AP: Fresh off primary win, DeStefano turns attention to Rell

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AP: Fresh off primary win, DeStefano turns attention to Rell

The Associated Press August 09, 2006

New Haven - New Haven Mayor John DeStefano quickly turned his attention to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell after defeating Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy Tuesday in the Democratic primary for governor.

DeStefano, riding the support of organized labor and national minority leaders, beat Malloy, despite indications that the race was tightening in recent days. A poll released Monday showed DeStefano with a seven-point lead, the closest the race had been for months.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, DeStefano had 51 percent, or 133,049 votes, to Malloy's 49 percent, or 128,957 votes.

"I'm just so excited. We won the election," DeStefano told The Associated Press.

Malloy stopped short at conceding, but told supporters that it appeared DeStefano won.

"If he has done that, then I certainly want to congratulate John DeStefano," Malloy said.

After giving a speech, Malloy hugged supporters and told one, "I'm sorry I disappointed you."

DeStefano, who now faces Rell in the general election in November, wasted no time tying Rell to former Gov. John G. Rowland, who resigned amid a corruption scandal in 2004 and later served 10 months in a federal prison. He said Connecticut ranks at the bottom for job growth.

"Connecticut deserves better than what it had under 12 years of John Rowland and Jodi Rell," DeStefano said.

In an odd twist to the campaign, voters chose Malloy's running mate, Mary Glassman, for lieutenant governor over DeStefano's partner, Scott Slifka. Glassman had 57 percent, or 119,726 votes, to Slifka's 43 percent, or 90,536 votes, with 98 percent of precincts reporting.

The results were not close enough to trigger an automatic recount, said Dan Tapper, spokesman for the Secretary of State's office.

Both mayors touted their records in reviving the cities they have led since the mid-1990s. Both also outlined plans for universal health care and promised to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Rell issued a statement congratulating DeStefano.

"I look forward to a spirited campaign based on the issues," she said.

Responding to DeStefano's comments, Rell campaign spokesman Rich Harris repeated that the governor was hoping the campaign would focus on the issues.

"It's certainly the kind of campaign that voters would like to see," Harris said.

DeStefano, who entered the room to thunderous applause and the U-2 song, "It's a Beautiful Day," also vowed to reform the property tax, saying it was "crushing our working families."

DeStefano campaign workers and supporters watched the returns on television Tuesday night at a New Haven club while waiting for their candidate to appear. Some in the crowd were members of labor unions, where DeStefano has a large base of support.

"He's been a supporter of the unions for years. We want somebody to pay attention to the folks working hard in the city and around the state," said union member Shirley Lawrence.

At Malloy headquarters in the Hartford Hilton, several hundred partisans crowded into a ballroom, cheering occasionally when their candidate started out with an early lead. The cheers continued but were sporadic when DeStefano pulled ahead.

Malloy supporter Martha Bugella, 78, of Wethersfield, brought along her trusted stuffed toy - a Democratic donkey, festooned with campaign buttons from Bill and Hillary Clinton, Michael Dukakis and John Kerry.

"I'm looking for changes," Bugella said. "Our economy in Connecticut is bad. They're laying them off right and left."

Mike Pohl, an officer of the Manchester Democratic Party and Malloy backer, said Democrats will unite behind the winner on Wednesday.

The election drew a record turnout for a statewide primary. The secretary of the state's office said, with a few precincts left to count, turnout would be at least 43 percent. It surpassed the previous mark of 39 percent set in the 1970 U.S. Senate Democratic primary that featured three candidates.

With much of the attention drawn to the U.S. Senate primary between incumbent Joe Lieberman and challenger Ned Lamont, DeStefano and Malloy's campaigns scrambled for attention as the primary approached.

"Honestly, I think either one of these guys is going to lose to Jodi Rell so when it comes to voting, I'm actually going to vote for the Green (Party)," said Reiner Beckmann of Norwich, who voted for DeStefano. "Either one of those guys is going to lose to Rell, the writing is on the wall."