Mayor Joe Ganim on Tuesday qualified for the August 14 primary ballot for governor to challenge Democratic-endorsed Ned Lamont, according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s Office. Ganim becomes the first Democrat to make the ballot via a signature process for governor since Connecticut approved a direct primary process about 15 years ago.
From the CT Secretary of the State:
As of 4:00pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, the number of primary petition signatures tabulated by the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s office is as follows (*Denotes that the Secretary of the State’s office has tabulated a sufficient number of signatures for the candidate to appear on the primary ballot):
Statewide
Ganim (D) – 17,104 (needed 15,458)
The Secretary of the State’s Office also announced that Republicans will feature a field of five primary candidates that include David Stemerman and Bob Stefanowski who petitioned their way on joining party-endorsed Mark Boughton, Tim Herbst and Steve Obsitnik, all of whom qualified as a result of party convention support.
The Ganim campaign utilized dozens of operatives across urban areas of the state to collect enough signatures (at least two percent from Democratic electors to qualify), a majority from Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford, in a labor-intensive process.
Ganim’s placement on the ballot crystallizes a head-to-head match-up with Lamont, the Greenwich plutocrat, unless entrepreneur Guy Smith also makes it. That’s still a work in progress as the state awaits calculations from local registrars that verify signatures and forward them to the state for tabulation.
Ganim’s clearly the underdog in this race against Lamont who can leverage millions of his personal wealth to make his case to Democratic voters, something Ganim has exploited questioning Lamont’s ability to connect with poor urban areas given the number of bathrooms in his Greenwich estate. Ganim is raising money the old-fashioned way soliciting dollars from large contributors because his 2003 conviction on public corruption charges blocks him accessing dough from Connecticut’s public financing program.
Lamont came into prominence in 2006 defeating incumbent U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman in a primary on a war protest vote, but losing to Lieberman who had a backup plan as a minority party candidate in the general election. Lamont ran for governor in 2010 losing to Dan Malloy in a primary. Lamont stepped up once again this year for governor when high profile Dems such as Malloy, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman and Attorney General George Jepsen did not run.
Lamont has been reticent to engage Ganim as the ballot qualification process has played out.
In the underdog role, Ganim will continue his pursuit to draw a contrast with Lamont.
Joe Ganim will give Trump his first ICE Processing Center in CT.
“Welcoming City”
Joe Ganim needs 45 to give him a pardon so he’s not going to make any waves against 45.
Joe Ganim doesn’t need a pardon. He needs your vote on August 14.
Ganim just proved he’s the true entrepreneur. Lamont is the status quo’s choice.
But Malloy made everyone in Connecticut an underdog and Ganim’s base thrives on that. His posse starts at 17,ooo.
An underdog with an advantage? That’s a winning ticket.
(nod)
Based on the upcoming primary, expect new money to enter Ganim’s campaign.
Even out-of-state PAC money will be drawn to Ganim’s history-making feat and the headlines it could bring.
Seen on a baby blue bumper sticker:
Instead of Ned, say HELLO to Joe
Do you think Local Eyes is a paid handler for Joey G’s gubernatorial endeavor?????????
Just because I’m on the bandwagon doesn’t mean I’m on the payroll, too.
No, you’re not on the bandwagon. You’re on the gravy train. Rule #1, don’t shoot the conductor.
Do you think Local Eyes is a paid handler for Joey G’s gubernatorial endeavor?????????
Seen on the world’s longest bumper sticker somewhere in Greenwich’s toniest neighborhood:
While Ganim has the swagger that comes with primary qualifiction, Lamont has the stagger that comes from quaking in your boots.
Lennie
This campaign in some ways reflects the Malloy Desteffano battle.
Malloy was a big town mayor but from the gold coast town af Stamford. Desteffano from a very urban center of New Haven.
What can we learn from that race as far as turnout and urban votes versus suburban votes?
With questions like that, I hope you don’t portray yourself as a political consultant.
We can only hope that the voters of Connecticut are more intelligent than the walking dead of Bridgeport and send “Little Joey” packing with his tail between his legs.
If hope is your only strategy, you will find your answer on August 15.
You’ll be Crying Eyes on 8/15.
You can change your handle to Victim Eyes, as you will become the latest casualty of statewide political disruption.
No tears, Okay?
Little Joey G says in the photo above “l’m gonna punch him in the stomach if I can reach that high”
If it happened once, it can happen again.
Ganim might be able to use the New York Times to challenge Lamont in his own backyard. Contrast makes fantastic news.
Some people can be persuaded. Now imagine a handful of “news celebrities” comparing Ganim to President Trump and in the process becoming Ganim allies.
Bridgeport and Connecticut become New York news-and all the sudden-there’s a news crew on your neighbor’s sidewalk.
You’re stupid. Next New York Times story on Joe Ganim will be focused on his criminal past and the public corruption that allowed him to finagle re-election.
You’re brilliant! But the next New York Times story on Joe Ganim will be focused on his saintly future and the public redemption that allowed him to grab 17,000 signatures.