Ned Lamont rolled out a new television ad today in which he is endorsed by Ted Kennedy Jr.
The son of the late U.S. senator, Kennedy is a long-time Connecticut resident who has been mentioned as a potential candidate for public office. His father endorsed Lamont in his 2006 race for U.S. Senate.
In the commercial, Kennedy refers to Lamont and his wife, Annie, as good friends.
“What makes Connecticut so special to me are the people that I’ve met here, people like Ned and Annie,” Kennedy says in the spot. “Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to become good friends with them and I know they share the same values I believe in – the values of hard work and giving back. I’ve seen Ned in action. I know he has what it takes to bring people together and move Connecticut forward, and that’s why I’ll be voting for him on August 10.”
The 60-second commercial will begin airing Friday. A 30-second version will go up next week. Lamont’s campaign was unsure if Kennedy, who has kept a relatively low profile since settling in Connecticut after college, will do any campaigning for Lamont.
In a statement, Lamont recalled Senator Kennedy’s campaigning with him in Bridgeport.
“I’ll never forget standing beside Ted’s father singing ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling’ when he came to campaign for me in 2006,” Lamont said. “Senator Kennedy always believed that our best days were ahead of us, a belief that Ted Jr. and I share for the state of Connecticut. As governor, I will work every day to create jobs and make Connecticut a place where every family has the opportunity to achieve their own American dream.”
The younger Kennedy has an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan, a master’s from Yale and a law degree from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Branford with his wife, Kiki, who is on the faculty of the Yale School of Medicine.