Malloy Enabler Ned Lamont “Struggles To Connect” With Connecticut Voters

As he campaigns on continuing Failed Governor Dan Malloy’s job-killing policies for another four years, Connecticut Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont is struggling to connect with voters. The New Haven Independent shadowed Lamont as he campaigned in New Haven last week and found that few of the people he spoke with “were convinced to vote for him for governor.”

The New Haven Independent reports that Lamont cracked “the occasional flat joke” and “uttered bromides” to voters as he “avoided their questions or was ill prepared to answer them.” Some voiced their disappointment with Lamont’s responses and left their conversations with him feeling “dejected.” One harshly criticized Lamont, claiming that “he didn’t say anything,” and “avoided the question,” appearing more interested in talking about “the Yankees and the Red Sox than about healthcare for seniors.”

As Lamont struggles to connect with average Connecticut voters while running on a platform nearly identical to Dan Malloy’s failed agenda, he continues to show that he is hopelessly out-of-touch with the people of his state.

The New Haven Independent reports:

“He came to meet everyday voters, hear their stories, crack the occasional flat joke (like one about Kim Jong-un), and try to find a way to connect…

Throughout his two days in New Haven, many residents left their conversations with Lamont feeling good about him as a man.Few, however, said they were convinced to vote for him for governor…

Afterwards, Saroff said he noticed a difference: He felt Ganim “spoke to me,” while Lamont uttered bromides…

Some residents, like Saroff, felt like Lamont either avoided their questions or was ill prepared to answer them. 

Saroff, the chair of the city’s Commission on Aging, asked Lamont about his commitment to protecting state-funded social service programs for seniors.

“What will you do as governor to ensure that seniors are not given more cuts?” he asked. 

Lamont said he planned on increasing state investment in public education and public transportation.

Saroff said he was interested in talking specifically about social service program specific to seniors. In particular, he asked Lamont about the Renters’ Rebate program, which reimburses eligible low-income seniors and people with disabilities up to $900 to help cover rent and utility payments. Saroff said the program had been cut by 7 percent and 10 percent in previous budgets put together by Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s administration, but that the program was on track to be fully funded this year and next year.

Lamont said he was unfamiliar with the program, but that he was committed to greater equity in the budget-making process in general.

“We’re currently balancing the budget on the backs of people who can least afford it,” he said. He said the state cannot do that anymore. 

After the meeting, Saroff told the Independent that he was disappointed that Lamont did not know more about the renters’ rebate program, which he described as critical to many residents at Bella Vista, and to low-income seniors throughout the state.

“Any candidate running for governor has to be up-to-date on programs for seniors,” he said. He said Lamont may not be as familiar with it because there may not be many seniors who use the program in the candidate’s home town of Greenwich.

He reflected on how Ganim was familiar with the program when Saroff asked him about it two weeks ago. Ganim promised then that he would “restore whatever I can to programs that support seniors,” including the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) coverage provided by the state’s Medicare Savings Program.

Bella Vista Anita Walters also left disappointed with her interaction with Lamont on the issue of healthcare costs.

She told Lamont about her struggles to pay for dental insurance that is separate from her medical insurance and that costs her hundreds of dollars each month. She asked Lamont about any ideas he had for lowering healthcare costs for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

“The most important thing is that we have fair health insurance for everyone,” Lamont said. He said he sympathized with Walters, and that he thought that dental coverage should be included with medical insurance.

Walters reiterated her frustrations with the high costs of medical and dental insurance, and asked Lamont about potential political solutions. Lamont reiterated his commitment to fair health insurance for everyone, but didn’t share specifics on how that might be achieved.

Walters left the conversation dejected. 

“He didn’t say anything,” she said. “He avoided the question.” He said Lamont was more interested in talking about education, public safety, the Yankees and the Red Sox than about healthcare for seniors…