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Susan Bysiewicz, a candidate for lieutenant governor in August 14th’s Democratic primary, suffered another embarrassment in her hometown of Middletown Thursday night. The former secretary of the state and frequent candidate had connived to at last win her local Democratic town committee endorsement over persistent opposition.

The local activists have resisted supporting Bysiewicz. Many favor challenger Eva Bermudez Zimmerman. When it appeared an agreement to have the Middletown DTC make no endorsement in the LG contest was going to be breached by Bysiewicz supporters, Zimmerman’s people left the meeting so there would be no quorum and an endorsement could not proceed.

The incident is a reminder that Bysiewicz often misreads political situations.

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart’s campaign for lieutenant governor is in trouble. The Republican raised a paltry $44,355.00 as of June 30th, according to her July 10th campaign finance report. Stewart needs to reach $75,000.00 in qualifying contributions in a hurry. The last day to submit an application is July 20th.

Stewart started the year launching an ill-advised bid for governor. She abandoned that campaign on the eve of the May Republican nominating convention to run for the second spot on the ticket. Since then, the third term mayor has been engaged in a long fade. Her campaign is said to be disorganized and hindered by bad advice from her inner circle.

Darien Republican Jayme Stevenson, another challenger for lieutenant governor looks like she will qualify for public financing. Her July 10th report reveals the local leader had raised $68,485 in qualifying contributions as of June 30th.

Endorsed Republican LG candidate state Senator Joseph Markley (R-Southington) qualified for taxpayer financing of his campaign in the spring. Markley abandoned his conservatism to partake in the state’s generous public financing scheme. Markley began weeks ago identifying primary supporters with automated calls.

DC veteran Shannon Kula is struggling to reach the 2,711 signatures she needs to qualify for the August 12th Democratic primary in the 5th CD. As of the end of the day Tuesday, Kula had 2,308 signatures.

At this rate, Kula may not be joining Mary Glassman and Jahana Hayes in the contest for the open seat held by three term incumbent Democrat Elizabeth Esty.

Greenwich businessman David Stemerman will face four other Republicans in the August 14th primary for governor. Joseph Ganim has qualified to compete with party endorsed Democrat Ned Lamont in each one’s second bid for governor.

Democrat Guy Smith will have to wait for another opportunity to explain his third way.

A party dispute panel confirms chaos broke out at the party’s 5th CD nominating convention. After hearing formal complaints on the May 14th confusion, the panel revised the final count from 173 votes for Mary Glassman and 167 for Jahana Hayes to 171 for Glassman and 169 for Hayes.

Glassman remains the party endorsed candidate from the May 14th Waterbury conclave. The party committee report reveals a convention in disarray from the start. The first ballot roll call tally counted 340 votes but only 320 delegates registered. The second and decisive ballot allowed an extended period of vote switching at the end of the town-by-town roll call.

The panel found second ballot switches from Hayes to Glassman by two New Britain delegates were improperly executed. Two other critical switches from Hayes to Glassman stand, as does the convention endorsement of Simsbury Democrat Glassman.

The panel’s report concludes with the recommendation that party rule makers consider eliminating allowing end of ballot switches.

Arunan Arulampalam will end his campaign for state treasurer Tuesday. The Hartford Democrat enjoyed a second place showing at May 19th’s Party nominations convention. Fellow Hartford Democrat Shawn Wooden won the nomination to succeed incumbent Denise Nappier on the second and final ballot of the long day of nominations and roll calls.

Arulampalam’s withdrawal will leave Greenwich Democrat Dita Bhargava as Wooden’s only challenger for the party’s nomination in the August 14th primary. Bhargava explores a run for governor before a spring switch to the race for treasurer.

A night of payback in polite Glastonbury. Local Republican favorite Chip Beckett, former town council leader and almost state senator, was defeated by board of education member Lillian Tanski. The seat is currently held by Prasad Srinivasan, who this week ended his campaign for governor.

Tanski defeated Beckett 26-18 in the low turnout caucus. Beckett did not vote for Srinivasan at the May 11th Republican state convention.

State Representative Tony Guerrera defeated rival House member Matthew Lesser in their contest for the Democratic nomination to succeed state Senator Paul Doyle. Guerrera won a decisive 41-18 victory over Lesser for the Democratic nomination in the 9th Senate District that includes Newington, Rocky Hill, Cromwell, and parts of Wethersfield and Middletown.

Endorsed Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ned Lamont will debate rival Joe Ganim, should he qualify for the primary ballot, on June 14th on WFSB. Ganim, according to his campaign press releases is gathering petition signatures at a notable pace. If he continues on his current daily rate, he should have enough signatures–2% of the state’s registered Democrats–by the beginning of June.

Ganim fell a couple of percentage points of the 15% of delegates he needed at Saturday’s nominating convention to qualify for the ballot without having to undertake the grinding process of gathering signatures, which must be submitted to local registrar by the close of business on June 12th.

August 14th is primary day.

State Representative Prasad Srinivasan (R-Glastonbury) has ended his bid for the Republican nomination for governor. Srinivasan got off to a notably fast fundraising start when he began his campaign in 2017. That momentum was never matched by support from delegates or other party activists. Srinivasan was eliminated from competition at the end of the first ballot of the Republican convention on May 12th when he failed to capture 8% of the delegate votes.