Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and the two candidates challenging him for reelection this year faced off at a gubernatorial forum in Bridgeport on Tuesday night.
The forum, hosted by FaithActs for Education in Bridgeport, a Black-led community nonprofit focused on educational equity and civic engagement, focused on educational equity and civic engagement.
Josh Elliott is a state representative from Hamden who is running against Lamont in next month’s Democratic Party primary,
He promised he’d generate more state revenue for services, including educational equity, by increasing the state income tax on the wealthy.
“I am finding similarities, shared stories, and we all see the same problems,” Elliott said. “And we all kind of agree on similar solutions.”
“But we need to retake the political system. The things I’m talking about are like 70% plus approval,” Elliott said.
“I am not the crazy one on the left,” he assured the audience.
“These are things that people want. But we have to make sure that we go out and actually vote so that we get the things that we are talking about,” Elliott added.
“We need to deliver affordability,” said state Senator Ryan Fazio, a state senator from Greenwich and the Republican challenger in the general election.
“We need to bring jobs and investment back to our state. Cut electric bills by 20% for the average family. Cap property taxes, which keep spiraling out of control. So that every family that’s suffering can reach the middle class and every child can grow up in a neighborhood and a household that is safe, that is prosperous and with great schools abound,” Fazio said.
“I am shocked that nobody has mentioned Donald Trump here tonight,” Lamont said, pivoting away from his opponents.
“He is the greatest threat to our democracy. He’s the greatest threat to everything we are trying to do in this country," he said, drawing applause from the audience.
“Try being governor when Donald Trump is president of the United States. He is cutting off our renewable power. He’s cutting off mental health support. He’s cutting off SNAP benefits. And that’s not what America is all about. And that’s not what Connecticut is all about. And if I can do one thing for the next four years, it's stand up to that man and stand up for what makes Connecticut one of the greatest states,” Lamont said.
Connecticut’s Democratic Party primary is on August 11. The general election is on November 3.
