nominee Tom Foley are also in the race. Foley bypassed public financing four years ago spending a fortune of his own money. This time around, so far he’s raising money in an exploratory stage.
The GOP field appears headed for an August primary. If Lauretti manages to qualify for public financing it will be late in the primary process.
Absent a fundraising structure and absent a political organization, with the convention four months away, David Walker had better make up his mind and get crackin’.
You need money? Promise to legalize on-line gambling! Vegas will shove money into your pockets. You will also be able to promise to eliminate the property tax. Take a look at NJ, a big revenue producer.
Lennie, you wrote, “Although popular in Shelton, Lauretti is largely unknown in the rest of the state. He is one of the longest-serving mayors in Connecticut history having served as Shelton’s chief executive for more than 20 years.” Well, after all of that and Lauretti is largely unknown in the rest of the state then where does that place David Walker in being known in the state? My money is on State Senator Toni Boucher being the Lieutenant Governor candidate for the Republican Party because the Party needs to have a diverse slate. But you know David Walker would be the best candidate for Lieutenant Governor and for the Democrats; run Dave, run.
Boucher’s got nothing. She is largely known only to the 26th State Senate. She’s got published tea party ties and a penchant for filibustering. She is from a rich district in Fairfield County, and so are all the top Republican contenders. No one will pick her. McKinney is already looking outside of Fairfield County, and he needs more basic business savvy and structure than Boucher can provide. Boucher is also from a district that overlaps with McKinney’s. She has not got a snowball’s chance in hell at Foley either. He is looking for a little more meat behind the plate, and Boucher is 90% fluff and 10% high heels and lipstick. She is personable and nice, though. McKinney is way too smart to pick her and so is Foley.
I would say barring another Reagan rising, Walker and Bouton will be the top contenders on the Republican ticket for Lt. Governor.
My hope would be with Walker. He is a good bet to get more attention to our City, and I am sure he is very close to the top of his list.
Who knows though, anything can happen. Except Boucher.
Mustang Sally, I agree with your viewpoints. The Republican Party will be walking down that same old road, two white males at the top instead of a female. You said, “My hope would be with Walker. He is a good bet to get more attention to our City,” attention for what and what could he do for Bridgeport? Answer, nothing.
Suit yourself, my hope is still with Walker.
So Sally,
Please explain. Do you think Bridgeport will be better off with a Republican Lt. Gov who thinks the state of CT has too much debt to begin with than with a Democratic Governor and Lt Gov regardless of where they come from? Do you think the Republicans will come close to winning Bridgeport with Walker or do you think the Democrats will get 75% of the vote regardless.
I said Boucher’s got nothing, and Walker is the best Republican Lt. governor candidate (if he runs) I see. That is what I said. And for the record, I am a Democrat.
And Sally do you think Dave Walker will tell us how he plans on reducing the state debt with a high degree of specificity? Do you think Dave Walker will come out and say he is opposed to the state’s assistance at Steal Point because it was all done via bonded debt? And will Dave Walker come out in opposition of a second train station in Bridgeport because it will significantly add to our bonded debt he believes is too high to begin with?
Where is John Marshall Lee and his diatribe on transparency? Why isn’t he calling on specifics from Mr. Walker?
Bob Walsh, these David Walker supporters really cannot say much until they get their talking points from Walker and you notice he is not saying anything. No positions on anything, which is a good thing for him because his views are so out of line with Connecticut voters.
Just thinking out loud here: Possibly some of us do not see this blog as a vehicle to ride to the fight we are so desperately looking for, for reasons that remain a mystery to, well, me. I am certainly not going to speak for anyone else. (Wow! What a concept! Not throwing my own perception out as someone else’s truth …) You attack and attack and attack, and it just looks like sour grapes. Does it taste like them too? Good Lord.
Mustang Sally, I’ve been saying for a long time on OIB David Walker was a Republican and he would run for some elected office. True, he said he was an Independent but all one has to do is read anything he has written or watch him when he appeared on MSNBC and you heard and saw a Republican hiding as an Independent. I really want Walker to be the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, I don’t like our current governor but you compare the Republican lineup of candidates including Walker for Lt. Governor, Malloy is looking real good. Run Dave, run.
If 2010 is any indication, qualifying for public financing for a statewide office is difficult even for a candidate with statewide recognition and an established fundraising network.
*** Nice, smart guy but will not beat Malloy if elected the GOP candidate for governor! Seems like it will be another four more years for Malloy unless he really steps in it between now and election day! ***