BYSIEWICZ PLANS TO DROP OUT OF GOVERNOR'S RACE
Secretary of State seeking re-election
POSTED: 2:19 pm EDT September 8, 2005
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz has told others seeking her job that she will drop out of the race for governor and instead run for re-election.
Bysiewicz, 43, intends to announce Friday that she will withdraw from the three-way race for the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, according to three of the six people who had been vying to replace her.
A campaign adviser with direct knowledge of the decision, speaking on the condition of anonymity, also confirmed Bysiewicz's intentions Thursday.
"We're not making any announcement today," Bysiewicz said Thursday. "I will have a statement on Friday."
Rep. Evelyn Mantilla, D-Hartford, and Litchfield Democrat Audrey Blondin told the Associated Press that Bysiewicz informed them of her plans Wednesday. Former Rep. Robert Landino of Chester told the Hartford Courant that he had a similar conversation with Bysiewicz.
"She said that she had done a lot of thinking herself about where her race was going and where she wanted to be and that this just seemed like the better option right now," Blondin said.
If she does leave the governor's race, the Democratic field would shrink to two: New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy. Malloy said he spoke to Bysiewicz Thursday.
"She confirmed that changes were under way in her campaign and she'd make a public announcement of that shortly," Malloy said.
DeStefano said Thursday he had not spoken to Bysiewicz. He said her decision to leave the race would unite the Democratic Party sooner. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has not announced his campaign plans, but few Democratic leaders expect him to run for governor.
Bysiewicz, 43, was first elected secretary of the state in 1998 and is the youngest statewide office holder in Connecticut. She formerly represented Middletown in the state House of Representatives. She officially announced her campaign for governor in October 2004, and she had raised $1.7 million for the race as of July 1. DeStefano reported $2.2 million in funds and Malloy $1.2 million.
On the Republican side, Gov. M. Jodi Rell has not announced her plans, but many expect her to run.
Bysiewicz' decision also throws the secretary of the state's race into question. Landino and state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford, who had not spoken with Bysiewicz, both said they will drop out and throw their support behind the incumbent.
"Our top goal has to be winning back the governorship, and I think that to do that it makes sense for me and others to support Susan in her pursuit of the secretary of the state's office," Fleischmann said.
Mantilla, Blondin and another candidate, New Haven newspaper publisher Norma Rodriguez-Reyes, said they have not yet decided whether to abandon their bids. Blondin said she is somewhat reluctant to drop out after she campaigned for more than a year, raised more than $100,000 and visited 80 town committees.
"This isn't something I went into lightly, so it's not something I'm going to give up lightly," Blondin said, adding that she had repeatedly asked Bysiewicz about her plans before entering the race. "In all my conversations with her, this was going to be an open seat, so now that it's not, we have to re-evaluate where we're all going with this."
A message seeking comment was left with the sixth candidate, New Haven businessman John Nussbaum.
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"She said that she had done a lot of thinking herself about where her race was going and where she wanted to be and that this just seemed like the better option right now," Blondin said.
If she does leave the governor's race, the Democratic field would shrink to two: New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy. Malloy said he spoke to Bysiewicz Thursday.
"She confirmed that changes were under way in her campaign and she'd make a public announcement of that shortly," Malloy said.
DeStefano said Thursday he had not spoken to Bysiewicz. He said her decision to leave the race would unite the Democratic Party sooner. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has not announced his campaign plans, but few Democratic leaders expect him to run for governor.
Bysiewicz, 43, was first elected secretary of the state in 1998 and is the youngest statewide office holder in Connecticut. She formerly represented Middletown in the state House of Representatives. She officially announced her campaign for governor in October 2004, and she had raised $1.7 million for the race as of July 1. DeStefano reported $2.2 million in funds and Malloy $1.2 million.
On the Republican side, Gov. M. Jodi Rell has not announced her plans, but many expect her to run.
Bysiewicz' decision also throws the secretary of the state's race into question. Landino and state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford, who had not spoken with Bysiewicz, both said they will drop out and throw their support behind the incumbent.
"Our top goal has to be winning back the governorship, and I think that to do that it makes sense for me and others to support Susan in her pursuit of the secretary of the state's office," Fleischmann said.
Mantilla, Blondin and another candidate, New Haven newspaper publisher Norma Rodriguez-Reyes, said they have not yet decided whether to abandon their bids. Blondin said she is somewhat reluctant to drop out after she campaigned for more than a year, raised more than $100,000 and visited 80 town committees.
"This isn't something I went into lightly, so it's not something I'm going to give up lightly," Blondin said, adding that she had repeatedly asked Bysiewicz about her plans before entering the race. "In all my conversations with her, this was going to be an open seat, so now that it's not, we have to re-evaluate where we're all going with this."
A message seeking comment was left with the sixth candidate, New Haven businessman John Nussbaum.©The Hartford Courant 2005