Klarides Strategy: Push Levy to Choose Senate Race or RNC Seat. Three-way Primary Adds Risk for Establishment Candidate.
Proof that raising $1 million will earn a Senate candidate attention from her rivals came in an email from a Klarides supporter in the Hartford area. The state party committee member wants Klarides and Lumaj supporters to confront Greenwich Republican Leora Levy with a choice: Senate candidacy or her seat on the RNC, but not both.
The April 12th email, from Brian Werstler to 15 Republican activists in the state’s 8th Senate District, urges recipients to ask Levy to choose.
SD8 Team –
I wanted to flag for you an issue in the US Senate race. Although I know this group is split between Peter and Themis, I think we can be united behind the idea that the party should work together for a common good and not put one person ahead of the will of the body. Given that, I’d ask you and your town committees, when approached by Leora Levy or her team to ask these two questions: As RNC Committeewoman for our state party, will you abide the will of the convention and back the party nominee, if it’s Peter or Themis? If not, and if you insist on running a primary, will you agree to resign your seat as RNC Committeewoman from Connecticut?
I personally find it troubling for the person tasked with bringing federal funds into this state on behalf of its endorsed candidates is potentially planning to run a primary against the party-endorsed candidate. She can do one or the other, either is fine, but she has to choose. The conflict of interest and detriment to our party and chances this fall is too great.
Former House Republican leader Themis Klarides is the front runner to win her party’s endorsement to the nomination to face incumbent Democrat Richard Blumenthal. Klarides, formerly of Derby, faces a primary against Peter Lumaj and Levy. Team Klarides, if the Werstler email is any indication, understands their candidate has a much better chance to claim an August primary win in a head-to-head contest against Lumaj.
A vigorous three-way that includes a generously funded Levy risks an uncertain result. If Klarides and Levy spend their money firing at each other over the airways, some disgusted primary voters may find Lumaj a safe harbor. Levy is the opponent who will have the resources to produce some campaign Kryptonite by airing ads tying Klarides to Eversource and the high cost of electricity in Connecticut.
Party-endorsed candidates, the usual victors in Connecticut primaries, may be at some risk this year. Neither party will have a primary for governor, the office that often boosts turnout in primaries. Low voter participation among aggrieved Republicans could be trouble for establishment candidates.
Republicans meet on May 6th and 7th at the Foxwoods casino. Candidates who decide to petition their way onto the ballot may begin collecting signatures later this month. A candidate for statewide office secures a spot on the primary ballot with the signatures of 2% of registered party members.
Published April 13, 2022.