Gubernatorial candidates face the lightning round in Storrs

MANSFIELD – Connecticut’s six gubernatorial candidates faced their version of the lightning round during this morning’s forum sponsored by the Windham Region Chamber of Commerce. Given only 30 seconds to answer most questions about economy, transportation, the state budget crisis, energy, tourism, health care and other complex topics, Democrats Dan Malloy and Ned Lamont, Republicans […]

To defuse the escalating back-and-forth of negative ads in the Democratic race for governor, Ned Lamont said today he has reconsidered and now intends to debate Dan Malloy next week on WFSB, Channel 3 and WNPR radio. “This has gone south fast,” Lamont said of the tone of the campaign for the Democratic nomination, which […]

Tom Foley and Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele frequently sparred Thursday night, ignoring the underfunded Oz Griebel during a televised debate of the Republican candidates for governor. But Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell took the most punches as Foley blamed her administration for the fiscal crisis. And Fedele worked from the opening bell to distance himself […]

For publicly-financed political candidates facing wealthy self-funders, Friday is a crucial day. State lawmakers are planning to convene then to address the recent federal appellate court ruling barring publicly- funded candidates from being awarded additional money if their opponents’ spending exceeds statutory thresholds. The decision has special significance for the gubernatorial race. Democratic leaders want […]

WASHINGTON-Congress has squashed hopes for a $10 billion rescue fund to save teacher jobs. Emergency Medicaid funding for the states is teetering on a political cliff. And the talk of extending health insurance subsidies for laid-off workers has gone quiet. As Congress inches toward a five-week August recess without passing any of these funding measures, […]

A major state employee union is using last spring’s unsuccessful bid to cancel longevity bonuses for senior, non-union state employees to rally support for its long-running battle to allow managers to bargain collectively. An affiliate of the Connecticut State Employees Association/Service Employees International Union sent out letters last week to about 2,500 non-union managers reminding […]

Republican Linda McMahon’s first advertising attack on Democrat Richard Blumenthal in the U.S. Senate race is a mailer that casts his admitted misstatements about his Vietnam-era service as calculated lies. The mass mailing began arriving Tuesday, as Blumenthal and McMahon skipped a debate and left Republicans Rob Simmons and Peter Schiff to gently confront each […]

Connecticut’s failure to qualify for a coveted federal education grant could delay the effort to reform the state’s public schools but will not end it, officials pledged Tuesday. Educators and lawmakers expressed disappointment when U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan did not include Connecticut among a list of finalists for millions of dollars under Race […]

Connecticut’s transportation network is facing its own perfect storm of aging infrastructure, heavy usage and harsh weather conditions – all compounded by a slumping economy and shrinking government funding, according to a draft report from the state’s Transportation Strategy Board. The position paper outlining transportation needs, the first of four components that will ultimately comprise […]

Richard Blumenthal and Linda McMahon were no-shows, leaving Rob Simmons and Peter Schiff to debate each other and two minor-party candidates tonight. Simmons arguably made news for uttering a simple, declarative sentence: “I am running for the U.S. Senate.” Once the Republican front runner, Simmons suspended his campaign after the GOP convention, only to resume […]

A Superior Court judge Tuesday rejected Michael Jarjura’s effort to block Kevin Lembo from using public financing in their Democratic contest for state comptroller. The terse order by Judge James T. Graham frees Lembo to begin spending the $375,000 awarded to him last week for his Aug. 10 primary with Jarjura, the mayor of Waterbury. […]

Superior Court Judge James T. Graham said he will rule by 5 p.m. today on a request by Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura for an injunction blocking his opponent in the comptroller’s race, Kevin Lembo, from spending $375,000 in public financing. Jarjura said he will not appeal if Graham rejects his request, which was the subject […]

WASHINGTON-Connecticut is out of the running for a coveted federal education grant that state officials had said was vital to implementing the sweeping new school reforms passed in May. Connecticut did not make the list of finalists for the Race to the Top grants, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced today. Eighteen other states–including New York, […]

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Dan Malloy and Ned Lamont will hold telephone town halls tonight, taking calls from voters on an evening when they were invited to debate in New London. Maybe they can call each other. Malloy intends to first hold a press conference outside the Garde Arts Center, where The Day of New London […]

A court challenge by Michael Jarjura will keep Kevin Lembo’s public financing tied up until at least late this afternoon in the race for the Democratic nomination for comptroller. A Hartford Superior Court judge heard testimony until Monday evening on Jarjura’s complaint that Lembo was improperly awarded $375,000 in public financing. Testimony resumed today. “It’s […]