Community Corner

Fairfield and State Dems Go for Malloy

Wins by Unexpectedly Wide Margin over Lamont to Secure Democratic Nomination for Governor

Former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy has won the Democratic primary for governor of Connecticut, edging out businessman Ned Lamont by an unexpectedly wide margin.

With 59 percent of precincts reporting, Malloy was holding a 58 percent to 42 percent lead over Lamont, who conceded tonight in Bridgeport.

Malloy won the balloting in Fairfield by 1,447 to 992, according to unofficial results.

Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mary Glassman, Lamont's unofficial running mate for lieutenant governor, also conceded to comptroller Nancy Wyman, who will run alongside Malloy in November.

The result caps a race in which Lamont had consistently led the polls since January, only to watch his margin erode in recent weeks. The last Quinnipiac Poll before the election showed Lamont leading Malloy, 45 percent to 42 percent.

Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I called up Dan a few minutes ago, and I congratulated him. I congratulated him on a forceful and disciplined campaign," Lamont told supporters, issuing an impassioned plea for Democrats to unite behind Malloy.

"If I had known it was going to turn out this way, I would have gotten a bigger room," Malloy told a room full of supporters in Hartford over chants of his name.

The victory represents a rebound for Malloy, who narrowly lost the gubernatorial nomination to New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. in 2006.

"We are going to go on from this day forward to Nov. 2 and wage an aggressive campaign on behalf of the people," Malloy said.

In May, Malloy earned the endorsement of the Connecticut Democratic convention over Lamont, but Lamont received sufficient support to force a primary.

Malloy, 55, is a Stamford native and a graduate of Boston College, where he earned both a B.A. and a J.D. After graduating, he worked as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn and, later, at a private law firm in Stamford. Malloy served Stamford's Board of Finance before upsetting incumbent Mayor Stanley Esposito in 1995.


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