SECRETARY OF THE STATE RACE GARNERING MOST ATTENTION |
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| 07-23-05 |
Secretary of the State race garnering most attentionBy SUSAN HAIGH Associated Press Writer July 23, 2005, 12:38 PM EDT HARTFORD, Conn. -- For state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, it's old hat to appear at an election forum with five other candidates. The West Hartford lawmaker faced five Democratic opponents in 1994 when he ran for the House of Representatives. Now he's up against five more Democrats _ all vying for the party's nomination for Secretary of the State. "For me, it's a familiar feeling," joked Fleischmann. The election is a more than 15 months away. But the Secretary of the State race has attracted more candidates than any other constitutional office, including governor. Susan Bysiewicz, the current Secretary of the State, has announced plans to run for governor. Thus far, she is the only constitutional officer that is not running again for her old position. "That's definitely a big deal that Susan is not running," said Norma Rodriguez-Reyes, a New Haven newspaper publisher and one of the six candidates. "There's less friction when you're not vying for someone else's seat. You're more acceptable." Besides Fleischmann and Rodriguez-Reyes, Rep. Evelyn Mantilla of Hartford, former Rep. Robert Landino of Chester, New Haven businessman John Nussbaum and Litchfield Selectwoman Audrey Blondin want the job. No Republican candidate has announced plans to run. The candidates, who appear cordial with one another, have already been busy visiting Democratic town committees across the state, appearing at candidate forums and giving their pitches. They have also been putting up Web sites and raising campaign cash. Landino, the first to announce his intentions to run, leads the pack in fund-raising, amassing about $232,000. Some of the candidates say they've heard rumors that two or three more people may still join the fray, but don't appear worried about it. "Nothing would surprise me," said Blondin, who has been active behind-the-scenes in statewide politics for years. "I anticipate a few rounds of balloting, at a minimum," she said, referring to the party's nominating convention. There has also been speculation among the candidates that Bysiewicz might decide to drop her bid for governor and run for re-election as Secretary of the State. But Bysiewicz, who now trails New Haven Mayor John DeStefano in fund-raising, denies that rumor. "I'm very committed to running for governor. I see the governorship as an opportunity to take some of the initiatives we have begun in the Secretary of the State's Office to the next level," said Bysiewicz, who is taking credit for the abundance of candidates vying for her job. She believes they're interested in the job because of the work her office has done since 1998, making it more high-profile. While the six Democratic candidates give a respectful nod to Bysiewicz for her efforts over the years, they are also quick to tout their own ideas for improving the office that oversees everything from elections to business registrations. "Our Secretary of the State is the chief elections official of Connecticut and therefore the person who has the most to say about voter registration, voter participation and campaign finance reform," Fleischmann said. "For me, it was a natural outgrowth of all of the work I've been doing in the legislature." Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc. |
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