Connecticut Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski assured his party faithful over the weekend that there will be a GOP victory in Connecticut in November. Stefanowski told supporters at a party rally in Southbury that his internal polls are showing a dead even race for governor.
A Quinnipiac University poll released last week had Stefanowski 8 points behind his Democratic rival Ned Lamont. But Stefanowski told the room full of GOP supporters at Pomperaug High School in Southbury that his polls tell a different story.
“The polls are dead even, dead even. And this is in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 15 percent.”
Unlike his Democratic rival, Stefanowski has not held many public campaign events. But he told his supporters that Democrats and unaffiliated voters are reaching out to say they’ll vote for him.
“And they are tired of 40 years of Democratic rule in the state, they are tired of eight years of Dan Malloy and they want change. That’s why they are coming our way this time.”
Stefanowski acknowledged he’s not the most passionate campaigner. However, he assured his supporters that he has a winning message – cutting taxes, getting rid of government, fraud, waste and abuse, stimulating the economy and fixing the $4 billion budget deficit.
“For the next 23 days I need you guys to talk to the base. I need you to talk to unaffiliates. I need you to put up yard signs. I need you to hand out bumper stickers. I need you to make calls. This is the most critical election, I would argue in the history of Connecticut.”
That’s a point that was emphasized by GOP lieutenant governor candidate Joe Markley, who represents Southbury in the state Senate.
“We are the only people to have the power to save the state of Connecticut. We have the principles to guide us. And we have the obligation to win this election.”
Speaking after the rally to WSHU, Stefanowski said he’s not worried that his campaign is being outspent by Lamont, who put $8.2 million of his own money into his campaign after winning his party primary in August.
“We’ve raised $2 million since the primary. The Republican Governors Association has been very active in our state so we are going to be able to compete. We’ve competed all along. We don’t have any worries about that.”
Stefanowski and Lamont are self-financing their campaigns. Lamont has put more than $12 million into his campaign, while Stefanowski has contributed about $3 million to his campaign and raised another $2 million from others.
The Democrats also held a rally on Saturday. It took place in New Haven and featured several of their candidates for statewide office, including gubernatorial candidate Lamont and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, who’s seeking a second term.
