The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Boughton, Ganim enter race for governor
Candidates plan to run on records as mayors of Danbury, Bridgeport
Bridgeport’s Joe Ganim and Danbury’s Mark Boughton will try to parlay their mayoral records, just as Dannel P. Malloy once did, to win Connecticut’s top office.
After spending the better part of 2017 auditioning, the two mayors will formally join the crowded field of gubernatorial contenders this week, bringing a strong Fairfield County flavor to a wide-open governor’s race. Ganim has long been eyeing a January ramp-up, while Boughton is set to participate in a GOP candidate debate next week.
Ganim, a Democrat who was given a second chance by Bridgeport voters after his imprisonment for corruption, will spend Wednesday stumping for governor in New Haven, Hartford and Waterbury.
Boughton, whose gubernatorial ambitions have been thwarted twice before, will kick off his campaign Thursday night at Danbury’s Palace Theatre.
Both mayors will have to overcome strong political headwinds that go well beyond their city limits.
For Ganim, it’s the unpopularity of Democrat Malloy, the one-time Stamford mayor. For Boughton, it’s the backlash against Donald Trump that hurt Republicans in the most recent November municipal elections.
“So the question is, which party’s nominee has more room between the Scylla of Trump and sort of the Charybdis of Malloy?” said University of Connecticut political science assistant professor Vincent Moscardelli, referring to Greek mythological monsters.
Money changes everything
In 2014, Boughton dropped out of the race after he wasn’t able to raise enough money to qualify for public campaign financing, which gives candidates up to $8 million for the primary and general election.
Ganim is not eligible to receive public campaign financing through the state’s clean-elections program because of his felony conviction for accepting bribes, but has not let that stop him.
He plans to raise money the old-fashioned way by collecting contributions of up to $3,500 per individual.
“In an urban environment, I think he has a
message and a story to tell,” said state Rep. Chris Rosario, D-Bridgeport, who has not made an endorsement in the race. “He can take that message on the road to cities like Waterbury, New Haven and Hartford, and he may get some traction. I wouldn’t necessarily count him out.”
Since last spring, Ganim has been traveling the state to sell Democrats on the idea that he has put Bridgeport on the path to economic recovery. He frequently mentions a $675 million casino proposed by MGM for the city’s waterfront and plans to convert Harbor
Yard, the former home of the Bluefish minor league baseball team, to an amphitheater. The reception, Ganim said, has been encouraging.
“Many of them believe my collective government experience balancing budget, attracting development and creating jobs in what can be a tough urban environment can be a positive thing for Connecticut,” he said.
Boughton was the 2010 running mate of Republican Tom Foley in the governor’s race. A self-described bluecollar Republican who has over 35,000 Twitter followers, Boughton has often said that the state’s seventhlargest city has weathered the economic downturn
better than most of its peers. He has proposed a repeal of the state income tax while exploring a run for governor and raised more than $200,000 in 2017.
Candidates must raise $250,000 from at least 2,500 contributors to qualify for public financing, something Boughton has said he will achieve before the state GOP convention in May.
“We are just are very thankful for all the support we’ve received from across Connecticut,” Boughton said. “We had a very strong (fundraising) quarter. We’re still counting right now.”