Ned Lamont Thinks He’d Be A Good Governor

The very crowded field of Democratic challengers to M. Jodi Rell’s invisible re-election campaign just got one more candidate. Shortly after the ink dried on the municipal elections dried, Ned Lamon announced his candidacy. New Haven Independent’s Paul Bass broke the story, which is a story within a story of how political news is belonging to the realm of the digital media. Bass had this to say:

Lamont plans to strike his nascent campaign themes at an annual address he delivers Thursday at Central Connecticut State University, where he teaches. He plans to talk not about controversial top Rell aide Lisa Moody, but about a new report about state finances from Moody’s Investor Services.

The strategy, and the issues focus, promise to differ markedly from Lamont’s Senate campaign in 2006. (He’s pictured at the top of this story at a debate during that race.)

That year, Lamont ran as the “true” Democrat against conservative Democratic incumbent Joe Lieberman. Lamont was championed by anti-Iraq war, pro-public financing and pro-universal health care Democrats who have a disproportionate influence in primaries. And he indeed won the primary. (He lost the general election to Lieberman, who ran as a Republican White House-backed “independent.”)

This time, in the 2010 governor’s race, Lamont joins five other Democrats already “exploring” or actively mounting races. (Read about them here and here.) They include Secretary of The State Susan Bysiewicz and Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, who have strong party bonafides and ties to liberal constituencies (especially Bysiewicz). Because of Lamont’s personal wealth, he didn’t need to announce as early as the others in order to raise money. But his move Wednesday doesn’t come as a surprise: He’s been laying the groundwork for a run for months.

Malloy issued a statement within an hour of Lamont’s decision becoming public Wednesday.

“As I travel around the state exploring a run for governor, I’m getting an overwhelmingly positive response to the vision I offer and the track record I have to back it up,” Malloy said in a release. “I’ve done what Gov. Rell has failed to do: I’ve created jobs, provided more health care, made my communities and neighborhoods safer, and helped lead the way on important issues like green technology and transportation. I’ve known Ned for many years and consider him a friend. I welcome him into the discussion about Connecticut’s future.”

State GOP Chairman Chris Healy said Wednesday that he’s not worried about a Lamont candidacy. “I’m not sold on him as a viable candidate,” Healy said. He said Lamont still has to demonstrate he knows what’s going on in this state.

The impact of all this will be on the bread and butter elections of state reps and state senators. Whatever hopes that the Republicans gain traction in the Hartford legislature will not only be a sideshow to the circus that the Democratic primary for Governor will hold, along with whatever challenge to Dodd that arises from Democrats, with the Republican primary to unseat Dodd. If the election fatigue wrought by last year’s presidential is any indicator, by the time the general election rolls around, Connecticut may be electioned out. Both the national Dems and GOP will be looking once again at Connecticut for Governor/Senator action that they can use to rally something. Already, State Dems are pointing out former Congresscriter Rob Simmons leaning towards teaparty wings of the Republicans.