CONNECTICUT, USA — It was round two for Gov. Ned Lamont and Republican challenger Bob Stefanowski - and the result was the same.
The gubernatorial race - a rematch of the 2018 race that saw Lamont win his first term in office - is projected to end the same way.
According to the Associated Press, Lamont edged out his challenger for the second time in four years.
Lamont seemingly celebrated victory however he said he would wait until the official numbers declared he won a second term.
“Connecticut gets it right. We had a good election, a fair election. Now we all come together, we work together as one. Because that’s what Connecticut always does,” Lamont told supporters in Hartford late Tuesday night.
Initially, Stefanowski did not concede to Lamont on Tuesday night. But, come Wednesday morning, his campaign released a statement of concession, thanking those who helped and voted
Thank you to those of you who believed in this campaign and our mission to provide a better Connecticut.
What we hoped to be celebrating as an achievement today can still be recognized as a substantial step in the right direction. This campaign was never about me. It was about the Connecticut resident struggling to afford the cost of living. The police officer putting his life on the line every single day. The family who wants to feel safer going to bed each night. And the mom who wants to raise her child as she sees fit.
I implore Governor Lamont to support the people who voted for him as much as the ones who did not. Politics has become too divisive and the great people of Connecticut deserve better.
I want to thank our dedicated supporters and volunteers, our terrific campaign team, our friends, and our families for allowing us to give so much time and energy these past months.
The results of this election are not what we had hoped for. But while the outcome was not in our control, the actions we take moving forward from here are. This campaign was an example of what can be done when you stand up for what you believe in. We may not have won, but we changed the course of Connecticut by advocating for the people.
Let’s keep working hard. Let’s keep asking questions and expecting answers from our state government. Our passion to help others does not end with this election and we are looking forward to a great future for Connecticut.
“Connecticut voters showed up today and proved that when you work tirelessly to make our state more affordable, more attractive to small businesses and one of the best states to raise a family, you prevail,” said Nancy DiNardo, Chair of Connecticut Democrats. “Connecticut values were on the ballot tonight and voters supported them resoundingly.”
Lamont, a Democrat, spent much of his first term navigating Connecticut through the COVID-19 pandemic. His campaign has painted a positive picture of a state that is “getting its mojo back" economically and attracting new residents and businesses.
While the 2018 campaigns were grueling at times, by the end, Lamont said he knew that Stefanowski was working his heart out to change the state. Stefanowski said that all candidates wanted to do the right thing for the state.
The 2022 race has renewed the competition as politics in the four years since has, at times, become more contentious nationally.
The election also comes as the country is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its after-effects on the country’s and state’s economy including rising inflation.
Stefanowski sought to become the state's first Republican governor in more than a decade. The last GOP governor in Connecticut was M. Jodi Rell, who left office in January 2011.
Lamont's last four years as governor were mostly filled with COVID-19 response and after effects. Connecticut was one of the first states to implement a mask mandate while also requiring people to stay home unless necessary.
The state implemented crowd restrictions and other COVID-19 restrictions to help mitigate the spread of the illness. The actions taken by Lamont, who operated under emergency powers for over a year, were met with praise and criticism. Restrictions were seen as the cause for many small businesses and restaurants closing shop between 2020 and 2021.
Under Lamont's term, Connecticut's legislature passed the legalization of marijuana, expanding abortion access and protections, a police accountability law, as well as online sports betting.
Stefanowski ran on a promise to cut various taxes as well as advocating for more government transparency. Regarding abortion rights, the Republican said he would “continue to support Connecticut’s state law, which has codified a woman’s right to choose, with an appropriate ban on late-term abortion.”
Stefanowski also took issue with Lamont’s “extreme position” that parents do not need to be notified if their child is seeking an abortion and would look to support a mandatory notification to parents for girls under sixteen years old.
In September, Stefanowski unveiled his plan for the future of education in Connecticut.
He calls it the “Parental Bill of Rights,” tackling everything from mask mandates to transgender student-athletes.
Lamont is running with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Stefanowski is running with State Rep. Laura Devlin (Fairfield, Trumbull).
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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