The ADVOCATE
Fedele says he will run for governor in 2010 if Rell bows out
By Brian Lockhart
Stamford Advocate
Updated: 08/05/2009
STAMFORD -- Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele
said while he expects his boss, Gov. M.
Jodi Rell, to seek re-election next year,
he is ready to step into the top spot if she
bows out.
“If Governor Rell decides not to do it,
I will be the Republican candidate in
2010,” Fedele, who grew up in and still
lives in Stamford, said Wednesday.
Rumors continue to swirl around
Rell’s political future. She formed an
exploratory committee to weigh a re-
election bid, but has continually declined
to say whether she intends to run in 2010
until after the budget battle is behind her.
The uncertainty about Rell’s political
future has lead to speculation that
two other prominent Republicans may
be waiting to launch gubernatorial
campaigns should she not seek re-
election.
House Minority Leader Lawrence
Cafero, R-Norwalk, earlier this year
launched his exploratory committee. He
has been doing some fundraising for an
unspecified statewide office, ruling out
only the position of treasurer.
And Senate Minority Leader John
McKinney, R-Fairfield, suddenly became
a potential gubernatorial contender
after surprising many observers last
week when he told Hearst Newspapers
he will not challenge freshman U.S.
Rep. Jim Himes for his Fourth District
congressional seat.
Asked whether he was interested in
either running for governor or lieutenant
governor, McKinney, like Cafero, did not
rule it out.
“I think our state is run incredibly well
by Gov. [M. Jodi] Rell and I support
her tremendously, but if I have an
opportunity to stay at home, be the
father I want to be with my kids, and
help people out in Connecticut in public
office, that’s something I’ll look at,” he
said.
Fedele, whom Rell tapped as a running
mate in 2006, has for the most part been
quiet about his plans, although many
political insiders have assumed he would
want to be Governor if the opportunity
arose.
“It clearly would be something I’d like
to entertain if the opportunity presented
itself,” Fedele told The Advocate in early
2008 after a year on the job.
Like McKinney, Fedele Wednesday was
supportive of Rell and said he expects
she will run next year and hopes to again
join her on the ticket.
“I look forward to running with her in
2010,” Fedele said.
Although it might seem obvious to some
that Fedele would be a likely successor
to Rell, Professor Gary Rose, chairman
of the department of government and
politics at Sacred Heart University said
that is not the case.
Rose said he cannot recall a lieutenant
governor successfully running for the
top spot. They either obtain the job
because of the death of the Governor or
their resignation. That was the case with
Rell who took office in 2004 after then
Republican Gov. John Rowland stepped
down amidst a scandal.
“Even though it’s a statewide
constituency and they preside over
the Senate ... (Lieutenant governors)
really don’t have any type of real policy
accomplishments that they can claim
as their own,” Rose said. “Lieutenant
governors are on the ticket with the
governor and then, for all intents and
purposes, they’re almost out of sight.
I think you’d be very hard pressed if
you did a survey in Connecticut to have
people name who the lieutenant governor
is.”
Fedele said he is not planning to launch
an exploratory committee in case Rell
backs out.
“I’m not concerned about the financial
side of it,” he said.
But Rose said Fedele is also in a tough
spot because such a move from the
lieutenant governor would send a signal
to the public Rell was likely not going to
be in the 2010 race.
Rose said while his gut tells him the
still-popular Rell will run, he believes
McKinney would be the leading
candidate should she not seek re-election.
“But I would think Republicans would
close in on her and say ‘Look, we need
you. You’re our best hope,’ “ Rose said.
Asked when he would like Rell to make
up her mind so the party can go forward,
state GOP Chairman Christopher Healy
said he expects Rell to make a decision
later in the year.
“My guess is she’s going to think about
it as we get into the fall and make a
decision then,” Healy said, adding Rell is
“in a strong position politically.”
“I think that’s plenty of time,” Healy
said. “I’m not really overly worried about
it.”
Staff Writer Brian Lockhart can be
reached at 203-655-7476 or brian.
lockhart@scni.com.