CT governor candidates spent $40 million in record-setting race

Just how expensive was the 2022 race for governor in Connecticut? The final campaign finance reports are in showing that Gov. Ned Lamont and his Republican challenger Bob Stefanowksi spent a combined $40 million of their own money. Independent Party candidate Rob Hotaling, who waged a long-shot bid for governor, spent about $64,000 with $1,264 on hand, according to his latest filing. The race was the most expensive campaign for governor in Connecticut history, as was reported in November just days before the election, when filings showed the two candidates had spent more than $30 million. The governor spent about $26 million in total, including a $3 million loan to his campaign on Oct. 31, according to his Jan. 10 report filed with state election officials, which shows a balance on hand of $355,916. Stefanowski’s Jan. 10 filing shows he spent a total of $14 million, including nearly $1 million in loans he gave to his campaign from Nov. 2 through Dec. 28, with a balance on hand of $17,840. The final reports cover the period from Oct. 31 through Dec. 31. Lamont spent $3.5 million during that period while Stefanowski spent around $2.25 million and Hotaling’s expenditures $2,743. Much of the money spent by Lamont and Stefanowski went toward advertising blitzes in the final days of their campaigns, get out the vote efforts and pay for consultants and staff. Both Lamont and Stefanowski chose to self-fund their campaigns as opposed to taking part in the state’s Citizens Election Program, which provides public grants to candidates who meet certain thresholds. The $40 million does not include the various expenditures made by political actions committees for and against the two candidates, which accounts for millions more in spending. Two PACs spent about $2.5 million attacking Lamont including Parents Against Stupid Stuff, which spent close to $800,000 and CT Truth PAC, which spent $1.65 million. Stronger CT, a super PAC funded by the Democratic Governors Association, spent $2.75 million on ads critical of Stefanowski. By loaning his campaign money, Stefanowski can recoup any unused funds at the end of the campaign or solicit contributions to pay back some of his costs. By contrast, Lamont is unable to recoup the millions that he paid directly to his campaign. The eye-popping spending has raised some questions about whether wealthy individuals such as Lamont and Stefanowski will continue to dominate top-of-the-ticket races and whether the General Assembly should consider upping the limits on grants to the public-financing program for the next election cycle. Asked about his $26 million in spending Wednesday at an event in Southington, Lamont said, “Look, these races are expensive. Look at the outside money that poured in. I could sit back and unilaterally disarm but you’ve got to be able to compete. I ran against somebody who had more outside money than just about any candidate in the country.” As for the $3 million he loaned his campaign in final days before the election, the governor said “there’s some surplus left in the campaign account, and I think you just forgive the rest of it. I don’t go to lobbyists saying pay it off.” A message seeking comment from Stefanowksi on his spending was not returned by publication time. Hearst Staff Writer Ken Dixon contributed to this report.

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