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Public financing of political campaigns has become an expensive supplement to fundraising from lobbyists and their clients. The explosion of legislators maintaining ongoing political committees comes into full view today and tomorrow as public officials seek to tap a gusher of lobbyist contributions before the Wednesday ban begins with the opening of the legislative session.

The ongoing legislative political committees had been limited to three in each of the four caucuses. While public financing costs continue to grow–though the amount one needs to raise to qualify remains the same–the number of Democrats maintaining ongoing political committees financed by fundraising events fueled by lobbyist contributions has exploded.

It’s an issue that requires further examination.

Former gang member and Joe Lieberman loyalist Eddie Perez will attempt to seize the crown he was charged corrupting his office. The former mayor and shakedown artist is expected to challenge first term mayor Luke Bronin.

Perez will seek to become mayor of the city he is suing for hundreds of thousands in defense fees, though he was convicted of public corruption.

Perez and Bronin are said to have had a tense encounter about the challenge today.

Bronin won a narrow primary victory over incumbent Democrat Pedro Segarra in their 2015 face-off. Bronin struggled in this year’s Democratic nomination contest for governor. The Greenwich native abandoned his bid before the state convention.

The permanent financial wrecking ball that is Ben Barnes refuses to go away. The departing Malloy budget director and tax increase whisperer is headed to the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system as its chief financial officer.

State Senator George Logan, the Republican in the 17th District has taken the lead as ballots continue to be counted in his close race for a second term. Logan had been declared the loser but on Thursday an error in reporting the count was found that put him in the lead.

Updates as they occur.

Self-funder Bob Stefanowski’s cupboard may be bare. The Republican nominee for governor’s wife Amy sent an email to prospective contributors announcing that if the campaign does not raise $10,000 pronto–by Monday night–its current ad will have to come off the air.

This is what doubters during the primary campaign dreaded. Stefanowski would spend a couple of million to win the party nomination but not have the far greater personal resources to underwrite the fall campaign against wealthy Greenwich Democrat Ned Lamont. Their fears appear to be coming true a month after the August 14th primary.

Stefanowski needs to be commanding the airwaves but cannot compete with Lamont’s fortune. The Madison Republican has no natural fundraising base in the party–he was a Democrat as recently as 2017–and won the nomination by highlighting his disdain of party regulars, the people who often raise campaign contributions.

There’s always the pawn shop. Stefanowski has plenty of experience with those.

Republican Bob Stefanowski has won the Independent Party nomination today with 43 votes. Oz Griebel won 14 votes, Mark Lauretti garnered a forlorn 5 votes.

Lauretti endorsed Stefanowski in the Republican primary competition after failing to collect the signatures necessary to win a place on the August 14th ballot. The Shelton mayor decided to make one more bid for higher office with the Independent Party as his vessel.

Ructions readers, please join me tonight on WFSB.com at 8:30 pm for the start of primary night coverage. Switch to WFSB on the air at 10 pm for a comprehensive primary night special.

State Representative Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) opposes fracking for energy until it fills his privileged pockets. That’s the primary campaign tale 9th Senate District endorsed candidate state Representative Tony Guerrera (D-Rocky Hill) wants voters to remember as the head to the polls Tuesday. Lesser has opposed fracking in Connecticut but is happy to invest in companies that do profit from the controversial method of extracting oil and gas from the ground, according to Guerrera.

Guerrera is the endorsed candidate in the contest to fill the seat of incumbent state Senator Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield), who is running for attorney general.

‘The district includes Cromwell, Newington, Rocky Hill and parts of Wethersfield and Middletown.

Susan Bysiewicz, a candidate for lieutenant governor in August 14th’s Democratic primary, suffered another embarrassment in her hometown of Middletown Thursday night. The former secretary of the state and frequent candidate had connived to at last win her local Democratic town committee endorsement over persistent opposition.

The local activists have resisted supporting Bysiewicz. Many favor challenger Eva Bermudez Zimmerman. When it appeared an agreement to have the Middletown DTC make no endorsement in the LG contest was going to be breached by Bysiewicz supporters, Zimmerman’s people left the meeting so there would be no quorum and an endorsement could not proceed.

The incident is a reminder that Bysiewicz often misreads political situations.

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart’s campaign for lieutenant governor is in trouble. The Republican raised a paltry $44,355.00 as of June 30th, according to her July 10th campaign finance report. Stewart needs to reach $75,000.00 in qualifying contributions in a hurry. The last day to submit an application is July 20th.

Stewart started the year launching an ill-advised bid for governor. She abandoned that campaign on the eve of the May Republican nominating convention to run for the second spot on the ticket. Since then, the third term mayor has been engaged in a long fade. Her campaign is said to be disorganized and hindered by bad advice from her inner circle.

Darien Republican Jayme Stevenson, another challenger for lieutenant governor looks like she will qualify for public financing. Her July 10th report reveals the local leader had raised $68,485 in qualifying contributions as of June 30th.

Endorsed Republican LG candidate state Senator Joseph Markley (R-Southington) qualified for taxpayer financing of his campaign in the spring. Markley abandoned his conservatism to partake in the state’s generous public financing scheme. Markley began weeks ago identifying primary supporters with automated calls.