Gray Aims to Harness the Power of Stamford in Republican Primary.

Thaddeus Gray, the endorsed Republican for treasurer picks up an intriguing endorsement Tuesday morning. Former state Representative Michael Molgano, who represented Stamford in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015, has endorsed Gray.

Gray faces a challenge from state Senator Art Linares (R-Westbrook) in the August 14th primary. Linares is married to state Representative Caroline Simmons, a Democrat who defeated Molgano in 2014, not long after moving to Stamford.

In his endorsement, Molgano highlights Gray’s long experience in finance and suggests Republican primary voters not give the nomination as a reward for political service.

Republicans in Stamford cast more primary votes than almost any other of the state’s 169 towns. In 2014, it provided Heather Somers with a nearly 400 vote margin over her nearest competitor, by far Somers’ biggest local win outside of her hometown of Groton. She defeated her nearest competitor in the three-way race by 669 votes out of 78,000 in the low turnout primary.

The August 14th contest will be the fifth statewide Republican primary in the past 30 years.