By qualifying over the weekend for the first primary against a Connecticut governor in nearly half a century, state Rep. Josh Elliott of Hamden flipped the script on what was supposed to be a summer of ease for Gov. Ned Lamont and discomfort for Republicans burdened by the unpopularity of President Donald Trump.

On Monday night, Lamont campaigned in Newington, hunting for votes among the Democrats gathered from five towns to nominate an ally, state Sen. Matt Lesser of Middletown, for a fifth term. The reception was cordial, and a woman asked Lamont if he would be vacationing at his summer home in North Haven, Maine.

“I think I’ll be in North Haven, Conn., this summer,” Lamont replied.

They laughed. 

Lamont remains the favorite in the August 11 primary, most likely a prohibitive one. But he has work to do. He is paying a price for not taking Elliott seriously, largely ignoring the liberal lawmaker’s visits to Democratic town committees. Elliott portrayed the governor as rich and disconnected.

“Ned’s always been able to just throw a ton of money at a problem and come out OK, but he’s never really dealt with a campaign like this before,” Elliott said. “I’m an incredibly experienced campaigner, and I build authentic relationships, and I get people to buy into a vision. And I also listen to people.”

He is a 41-year-old progressive state lawmaker opposing a 72-year-old governor, but Elliott said his campaign is about issues, not generational change. He rejects any suggestion that he tap into the zeitgeist that elected the 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a little-known state lawmaker, as mayor of New York City last year.

“It’s not a Mamdani campaign. Everybody wanted this to be a Mamdani campaign, but I’m not Mamdani,” Elliott said. “And this could only ever be a Josh Elliot campaign. And it’s different, and it’s based off of very individualized relationships that I’ve built with DTC members across the state, really solidifying a base.”

Since opening his campaign in July, Elliott says, he has delivered his call for a more aggressive and progressive approach to taxing the wealthy to Democrats in 135 of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns. Lamont didn’t address a town committee until March 24.

The slow start did not go unnoticed, Lamont said.

“I heard it. In Ashford? ‘I haven’t seen you, governor. I’ve seen Josh four times.’ Sorry, I got a day job,” Lamont said, recalling his exchanges with Democrats from the smaller communities who backed Elliott at the convention. Lamont smiled ruefully and added, “You know what? I’m gonna go to Ashford.”

Lamont won 75% of the convention vote Saturday, but Elliott celebrated his 25% as a major upset. It far exceeded the 15% necessary to force a primary, and it will be the first against a governor since Lt. Gov. Robert Killian turned on Gov. Ella T. Grasso in 1978.

Elliott hopes for a convention bounce — enough contributions to qualify him for public financing. He says he has raised $310,000 of the $335,000 necessary to qualify for a  grant of $3.75 million for the primary, enough money to bring his campaign to a broader audience.

“Not there yet,” he said in a fundraising email blast late Monday afternoon. “Until we reach $335,000, there is no television, no mail, and only a fraction of the organizing this race demands. So our entire focus right now is raising that amount as quickly as possible.”

Elliott is optimistic, yet realistic; confident of raising the money, less so about defeating Lamont. He is also hedging his bets — next Tuesday, he will seek the endorsement of Democrats in Hamden for a sixth two-year term in the House of Representatives.

Anthony Fiore, 22, the deputy chief of staff for the College Democrats of Connecticut, declared his candidacy for the seat Friday, potentially forcing Elliott to simultaneously wage primaries for governor and his legislative seat. There is no law barring Elliott’s dual campaign, but campaign finance laws essentially limit him to spend on only one race — the run for governor.

Sean Grace, the Democratic chair in Hamden, said Elliott can win a primary for his House seat without spending money.

“He’s so well-known in Hamden. It’s clear he will win. There’s no risk,” Grace said.

On August 11, if Elliott upsets Lamont, he will vacate the Democratic nomination for the House; if not, Grace said, Elliott will continue running for reelection to the General Assembly.

Elliott, a legislator for 10 years, said his ability to draw Lamont into a rare primary exposes the governor as “a paper tiger.” He jabs at the governor as an inept politician, a rich dilettante whose significant record of progressive legislative accomplishments are products of lawmakers, not Lamont.

Lamont has laid back, seemingly unsure of whether to ignore Elliott or counter punch.

“My inclination is not to attack,” he acknowledged. “I’m sure as hell going to defend myself at some point if this stuff keeps going, you know.”

The time and manner of that defense is yet to be divulged.

On Sunday, as the New Haven Independent reported, Elliott pitched Democrats in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, ripping Lamont for not following the example of Massachusetts, where voters passed a referendum imposing a 4% income tax surcharge on the highest earners.

“If I sound angry, I want you to know that I’m angry,” Elliott said.

Lamont responded Monday with a certain edge when asked about Elliott’s insistence that Lamont deserves no credit for a minimum wage that ranks among the highest in the U.S., a nearly universal mandate on private employers to provide sick time, a paid family and medical leave program, and new protections for warehouse workers.

“I didn’t see any of those things get accomplished until Susan and I got there,” said Lamont, who was elected in 2018 on a ticket with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. “None of them got accomplished. I don’t think I was the roadblock. I think I got it done, you know. He says, ‘I’m gonna get angry.’ Great, I’m gonna get shit done. How’s that?”

He made his comment in an interview outside the Newington Town Hall. 

To the Democrats inside, Lamont portrayed himself as a bulwark against Trump’s promised cuts in Medicaid, the source of health coverage for nearly 1 million people in Connecticut.

“That’s 100,000 people that the Trump cuts would put right out on the street. In most other states, they would say, ‘Tough luck, too bad.’ Blame it on Trump. ‘You’re on your own.’ And that’s not what we do in Connecticut,” Lamont said.

Lamont said Trump’s cuts could cost the state $1 billion. He told the Democrats he would consider ways to recover the some of lost funds from retail employers who do not offer health coverage

“We got a million people on Medicaid. Well over half of them are working for big companies that don’t even bother to provide decent healthcare for their folks,” Lamont said.

Lamont is seeking a third term, and both Elliott and the Republican nominee, state Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich,  say the governor has yet to articulate a vision for another term.

In a WTNH interview Sunday, he was asked for his campaign slogan.

He replied, “We’re just getting started.”

On Monday, Lamont acknowledged that needs work.

“I just want to show we have the energy to keep getting big things done. That’s what I’m trying to say,” Lamont said. He laughed and said, “Maybe I can say it more eloquently.”

A third-term goal is to develop a “Connecticut option” — a health plan that would bring universal, affordable health care to the state. A blue-ribbon commission he initiated will make recommendations in January for how to better fund education, a major driver of property taxes that are among the highest in the U.S.

Both are aspirational concepts, at best. 

Controlling health costs will be central to maintaining the state’s fiscal performance over the past eight years: a string of balanced budgets, full budget reserves and paying down unfunded pension liabilities, he said.

“Just as we’re solving the budget thing, and just as we’re getting pensions under control, it’s healthcare costs that are eating us alive,” Lamont said. “And I’m always struck by the fact that some hospitals charge 50% more than other hospitals.”

His administration is working to establish benchmarks that can help control health spending.

Trump is visiting Connecticut on Wednesday to deliver a commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy. As governor, Lamont was invited. He declined.

“I’m just gonna be sitting there for an hour hearing him lie about the war in Iran, and probably take pot shots at Connecticut,” Lamont said. “I go to the Coast Guard graduations a lot, but this year, I’m gonna take a pass.”

The conventional wisdom at the beginning of the year was that the two leading Republican candidates for governor, former Mayor Erin Stewart of New Britain and Fazio, would be forced to embrace Trump in a primary election, damaging themselves in the general election.

Stewart quit the race last week over allegations of misusing her city credit card for personal purposes. Fazio now is the GOP nominee, and Lamont is the one with a primary.

“I’m getting hit from the left,” Lamont said. “I’ll be getting hit from the right.”

As he spoke outside town hall in Newington, Congressman John B. Larson, another septuagenarian incumbent facing a primary, arrived to seek support from the Democrats gathered inside. Larson’s chief opponent, Luke Bronin, who won the party endorsement a week ago, already was working the room.

“How’s everything going?” Larson asked Lamont.

“It’s good,” Lamont replied. They exchanged pleasantries. Then the governor smiled and added, “We’ll be getting around this summer.”