... Inevitably, Gov. Ned Lamont was asked Wednesday about the stunning victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary by a 33-year-old socialist, Zohran Mamdani, over the 67-year-old former governor, Andrew Cuomo, whom Lamont had recently, if awkwardly, identified as his favorite.
"Mamdani ran a hell of a race, didn't he?" Lamont said, as a Democratic Party in the throes of an identity crisis rushed to find larger meaning in the upset. "He surprised the hell out of the establishment world down there. And I salute him for the job he was able to get done."
Elected Democrats in Connecticut, Lamont included, called Mamdani's victory significant for his youth and message, while most also cautioned against instantly proclaiming him as the answer to what went wrong in the 2024 presidential race.
The premise of generational change embodied by a candidate promising things largely anathema to Lamont " higher taxes on the rich, free buses, universal child care, a freeze on rents of rent-controlled apartments " comes during a particularly difficult week for a 71-year-old Connecticut governor whose brand is fiscal discipline and stability. ...
On Wednesday, Lamont praised Mamdani while noting that Democrats have hardly renounced centrists. He pointed to Virginia and New Jersey, where Democrats recently nominated moderate suburban women for governor.
But the governor readily conceded Mamdani's win demonstrated an appetite for change " and he claimed some common ground.
"There's a lot of frustration out there," Lamont said. "And some of what Mamdani was saying, we've already done. He's making a big down payment on universal pre-K. You know, we're doing that as well."
Lamont says the highlight of the recently concluded legislative session was the creation of an off-budget early childhood trust fund that will raise salaries for child care workers, increase access and provide free care for families earning no more than $100,000 and discounted care for others. ...
