A Horse Named Kurt Miller. Boughton Ally (Not Candidate) for Party Leader Emerges.

The Mark Boughton faction has revealed its choice to lead Connecticut’s Republican party organization in the bleak aftermath of November 4th’s state elections. It’s W. Kurt Miller, first selectman of Seymour. Miller is also close to Mark Lauretti, the mayor of Shelton. Lauretti made two unsuccessful bids for state office this year that he must hope activists and observers will forget.

Boughton, the longtime mayor of Danbury, persists in pursuing his frustrated ambitions. Boughton qualified to participate in the primary for governor this year but failed to raise the $250,000 required to qualify for public financing. Boughton dropped out of the primary contest after a rickety and embarrassing gambit to get Lauretti on the primary ballot as his running mate.

The challenges for a Boughton-backed candidate include demonstrating some independence from his chief backer and demonstrating a talent for raising money.

UPDATE: Mark Boughton texts that Kurt Miller is not his candidate for party chairman, “although he is a nice guy.” Boughton says he is “waiting to hear from all of the prospective candidates should Jerry (Labriola) step down or not run.”