Mark Lauretti Clocks in at Over $100,000 in Qualifying Contributions for Governor.

Veteran Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti will make an impressive fundraising showing in his first quarter as a Republican gubernatorial hopeful, Daily Ructions can report. Lauretti confirmed Thursday that he has raised more than $100,000 in small contributions since launching his campaign at the start of the year. A candidate needs to raise $250,000 in contributions of $100 or less to qualify for taxpayer funding of his campaign.

The twelve term mayor and former restaurant owner collected his haul from 1370 contributors. He sounded confident of his prospects to build on his first quarter success. Lauretti, who knows how to deliver a barb, points out that his fundraising success this year was not preceded by five years of hankering after the state’s top job. He means you, Tom Foley and Mark Boughton.

Catch more of the confident Lauretti at next week’s Hartford Courant/Fox CT debate at the Mark Twain House.