For the 2017 gubernatorial election, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart is the early favorite among her fellow Connecticut Republicans, according to a poll issued by her exploratory committee in late August.
Stewart is feeling upbeat as a result of the poll results and what she is hearing from voters.
They want to see someone who, in their opinion, embodies Connecticut’s working class and who is aware of the difficulties faced by families trying to make ends meet,” Stewart stated.
Stewart intends to make an announcement regarding her intention to run for governor around Thanksgiving. She is one of numerous Republicans in Connecticut who are either thinking about running for office or have already declared their intention to do so; the most recent of these is Greenwich State Senator Ryan Fazio.
In 2018, Stewart entered the gubernatorial race. Due to her inability to generate sufficient finances and enthusiasm in an already crowded primary field, she lost early on.
This past February, she declared that she was interested in running. Stewart stated that she doesn’t feel compelled to make decisions immediately, in contrast to Fazio, who made the decision to run right away.
Stewart stated, “I’m not letting anybody divert me from my plan or divert me from my course of action regarding where and when I believe we should be.” As I believe we have learned from past campaigns, it will be best for us to proceed cautiously, deliberately, and strategically.
Stewart claimed to have raised about $300,000 thus far. She has to raise $350,000 in order to be eligible for funding from the state’s Citizen’s Election Program.
According to Ben Proto, the chairman of the Connecticut GOP party, more Republicans are thinking about running for governor.
Along with other contenders like Fazio, Proto praised Stewart, who described herself as an outsider in the state party. According to Proto, the state’s high cost of living is a major motivator for many people.
In a video announcing his intention to concentrate on tax reduction, Fazio attacked utility costs.
Candidates like Stewart, however, find cause for optimism, while other voters, like Indivisible Greenwich co-founder Nerlyn Pierson, express concern about the potential repercussions of choosing a Republican for governor.
The government of President Donald Trump is opposed by Pierson’s group, which claims that its messaging is still very unpopular in Connecticut.
Pierson accused Connecticut Republicans of ignoring the effects of the national economy on the state’s economy while posing as moderates concerned with issues of cost of living.
According to Pierson, it will be difficult for Republicans running, at least, to make those claims given how negatively Trump’s policies are affecting that. Trump’s economy is in a state of collapse. Prices are rising, and I believe they will keep rising.
Compared to his previous term, Stewart has been more outspoken in her support for Trump and has criticized some Democrats on social media, including Justin Elicker, the mayor of New Haven. Stewart did not believe that voters would become disenchanted.
Perhaps it’s ingrained in my DNA from my upbringing and place of origin, but I also believe that’s the finest way to be, Stewart added. I will remain the brutally honest person I have always been.
According to Proto, the state would gain from having a representative who supports national Republican views on affordability and taxation, such as Stewart or Fazio. Voters will soon witness the benefits of Republican programs as they come into effect, according to Proto.
“Hey, this is pretty good,” they will comment after taking a look. This is something we like. This is what we want more of. Hartford needs additional residents. More people are needed in Washington. “I think that’s going to be really helpful for Republicans, and we’re going to help make this happen,” Proto stated.
Voters in Connecticut are split on whether Lamont should run again, according to a University of New Hampshire survey. The state hasn’t had a Republican governor since 2011.
