Stefanowski picks Devlin as running mate
FAIRFIELD — Republican Bob Stefanowski said Tuesday he found a fellow “outsider” to join his second campaign for governor who will otherwise serve as foil for his staid corporate background: A mother, lawmaker and resolute critic of Democratic leadership in Hartford.
State Rep. Laura Devlin represents a cross-section of experiences that Stefanowski told reporters he lacked after announcing his decision outside the Town Hall in Devlin’s home of Fairfield.
“I’m an outsider, Laura’s been an outsider until recently, but she knows how to manage the legislature — that’s going to be critical,” Stefanowski said. “I wanted a diverse candidate, somebody from Fairfield County that can help me understand the issues.”
Stefanowski, a businessman from Madison who has never held political office, said he considered around 20 candidates to serve as his running mate, before interviewing “several” and ultimately asking Devlin to join his ticket as candidate for lieutenant governor within the last few days.
Devlin said she accepted the offer over the phone with “no hesitation.”
“He kept asking me if I had any questions and I’m like, ‘No, I don’t,’” Devlin
said. “I really think he’s the right guy and I’m so honored to have the opportunity to work with him.”
During their announcement, Stefanowski and Devlin also foreshadowed what will likely be a central theme of their campaign over the next six months: Railing against incumbent Gov. Ned Lamont and Democrats’ ties to various political scandals, including a federal investigation into school construction contracts overseen by a former state budget official.
Devlin, who is serving her fourth term in the legislature, previously helped lead the successful effort by Republicans to defeat Lamont’s trucks-only toll proposal to
fund infrastructure projects, which he touted in his 2018 campaign for governor against Stefanowski.
“We would not have gotten the outcome that we got if it wasn’t for Laura,” Stefanowski said of Devlin’s role in the fight against tolls. “She’s tough when she needs to be, I’ve seen that side of her, which you need up in Hartford.”
Devlin, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, moved to Fairfield more than 20 years ago while commuting to New York City for work,
according to her legislative biography. Devlin said Tuesday that she first became involved in politics running for the town’s Board of Assessment Appeals out of frustration with local tax increases.
“I wanted answers about how our local government worked and where our taxes were going and why they were so high,” Devlin said.
After being elected to that board in 2011, Devlin went on to serve on Fairfield’s Representative Town Meeting and later the state House of Representatives,
representing House District 134 since 2015.
State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, who previously represented the 134th district, said he was an early champion of Devlin as Stefanowski was rumored to have several women on his short list for lieutenant governor, calling her “an absolutely perfect complement” to the ticket.
“I think she really has a voice, an elegant touch with the people she represents,” Hwang said. “From Day One, I thought she would be a perfect candidate.”
Stefanowski’s running mate in the 2018 campaign, state Sen. Joe Markley, RSouthington, was chosen by voters during a three-way primary. That ticket ended up losing to Gov. Lamont and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz by less than 5 percentage points in a strong year for Democrats nationally.
This time, Stefanowski said it was “very important” for him to be able to choose his own running mate to ensure “diversity” on the ticket. He also noted Devlin’s former role as vice president of communications for Pfizer when asked what management experience she brought
to the ticket.
No other Republicans have publicly declared their intentions to run for the GOP nomination for governor or lieutenant governor at next month’s party convention, paving the way for Stefanowski and Devlin to receive the nomination.
In their initial response to Stefanowski’s choice of a running mate, Democrats avoided making any direct criticisms of Devlin, and instead focused their message on Lamont’s record over the last three years.
Dan Morrocco, Lamont’s campaign manager, deferred comment Tuesday to the state party, which had Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons provide a response to the pick at a nearby coffee shop in Fairfield.
.“We’ve seen the track record that the governor and Lt. Gov. [Bysiewicz] have had in our state, we know we can trust their leadership, they are full of integrity, compassion and devotion to our state,” Simmons said.
Lamont and Bysiewicz are expected to be re-nominated at a state party convention in May.
The general election is Nov. 8.