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Democrat and Republican voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to choose candidates for Governor in primary showdowns that have tightened dramatically in the final days.
The only certainty is that Connecticut will have a new governor in January - incumbent M. Jodi Rell (R) is calling it quits,
In the Democratic primary, former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy trails businessman Ned Lamont 45- 42 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released last Thursday. Lamont had a 46 - 37 percent lead in July. The survey found 43 percent who choose a candidate might change their mind before Tuesday.
Lamont says jobs and the economy are major issues. He supports "strategic investments" such as more early-stage financing to companies rather than tax giveaways. Lamont says as governor he also would "create an army of energy entrepreneurs" to reduce the state's energy costs.
Malloy, the party's endorsed nominee, says a childhood learning disability has made him especially sensitive to the need to support and adequately finance the education system. That is among major campaign issues for him, along with the state's economic revitalization and security, a health delivery system focused on illness prevention and an infrastructure that supports a variety of transportation systems.
Among Republican likely primary voters, the Quinnipiac poll found Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele trailing former ambassador Tom Foley 38-30 percent, compared to a 48 - 13 percent deficit in July . Hartford-area business advocate Oz Griebel got 17 percent. In this race, 21 percent are undecided and 62 percent might change their mind.
Fedele, who chairs an IT company, is a former member of the Stamford Board of Representatives and served 10 years as a state representative. A cornerstone of his plan for the state is establishment of public-private partnerships for public projects such as infrastructure design and construction, and privatization of state and municipal services such as road maintenance.
Foley, a Greenwich businessman, has his party's endorsement. He has vowed to make Connecticut more business friendly and to close the deficit without raising taxes. He also wants smaller government, and says he'll end unfunded state mandates. Foley believes developing alternative energy technology can serve several purposes, including job creation, decreased dependence on foreign oil and enhanced air quality.
Griebel says he would draw on his business acumen to deal with the state's budget crisis. He promises his work as Connecticut's chief elected official would be conducted as part of a "clean and open government" that would allow accessibility and transparency. His plan for campaign finance reform would include immediate public access, via the Internet, to information about campaign contributions.
The Quinapiac poll also found that in November Connecticut voters might be on their way to electing their first Democratic Governor since the late William A. O"Neill 24 years ago, saying Lamont and Malloy lead any of the possible Republican candidates by a 13 to 25 percentage point margin, depending on the matchup.
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