GOP Senate race: Klarides raises most money; Levy lends more cash to herself

Themis Klarides raised more money in the first three months of 2022 than any other Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Connecticut, while her rivals, Leora Levy and Peter Lumaj, relied more on personal loans than contributions.

Campaign reports filed Friday showed that Klarides raised $425,431 in the first quarter, compared to $294,930 for Levy and $158,058 for Lumaj. No other Republican reported significant fundraising in the race.

They are competing for the GOP nomination and a chance to oppose the wellfunded two-term Democratic incumbent, Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

His campaign committee raised $706,858 in contributions and received another $101,000 from a related committee, Blumenthal Victory Fund. His campaign ended the quarter with $8.1 million in the bank.

Levy, a Republican National Committee member and long-time GOP fundraiser, ended the quarter with nearly $1 million in her campaign account, primarily due to a $750,000 loan from the candidate.

Lumaj had $459,817 in available cash, more than half of it from a $250,000 loan he made to his campaign on March 30, the second-to-last day of the filing period. A candidate since Nov. 24, he now has raised $269,533.

Klarides, a former state House Republican leader who did not seek reelection in 2020 after 22 years as a state lawmaker, ended the quarter with $447,701 in cash. She loaned her campaign $40,000.

By putting significant personal funds into their campaigns, Levy and Lumaj appear to be underlining their intent to stay in the race after the Republican nominating convention in May, where Klarides is favored to win the endorsement.

Qualifying for a primary in August requires winning 15% of the convention vote, or petitioning for access. The only statewide Republican primaries are expected to be for U.S. Senate and secretary of the state.

While Klarides showed more financial support from former and present elected officials, Levy and Lumaj demonstrated the financial backing of the GOP's presumptive nominee for governor, Bob Stefanowski.

Stefanowski, who also was the 2018 gubernatorial nominee, contributed $2,000 to Levy and $3,001 to Lumaj. The winner of a five-way primary four years ago, Stefanowski has only token competition for the nomination this year.

Linda McMahon, twice the Republican nominee for Senate, losing races to Blumenthal in 2010 and to Chris Murphy in 2012, gave $5,800 to Levy's campaign and $5,000 to Connecticut Patriots, the super PAC supporting Levy.

Aside from both living in Greenwich, McMahon and Levy have a connection to the Trump administration. McMahon led the Small Business Administration, and Levy was nominated as the U.S. ambassador to Chile.

Thomas Foley, the party's nominee for governor in 2010 and 2014, gave $5,800 to Klarides' campaign, the maximum allowed through the primary in August.

Donors can give a maximum of $2,900 to each phase of a federal campaign: the convention, primary and general election. Klarides' husband, Greg Butler, gave $8,600 — essentially betting she would make it to the November ballot.

Two former state GOP chairs, Chris Healy and Herb Shepardson, gave Klarides' campaign $1,505 and $500, respectively. Robert Poliner, another former chair, gave $250 to Levy.

Klarides's predecessor and successor as House Republican leader, Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. and Vincent Candelora, gave $500 and $255. Rep. Tim Ackert, R-Coventry, who unsuccessfully challenged her for leader in 2016, contributed $505.

J. David Kelsey of Old Lyme covered every bet: He gave $2,000 to Lumaj, $2,005 to Klarides, $5,800 to Levy and $15,000 to Connecticut Patriots, the super PAC supporting Levy. The new PAC raised $25,000.