It took three tries and another round of fundraising, but Republican Tom Foley’s application for the public financing of his campaign for governor was approved Wednesday by the State Elections Enforcement Commission.
The commission also approved applications for Attorney General George Jepsen, a Democrat, and Heather Bond Somers, one of three Republican candidates for lieutenant governor.
Foley had twice failed to meet the qualifying threshold of $250,000 in individual contributions of no more than $100, but he exceeded the mark after submitting $16,549 in additional donations. The application of his opponent in the GOP primary, Senate Minority Leader John P. McKinney of Fairfield, will be considered next week.
Related: A primer on public financing
Foley, 62, a Greenwich businessman who largely self-funded his unsuccessful 2010 campaign, now is entitled to a $1,354,250 grant for the Aug. 12 primary. If he wins, Foley will get $6,500,400 for the general election, the same as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
The Foley campaign had originally raised $264,148 in contributions, but the commission said its staff had validated only $220,977. He failed to meet a requirement that 90 percent of the contributions come from Connecticut donors.
His final submission of $280,697 yielded $255,121 in valid qualifying contributions.
The Democratic ticket of Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman qualified three weeks ago. Malloy is Connecticut’s first governor to be elected using the state’s voluntary Citizens’ Election Program, which provides public financing in return for limits on contributions and expenditures.
Jepsen and Somers each had to submit $75,000 in qualifying contributions.
Jepsen, who has no opponent for the Democratic nomination, will get a general election grant of $812,550. It took him two tries to win approval.
Somers will get $406,275 for the GOP primary. The convention-endorsed candidate, Penny Bacchiochi, already has her grant. The third candidate, David M. Walker, has filed a joint application with McKinney, who is his running mate.
Every statewide constitutional officer except Treasurer Denise Nappier now has been approved for public finance. Nappier, who still is working on raising $75,000 in qualifying contributions, has yet to apply.
Grants have been approved for Malloy, Wyman, Jepsen, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill and Comptroller Kevin Lembo.
Among Republican statewide candidates, grants now have been approved for Foley, Bacchiochi, Somers and Timothy Herbst, the candidate for treasurer.
The commission also approved grants Wednesday for legislative candidates:
- Rep. James Albis, D-East Haven.
- Rep. Elizabeth Boukus, D-Plainville.
- Rep. Cecilia Buck-Taylor, R-New Milford.
- Richard Field of Tolland, a Democratic challenger in the 53rd House District.
- Rep. Auden Grogins, D-Bridgeport.
- Rep. Douglas McCrory, D-Hartford.
- Michael Meadows of Sprague, a Republican challenger in the 47th House District.
- Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford.
- Anthony Salvatore of Cromwell, a challenger in the 32nd House District.
- Matthew Waggner of Fairfield, a Democratic candidate for the open 133nd House District seat.
- Sen. Dante Bartolomeo, D-Meriden.
- Timothy Larson of East Hartford, a Democratic candidate for the open seat in the 3rd Senatorial District.
- Sen. Anthony Musto, D-Trumbull.
- Ben McGorty of Shelton, a Republican candidate for the vacant seat in the 122nd House District. A special election will be held July 22 to fill the vacancy left by the death of Rep. Lawrence Miller.
| Office | Primary grant | General election grant |
| Governor | $1,354,250 | $6,500,400 |
| *Other State Offices | $406,275 | $812,550 |
| State Senate | $38,990 or $83,550** | $93,690 |
| State House | $11,140 or $27,850** | $27,850 |
* Those offices are lieutenant governor, secretary of the state, comptroller, treasurer and attorney general. Candidates for lieutenant governor can only get a grant for a primary. In the general election, one grant goes to the ticket of governor and lieutenant governor.
** The larger amount goes to legislative candidates in districts dominated by one party. The theory is the primary is tantamount to the election in those districts.