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The Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) no longer rates Bob Stefanowski “shady, amateur or both.” That was last month in the the run-up to the Republican primary for governor when CCDL endorsed fourth place finisher Tim Herbst. The gun rights organization has endorsed the blank slate that is Stefanowski, a Democrat as recently as 2017, for the fall contest.

During the summer campaign, CCDL’s leader claimed Stefanowski used deceptive tactics to persuade gun rights supporters that he was the right choice in the crowded August 14th primary competition. Who would think a pawn shop executive and payday lender would do such a thing? All is forgiven but likely not forgotten.

Cranky fourth-place primary finisher Tim Herbst will essay the role of Ned Lamont in gubernatorial debate rehearsals with Republican Bob Stefanowski. Herbst has been eager for the world to know he’s been cast as Lamont.  The volatile Herbst is an odd choice to play Lamont, whose public demeanor is notably calmer than the litigious Herbst.

Herbst may be in a unique position to offer some insights into Lamont’s debating style. The former Trumbull first selectman enjoys a friendship with Bridgeport’s Joe Ganim, who spent months on the campaign trail appearing with Lamont in their lopsided contest for the Democratic nomination for governor. How to score some attention in the rehearsal room? Practice this, “Hey Bob, what’s DMHAS?”

Who has been cast to play Stefanowski in a Lamont rehearsal. Wags, the late Ted Cassidy is not available.

Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob Stefanowski has spent the week blundering into two serious own-goals. He announced he does not support the minimum wage at all. The bidding war on raising the minimum wage has long been a minefield for Republicans. Stefanowski threw himself onto it and left himself no way out by declaring he’s against any minimum wage at all. Let the market decide. This has not been a popular stand in Connecticut at least 80 years. It’s unlikely to change now at the urging of a pawn shop operator and payday loan executive.

Worse, Stefanowski gave the back of his hand to tens of thousands of Connecticut homeowners when he said he does not think the state has a role to play in addressing the natural catastrophe of crumbling foundations. Stefanowski is going to have a tough time defending this. The wealthy Madison Republican enjoys touting his experience as an executive with GE in the first decade of the 21st century. GE, you may recall, wedged itself into $139 billion in government assistance during the financial crisis that peaked in 2008. Stefanowski appears to have no qualms about that government largesse to financial titans who created the mess that would have destroyed them without huge infusions from the public purse. Middle class homeowners with cracked and crumbling foundations? Let them eat cake–but let them pay for it themselves.

It was an an executive with GE that Stefanowski made a generous contribution to Democratic former U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd’s presidential candidate. Dodd was the head of the Senate Banking Committee at the time Pay-for-Play Bob gave his support to the left-wing veteran Connecticut Democrat.

One wonders if Stefanowski would feel the same about government’s role in a disaster if a hurricane brought devastation to tony Madison and its neighboring towns.

Ned Lamont gathered Democratic victors and vanquished a few days after the wealthy retired businessman won his party’s nomination for governor in a thumping victory. The event signaled Democrats that leaders from all strains of the party are united behind the ticket primary voters chose on August 14th. There’s nothing unusual about a post-primary unity event. What’s odd is that the Republicans have yet to hold one in the aftermath of Bob Stefanowski’s win in a crowded field of five rivals. The Madison Republican and Chris Dodd supporter won 30% of the vote. He needs the losing candidates to engage in a robust demonstration of support. It’s yet to happen.

Stefanowski, who has a pronounced preference for dialing for advice, has been busy on the phone with all sorts of people.  There’s been no congenial event of the faithful who supported other candidates in the contest for governor. Town committee chairs leaders are having the devil’s own time getting the campaign’s attention. Those that do reach Stefanowski campaign aides have noticed a distinct tone of dismissive triumphalism in their conversations. The sort of treatment a troubled customer might get in a pawn shop or payday lender. Some activists are beginning to conclude that their time will be better spent assisting legislative candidate, where the best chance of meaningful victories reside.

Here’s the opinion issued Tuesday by Superior Court Judge Susan Peck.

State Senator Joseph Markley (R-Southington) won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor a week ago, six days after making another late payment of his local real estate taxes. Southington online tax records show that Markley, who owns a home with his sister, has been late paying the semiannual bill the last five times they were due, including the most recent.

Markley, who defeated Erin Stewart and Jayme Stevenson in the party primary last week, tells Daily Ructions, “Relative to the taxes on the home in Southington I own jointly with my sister (a property we inherited from our mother): In recent years we have made several late payments, with interest, creating an additional expense for us personally.  Our taxes are current and will remain so.”

Markley’s running mate, Christopher Dodd donor Bob Stefanowski, has been touting a fantasist’s delight of a tax plan that would repeal the state income tax. Stefanowski’s delusion would add thousands to local property taxes, making Markley’s twice-a-year challenge more of a struggle.

U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CT) also failed to pay taxes on time when he represented Southington in the state legislature. Murphy, readers may remember, also had trouble remembering that a mortgage payment is due from lender to borrower each month.

With the primaries done, voters will want to learn more about the two major party contenders. New voter Bob Stefanowski, a Democrat this year and a Republican now, is a self-financing stranger to most. This would be an appropriate time to release several years of tax returns. Ned Lamont made his taxes available in a sealed room during his 2006 campaign for the U.S. Senate. After a long hiatus from politics, this is the right time to give the public a fresh look.

Tax returns have become an issue in the New York Democratic race for governor. Challenger Cynthia Nixon released one year, but incumbent Andrew Cuomo and his surrogates want to see more.

Good news from Hamden. The Quinnipiac University Poll is back home in Connecticut. The respected survey, according to spokesman JohnAnthony DiMaria, “is planning a survey of Connecticut voters, asking their opinions of candidates for governor, sometime in the next month.”

The long primary campaign that concludes today has not featured any credible polling available to the public.