Susan Bysiewicz, The Self-Funder.

Gubernatorial hopeful Susan Bysiewicz has complained in this contest, her eighth campaign for statewide office, that Democratic rival Ned Lamont is spending his own money on his campaign. Bysiewicz’s mewling may be rooted in her knowledge of how effective hefty infusions of a candidate’s cash can be. In 1998, the Middletown Democrat put $88,000 of her own money into her campaign for secretary of the state against party endorsed opponent Ellen Scalletar as they neared their September primary showdown. Veterans recall the competition as among them most contentious in modern Connecticut primary politics.

Twenty years ago, before taxpayers began picking up the tab, $88,000 was a lot of money in a low-turnout underticket primary race.