Corey wins 29% at Republican nominating convention. Delegates reject leaders’ claims of primary tax.

A late campaign to deny Matt Corey enough delegates to primary endorsed Republican U.S. Senate Gerry Smith failed Monday. Party leaders spent the day frantically seeking to chip away at Corey’s delegate support to below the 15% support required for an August primary challenge.

Corey and delegates embarrassed the party’s leadership by winning 261 delegates to Smith’s 610. Corey’s 29% total came as delegates were pelted with messages urging them to reject the “Matt Corey Tax”–the cost, the messages claimed, of local governments administering a primary. The message called the traditional exercise in democracy “an ego-trip primary.”

The message urged delegates to tell Corey that delegates “can be trusted to make the best decisions for our party.” Nearly 30% of the delegates declined to buckle and voted for Corey, the party’s 2018 candidate for U.S. Senate.

Smith, the first selectman of Beacon Falls., entered the contest to face Democratic incumbent Christopher Murphy in February. He reported raising $43,483.86 in his first quarter finance report. Corey, a late entry to the race, has not yet filed a report.

The two Republicans will meet in an August 13th primary.

The Republicans had some trouble with their numbers. Party officials announced before voting began that there were 777 credentialed delegates in attendance. The final tally showed 892 delegates casting a vote.

Published May 14, 2024.