Endorsed Republican Gerry Smith reports $5,610 in cash on hand a month before U.S. Senate primary.

The value of a state Republican party convention endorsement continues to decline. Delegates chose Beacon Falls first selectman Gerry Smith as the endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate at its May convention. Smith won the endorsement by a wide margin over late entry Matt Corey. Corey, the 2018 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, won nearly 30% of the delegate votes, surpassing the 15% required to advance to an August 13th primary.

Winning the convention did nothing for Smith’s ability to raise money from the shrinking class of regular Republican donors in the state. Smith reported in his 2nd quarter campaign finance report that he raised $18,022 between April 1st and June 30th, bringing his total since launching his bid in February to $61,506.18. As of June 30th, the campaign had $5,610 in cash on hand. This is a campaign for the U.S. Senate, not the State Senate.

Smith’s biggest expense was to consultant Brian Werstler, of Avon. He was paid $16,950 for consulting fees and $3,500 in expense reimbursements. Smith said in June that he fired his campaign manager and fundraiser when he learned of a fundraising email that claimed crosses were being burned on his lawn. Nobody, Smith told WTNH’s Dennis House, was burning crosses on his lawn.

Werstler is now on the Mike France campaign in the 2nd Congressional District. France’s campaign had $53,000 cash on hand on June 30th. France’s opponent, Democratic incumbent Joe Courtney, reported having $625,000 in cash on June 30th. The two faced each other in 2022.

Corey, the challenger in the August Senate primary, has raised $25,000 and made a $5,000 loan to his campaign. He had $28,000 in cash at the end of the 2nd quarter reporting period.

Smith has declined to debate Corey. Early voting begins August 5th.

Incumbent Democrat Christopher Murphy had more than $13 million and had $9.7 million of it in the bank on June 30th.

Published July 16, 2024.