An embattled Richard Blumenthal was endorsed for U.S. Senate by acclamation Friday night after his only opponent for the Democratic nomination withdrew more than halfway through a roll call vote. In his acceptance speech, Blumenthal cast himself as a fighter, both for Connecticut and for a candidacy roiled by the week’s stunning controversy over his […]

Though rarely seen on the campaign trail, Linda McMahon’s wrestling celebrity family came to the Republican State Convention tonight to support her candidacy. Her husband, World Wrestling Entertainment founder Vince McMahon, entered the Connecticut Convention Center around 7:45 p.m. The McMahons were joined by their daughter, Stephanie McMahon, and her husband, Paul Michael Levesque, known […]

Republicans began their state convention with Congressional nominations Friday, and now face the likelihood of primaries in three of Connecticut’s five House districts. State Sen. Dan Debicella of Shelton was nominated to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Himes in the 4th Congressional District, after easily capturing the Republican convention endorsement in that district. And 3rd District Republican Jerry Labriola […]

State Sen. Sam Caligiuri captured the Republican party’s endorsement Friday for the state’s 5th Congressional district, though an Aug. 10 primary is certain. Caligiui of Waterbury received almost 70 percent of the state Republican delegate votes. When the vote was announced delegates shouted, “No primary” and Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy said he prefers to avoid […]

The University of Connecticut turned to a familiar leader in picking an interim president Friday. Former UConn President Philip E. Austin will return to that office to replace Michael Hogan, who is leaving to become president of the University of Illinois. The university’s Board of Trustees asked Austin to fill in while it conducts a […]

Two directors of Southern Connecticut State University’s private fund-raising arm have resigned in protest over circumstances surrounding the dismissal of Southern President Cheryl Norton, a foundation official has confirmed. In a sharply-worded resignation letter, director Robert S. Frew accused Connecticut State University System Chancellor David G. Carter, who removed Norton, of “micromanaging” the system’s four […]

There’s a joke going around the Connecticut solar industry these days: They ought to start a shuttle service between here and New Jersey. The thing is, no one’s really laughing at it. Some five years after Connecticut established the most generous solar incentive program in the country, spurring the growth of dozens of solar companies […]

Richard Blumenthal insisted Thursday night he was moving on, leaving behind questions about ill-chosen words like, “I wore the uniform in Vietnam.” In case there was any doubt, Blumenthal didn’t break stride as he left a friendly Hartford Democratic town committee, trailed by a reporter. “I’m moving on to the real problems that real people […]

Unlike their Democratic counterparts, Republicans will open their annual state convention this afternoon with a number of pressing questions unresolved. Will the selection of Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton as a running mate be enough to secure a GOP convention win for lieutenant governor/gubernatorial contender Michael Fedele? Will Tom Foley, the frontrunner for the gubernatorial nomination […]

The projected state budget surplus has crept slightly higher to nearly $167 million with less than six weeks left in the fiscal year, Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s office announced this afternoon. The Office of Policy and Management reported in its monthly letter to Comptroller Nancy Wyman that the $18.64 billion budget for 2009-10 now stands […]

Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, whose candidacy for attorney general ended with a stunning court decision Tuesday, issued a statement today that she will not run for another office this year. Bysiewicz had been considering whether to seek nomination to secretary of the state or, possibly, comptroller, the post Nancy Wyman is vacating to […]

Veteran state Rep. Arthur J. O’Neill of Southbury announced this afternoon he would seek the Republican nomination for state attorney general, jumping into the race one day before the opening of this weekend’s Republican State Convention. O’Neill, 58, who co-chaired the bipartisan House Committee appointed in 2004 to consider impeachment charges against then-Gov. John G. […]

1st District: Ann Brickley – http://www.brickleyforcongress.com/ Wethersfield businesswoman Joe Visconti – http://joevisconti2010.org/ Former West Hartford town councilor, general contractor Mark Zydanowicz – http://zforcongress.org/Z/index.php/about-mark West Hartford dairy executive, captain in the Connecticut Army National Guard 2nd District: Matt Daly – http://www.dalyforcongress.com/ Business consultant for Global Risk Services Daria Novak – http://novakforcongress.com/ President of an international cross-cultural, […]

Connecticut is one of 21 states counting on Congress to approve billions in emergency health care aid for next year – and lacking any back-up plan if the funding doesn’t come through, according to a new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures. And a senior policy specialist for the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group […]