Campaign Finance Rolls To Its Primary End

The state’s program to publicly finance political campaigns is nearing the end of its initial phase.  As WNPR's Jeff Cohen reports, Lt. Governor Michael Fedele got more than $300,000 for his bid in the Republican governor’s race today.

 

Beth Rotman heads the state’s public campaign finance program.  She says the state has so far spent $7.5 million on primary campaigns and $2.5 million on general election campaigns. She expects the entire political season to cost roughly $38 million.  

 

“I still think that we are very much in the $38 million ballpark. I think that that estimate is going to turn out to be the right one, which is good news, because that’s always been the estimate that we can afford.”

 

Fedele was one of several candidates for statewide office who got money from the state to help finance their campaigns.  Others included attorney general candidate George Jepsen, lieutenant governor candidate Mary Glassman, and comptroller candidate Kevin Lembo. All three are Democrats.

 

Lembo’s opponent, Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura, had filed a complaint with the state alleging that some of Lembo’s contributions shouldn’t be counted towards his total.  But Rotman says Lembo later went out and raised enough money to make the complaint a non-issue.

 

The commission’s final meeting before the primary is set for Thursday.