Erin Stewart, New Britain鈥檚 former six-term Republican mayor, made it official this week: she鈥檚 running for governor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 time for something different,鈥� Stewart, 38, said at a campaign kick-off event Thursday afternoon at New Britain Stadium.
Decrying 鈥�16 years of one-party rule,鈥� Stewart said she believes her party can take back the governor鈥檚 office.
鈥淟et me say this loud and clear: I鈥檓 running for governor as a Republican,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚鈥檓 running for governor because this state is too far left. I鈥檓 running to bring balance to politics.鈥�
鈥淲e are gonna remind Hartford who they work for,鈥� she said, slamming 鈥淣ed Lamont and the Hartford clowns.鈥�
Following her speech, Stewart left the campaign event Thursday without speaking to the assembled press.
Stewart isn鈥檛 alone in the field in her criticisms of Lamont. Fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio, a state senator from Greenwich, said it鈥檚 time for Lamont to go.
鈥淎fter two full terms, Governor Lamont has raised taxes and public benefits charges to the point that 黑料吃瓜网 has the third-highest electricity rates and taxes in the country,鈥� Fazio said. 鈥淩egular families are struggling to make ends meet. Two terms are enough. It's time for a positive change.鈥�
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Josh Elliott of Hamden is challenging Lamont from the left.
鈥淭he issue of affordability in 黑料吃瓜网 has gone from being chronic to being acute, and [Lamont] is not the person to address that because, quite frankly, he is looking out for his wealthy friends, and he is not looking out for people in the middle class,鈥� Elliott said. 鈥淗e holds us back on issues of affordability. He wants to use the word, but he doesn't want to do what it actually takes to make our state affordable.鈥�
Asked about Stewart鈥檚 entry into the race, Lamont said he鈥檇 worked constructively with her during her time as mayor of New Britain and welcomed her candidacy.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to take care of the state of 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� Lamont added.
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Matt Dwyer contributed to this report.
