The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Scanlon to run for comptroller
State Rep. Sean Scanlon, D-Guilford, transitioned Monday from an exploratory campaign to a declared candidacy for comptroller, one of Connecticut’s two open statewide constitutional offices in the 2022 election.
Barring late surprises, the announcement is another step toward filling out the Democratic and Republican lineups for the six statewide constitutional offices ahead of the parties’ nominating conventions, both set for May 6-7.
Democrats hold all six offices, with Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Attorney General William Tong having already filed for reelection and Treasurer Shawn Wooden expected to follow.
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill is not seeking a fourth term, and the threeterm comptroller, Kevin Lembo, resigned in December due to health issues. His appointed successor, Natalie Braswell, is not running.
Both parties are anticipating primaries for secretary of the state. Three Republicans and three Democrats have declared for the office, with a fourth Democrat expected to join them.
Mary Fay, a three-term member of the West Hartford Town Council, is the only Republican candidate for comptroller. Scanlon currently has no serious competition for his party’s nomination.
Rep. Harry Arora, RGreenwich, is uncontested in his bid for the GOP nomination for treasurer, as Jessica Kordas of Norwalk is for the attorney general nomination. Kordas is a criminal defense lawyer.
There is no declared Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, a sign of deference to the GOP’s presumptive nominee for governor, Bob Stefanowski. He will make his choice known in coming weeks.
The only crowded fields are for secretary of the state.
The Democrats running are Rep. Hilda Santiago of Meriden, Rep. Stephanie
Thomas of Norwalk and Maritza Bond of New Haven. Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, has been raising money as an exploratory candidate.
The Republicans are Rep. Terrie Wood of Darien, Brock L. Weber of New Britain and Dominic A. Rapini of Branford.
The office of comptroller essentially maintains the state’s fiscal books and administers pensions and health care for state employees, retirees and their families.
Scanlon, the co-chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and former co-chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, has made health insurance reform a priority since his election to the General Assembly in 2014.
His announcement came in a video posted on social media.
The Republican nominating convention will be at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The Democrats will nominate their candidates at Xfinity Theatre in Hartford.