Connecticut: Dick Blumenthal Will Not Run

[Frodo]

Connecticut AG rules out run for governor

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut's attorney general announced Tuesday that he will not seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2006.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had been considered a leading contender for the nomination. He issued a statement Tuesday saying he plans to run instead for re-election to an unprecedented fifth term as attorney general.

"I love this job," Blumenthal said. "It affords endless challenges and opportunities to help people.

Blumenthal's decision leaves New Haven Mayor John Destefano and Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy as the only announced Democrats in the race.

source

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I predicted such long ago.

[Q]

This is the fourth time he was rumored to be considering a run for Gov and then backed out.

If I had the inclination to register to vote in CT (which I don't), I'd vote for Rell over any of the Dem jokes running now (and even over Blumenthal, since he pandered to a fake union here to raise his own political capital and thus completely lost my respect, but then again so did a lot of the CT Dems.  I guess I don't like the CT Dems too much).

[Cubby]

This is the fourth time he was rumored to be considering a run for Gov and then backed out.

If I had the inclination to register to vote in CT (which I don't), I'd vote for Rell over any of the Dem jokes running now (and even over Blumenthal, since he pandered to a fake union here to raise his own political capital and thus completely lost my respect, but then again so did a lot of the CT Dems.  I guess I don't like the CT Dems too much).

We've been waiting for Blumenthal for years, I'm pissed off at him too, especially for not running in 2002 since he would've beaten Rowland and then we wouldn't be stuck with Rell now. I liked Rowland, he shouldn't have resigned.

The rumor in Connecticut is that Blumenthal has skeletons in his closet. I agree that the 2 Dem candidates mentioned in the article are poor choices.

[dazzleman]

This is the fourth time he was rumored to be considering a run for Gov and then backed out.

If I had the inclination to register to vote in CT (which I don't), I'd vote for Rell over any of the Dem jokes running now (and even over Blumenthal, since he pandered to a fake union here to raise his own political capital and thus completely lost my respect, but then again so did a lot of the CT Dems.  I guess I don't like the CT Dems too much).

We've been waiting for Blumenthal for years, I'm pissed off at him too, especially for not running in 2002 since he would've beaten Rowland and then we wouldn't be stuck with Rell now. I liked Rowland, he shouldn't have resigned.

The rumor in Connecticut is that Blumenthal has skeletons in his closet. I agree that the 2 Dem candidates mentioned in the article are poor choices.

What kind of skeletons? 

I assumed he wasn't running because he doesn't think he can beat Rell.  The poor guy has been waiting for about 12 years to run in either an open election or against a weak incumbent, and circumstances keep working out against him.  Had Rowland stayed in office, 2006 would probably have been his year, assuming he doesn't have really bad skeletons in his closet.

He's an inveterate self-promoter and it's hard to imagine him being happy in the same job for as long as he's held the attorney general position.

[Cubby]

This is the fourth time he was rumored to be considering a run for Gov and then backed out.

If I had the inclination to register to vote in CT (which I don't), I'd vote for Rell over any of the Dem jokes running now (and even over Blumenthal, since he pandered to a fake union here to raise his own political capital and thus completely lost my respect, but then again so did a lot of the CT Dems.  I guess I don't like the CT Dems too much).

We've been waiting for Blumenthal for years, I'm pissed off at him too, especially for not running in 2002 since he would've beaten Rowland and then we wouldn't be stuck with Rell now. I liked Rowland, he shouldn't have resigned.

The rumor in Connecticut is that Blumenthal has skeletons in his closet. I agree that the 2 Dem candidates mentioned in the article are poor choices.

What kind of skeletons? 

I assumed he wasn't running because he doesn't think he can beat Rell.  The poor guy has been waiting for about 12 years to run in either an open election or against a weak incumbent, and circumstances keep working out against him.  Had Rowland stayed in office, 2006 would probably have been his year, assuming he doesn't have really bad skeletons in his closet.

He's an inveterate self-promoter and it's hard to imagine him being happy in the same job for as long as he's held the attorney general position.

I don't know anything specific, just that he must have a reason for not running other than the strength of the opposition. Rowland was already weakened by 2002, and I believe Blumenthal would have beat him, since as Attorney General he wouldn't be seen as "soft"- an important consideration that year.

[dazzleman]

I don't know anything specific, just that he must have a reason for not running other than the strength of the opposition. Rowland was already weakened by 2002, and I believe Blumenthal would have beat him, since as Attorney General he wouldn't be seen as "soft"- an important consideration that year.

Maybe you're right about Rowland in 2002, but I've gotten the sense that Blumenthal is simply not a big risk taker, and wanted the incumbent out of the way before he ran.  He was probably hoping the Republicans would nominate somebody with no shot.  But now he faces a worst-case scenario with Rell and her 79% approval rating.

I wonder what the skeletons in his closet could be?  Given the state of Connecticut politics, probably some type of corruption, maybe something similar than that which forced Rowland to resign, or worse yet, sent Mayor Ganim to prison for 9 years.