Will Gov Lamont run again? Here's what he said

Yahoo

2 days ago

Gov. Ned Lamont declined to give an answer Thursday on the question of whether he will run for a third term as governor — a difficult feat that has only been accomplished by one other politician in the past 200 years.
He discussed the question Thursday in his office, just 12 hours after the legislative session concluded.
'I'm thinking about it seriously. I love the job. I think Susan and I are a pretty good team,' Lamont said.
'That's not a yes or a no though,' he said. 'That's a I'm thinking about it seriously. I'm thinking about it with Susan. I'm thinking about it with Annie Lamont.'
There's no timeframe for making or announcing a decision, the governor said.
'I'm a lot more inclined and interested in keeping going, keep this positive momentum going than I was six months ago,' he said, noting that he'd put the issue on hold during the 'tricky' budget season.
Alluding to a potential recession caused by President Donald Trump's economic policies, Lamont said now may be the time for an experienced leader who had navigated the COVID pandemic, knows how to handle the unconventional and unpredictable president.
'I worked with him for the first two years. I know some of the players down there. That makes a big difference …. You've got to navigate through incredible uncertainties since every week there's another change incoming. … It just makes me think this may be a good place for me to be,' he said.
'I'm working with the White House on things like energy… but if you want to come to one of my schools and try to take a Dreamer out of that classroom, I'll be standing there at the door. I don't need to go out and pick a fight but I think people know where I stand.'
Even giants of Connecticut politics including Abe Ribicoff, Ella Grasso and Lowell P. Weicker, did not serve for a third term.
The only person to win three four-year terms was Republican John G. Rowland, who resigned during his third term amid a corruption scandal.
Some insiders had predicted that Lamont would run again, while others said they simply did not know.
For Lamont, it was a highly personal decision. Many politicians make the decision simply based on whether they believe they can win or not.
In Lamont's case, he is currently 71 years old and would be 73 at the start of his third term in January 2027. He would then be 77 years old at the end of the four-year term. Another factor is whether his wife, Annie, would retire. She has declined to retire and is still working at 68 as a highly successful venture capitalist who specializes in the health care industry.
Lamont planned a press conference for Thursday morning in his Capitol office, but he declined to say Wednesday night whether he would answer the biggest question in Connecticut politics by announcing whether he will run.
When asked by The Courant if he would be talking Thursday about his future plans, Lamont said, 'I think I am, yeah.'
Asked if he would reveal his decision Wednesday night, he responded, 'No. Then you won't show up tomorrow. I'm just going to go over the budget, what it means, and where it takes us. … Hey, thanks, guys.'
The question of whether Lamont would run again in November 2026 has been hanging over the Connecticut political world for at least a year.
If Lamont were not on the ballot, a crowded field of possible candidates could jump into the race, including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz of Middletown, state Attorney General William Tong of Stamford, Comptroller Sean Scanlon of Guilford, and former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin, among others.
Depending on who decides to run, their positions would immediately open up, meaning there could be primaries for sought-after positions like attorney general and comptroller.
On the Republican side, longtime candidate Matthew Corey has already announced he is running for lieutenant governor. Corey has run unsuccessfully two times against U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Hartford in 2018 and 2024, and he lost three times against U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
Lamont said he believes that the 2025 session was successful, with a two-year budget that he said will promote opportunity and affordability.
'Look what we did on child care. Look what we did on special ed,' Lamont told Capitol reporters. He touted the passage of his plan to fund universal pre-kindergarten for families making up to $100,000 a year and his plan to constrain special education costs that have stressed municipal budgets for years.
He also applauded the passage of a housing policy bill that encourages towns to create affordable housing to address the state's housing crisis. Target numbers of units each town should have, such as a fair share percentage, were unhelpful, he said.
'You gotta lighten up on the regulations.'
Concerning the session, Lamont said, 'I think it was pretty good. We're on time. We've got a balanced budget. … We're making some strategic investments. We're not raising taxes – at least on individuals. I don't think we broke the spending cap. We'll be paying down over a billion dollars in pension debt yet again. That didn't happen before I got here.'
Christopher Keating can be reached at [e-mail]