Opinion: Republicans fight, to Malloy’s delight

Susan Bigelow is an award-winning columnist and the founder of CTLocalPolitics. She lives in Enfield with her wife and their cats.

You’re excused if you have no idea what’s going on in the busy Republican race for lieutenant governor. You’re also excused if you’re wondering why there’s so much action in an essentially meaningless race.

Rep. Penny Bacchiochi, R-Stafford, handily won the endorsement of partied-out GOP convention delegates, despite a weird flap in which Bacchiochi accused an opponent, former U.S. Comptroller David Walker, of making racial insults about her husband. Bacchiochi apologized, and won. Former Groton mayor Heather Somers, the running mate of Mark Boughton, bailed out of the Danbury mayor’s sinking campaign to strike out on her own — taking her cash with her. She was quickly replaced by Shelton mayor Mark Lauretti, who had left the governor’s race after not picking up a lot of delegates at the convention. As for Walker, he got enough votes to primary, and likely will.

Now Boughton and Lauretti are paying workers $2 per signature collected to get Lauretti onto the primary ballot. In the primary, governor and lieutenant governor are voted on separately, which means the winners get paired up. If the results of the convention are any guide, we’ll see Foley/Bacchiochi signs dotting lawns in October. Boughton and Lauretti can combine their respective fundraising pots to qualify for $1.4 million in public financing, but Lauretti has to actually be on the ballot first.

See the complete story at CT News Junkie.