Stefanowski Made Maximum $5,800 Donation to Angry Trump Acolyte Leora Levy. GOP Candidate for Governor Bets Big on Abortion Opponent Winning Primary.

Republican nominee for governor Bob Stefanowski is supporting right wing Leora Levy in her primary bid against party-endorsed Senate candidate Themis Klarides Stefanowski and Klarides are known to have a frosty relationship. Stefanowski faced down Klarides and her top political adviser and husband, Greg Butler, in a tense meeting in Madison as the race for governor was beginning. Party insiders have concluded the Stefanowskis and Klarides-Butlers hold each other in low regard.

Stefanowski rejected demands that accompanied negotiations to name Klarides as his running mate. Klarides retreated to the race for the U.S. Senate race. The 22-year former House member won the party convention in May with an underwhelming showing. Republicans Peter Lumaj and Leora Levy easily qualified for an August primary.

Levy, a top pro-choice Mitt Romney supporter a decade ago, has become a virulent Trumpian since annis horribilus 2016. The former steak pitchman nominated Levy to be the United States ambassador to Chile. The Senate slow walked Levy’s nomination to oblivion.

Levy, a Cuban immigrant, has become (or revealed herself as) a strident xenophobe in this campaign. She hailed the Supreme Court’s June decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Stefanowski has worked to assure voters he can be trusted to support Connecticut’s statutes upholding a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. Stefanowski’s two $2,900 maximum contributions to Levy suggest Stefanowski may not believe mean what he says. Klarides supports abortion rights.

Stefanowski has also donated $4,000 to Lumaj, who is battling Levy for votes from conservatives and Trump supporters who are registered Republicans.

Stefanowski made his contributions to Levy on June 21st. One was designated for Levy’s August 9th primary campaign, the other for the November general election. The donations are gifts to Governor Ned Lamont, Stefanowski’s Democratic opponent, worth far more than $5,800.

Published July 15, 2022.