New England Public Radio

Voters Go To The Polls In Connecticut Primary

The polls are now open across Connecticut for the state’s primary election.  There are several contested races on the ballot across the state.

In the Republican governor’s race, Tom Foley is up against Senate Minority Leader John McKinney. Foley is seeking a re-match against Governor Dannel Malloy, who beat Foley in a tight race in 2010. Malloy is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Three candidates are vying for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor. State Representative Penny Bacchiochi,  former US Comptroller David Walker and ex-Groton Mayor Heather Somers are facing off for the right to face current Lieutenant Governor, Democrat Nancy Wyman.

The 2nd District Senate race features a three-way Democratic primary. Incumbent Eric Coleman is trying to fend off Hartford City Council President Shawn Wooden and former Windsor Town Councillor Len Walker. The winner will take on unopposed Republican Theresa Tillett .

The primary winners will move on to the general election, which is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4th.

New England Governors Say They’ll Work Together On Region’s Heroin Issues

Five New England Governors met Tuesday to discuss a regional strategy for fighting the surge in heroin and opioid addiction.

The governors of Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire announced they would share prescription data among their states to identify suspicious prescribing practices and doctor shopping for painkillers.

“Someone in the state of Connecticut who’s shopping might very easily cross the border into the Commonwealth [of Massachusetts] and very easily get a prescription,” Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said.

Each of the five states has seen an explosion in heroin and opioid addiction.

“I had so many Vermonters coming up to me saying , ‘Why is it that I’m losing my son to this addiction? Why is it that I’m losing my daughter, my mom, my dad, my cousin, my niece, my nephew?'” said Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin.

The governors say a shortage of treatment beds is an issue. They’re exploring ways to have people who can’t get into addiction programs in their home state go to a neighboring state if there are beds available.

They plan to meet again in mid July.

Conn. Governor To President: Fix Proposed Tribal Regulations

Gov. Dannel Malloy has written to the president to take issue with proposed changes to the process for granting federal recognition to American Indian tribes.

Malloy says in a letter delivered Monday to President Barack Obama that the proposals as written would unfairly affect the state of Connecticut because of criteria that would appear to benefit three tribes that already have lost bids for recognition.

He said consequences of approval for those tribes would be “devastating” because they have pending claims to vast areas of fully developed land.

The state’s entire Congressional delegation has also expressed opposition to the rules lawmakers say would water down requirements for recognition.

The new rules were proposed in June by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which invited public comment at hearings around the country.

Governors Malloy, Jindal Feud On National TV

Governors have broken into a partisan on-camera feud at the White House after meeting with President Barack Obama.

Leaders of the National Governors Association appeared Monday before the media claiming harmony and wide agreement, but immediately broke into a partisan dispute.

Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal said if Obama were serious about growing the economy he would approve the Keystone XL pipeline project and take other action. But he said instead Obama “seems to be waving the white flag of surrender” on the economy by focusing on a minimum wage increase.

Connecticut Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy responded sharply that the white flag statement was “insane” and the most partisan of their weekend conference.

Colorado Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper called Jindal a “cheap shot artist.”

Connecticut Dems Look To Dump Keno Before It Starts

Top Democratic legislative leaders in Connecticut say they will work to repeal a law authorizing Keno in the state. That’s after they supported last year’s budget that included the gambling initiative.

House Speaker Brendan Sharkey says Keno never had a lot of support, and he says the current budget surplus provides an opportunity.

“No one was particularly enthusiastic about doing Keno, and – of course – a lot of folks are very concerned about it,” Sharkey says. “So now that we are in a kind of a new world, where we have a little more room under the budget given the surplus that we have, I think it’s probably appropriate at this point to repeal it.”

Senate Republican leader and candidate for governor John McKinney says he’s happy to hear Sharkey’s comments.

“It’s a bad bet for the people of the state of Connecticut,” McKinney says of the game. “And so having the speaker talk about eliminating Keno it before it starts is good news.”

Gov. Dannel Malloy said last week it was not his idea to bring keno terminals to the state. He suggested he would sign a bill to repeal the legislation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Malloy To Wait Until Legislature Adjourns Before Announcing Re-Election Plans

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says he doesn’t expect to announce his re-election plans until after the General Assembly adjourns.

The Democrat said Tuesday he didn’t “imagine…being a candidate any time before the session is over.” Malloy added how he’d “like to get through the session as governor as opposed to candidate.”

This year’s legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on May 7. The Connecticut Democrats have scheduled their nominating convention for May 16 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. That’s when the party will endorse candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of the state, treasurer, comptroller and attorney general.

Malloy is widely expected to seek a second term.

Several Republicans have already announced they’re seeking the GOP nomination at the party’s convention on May 16-17.