Morning Digest: Surprise veto sparks talk of primary challenge to Connecticut's governor

Ned Lamont looked strong for a third term, until he enraged fellow Democrats

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D), at left (credit: Ned Lamont Facebook)

Leading Off

CT-Gov

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont's recent decision to veto two high-profile bills backed by his fellow Democrats has intensified chatter that he could face a primary challenge from the left.

Republicans are also hoping that voters in this blue state want change, and one of the GOP's few rising stars is now talking about running whether or not Lamont seeks a third term next year.

Lamont, who won reelection in 2022 in a 56-43 landslide, seemed poised for another easy victory just weeks ago. A survey conducted by the University of New Hampshire last month gave him a 52-40 approval rating, including an 80-13 score among Democrats.

A short time later, the governor said that, while he hadn't decided if he'd run again, he was "a lot more inclined and interested in keeping going." Several Democrats have been eyeing this office in case Lamont were to step aside, but no notable names had seemed interested in challenging him.

The idea of Lamont facing a competitive primary became much more realistic on Monday, though, when he vetoed two pieces of legislation just passed by the Democratic-dominated legislature. One bill would have allowed striking workers to receive unemployment benefits, while the other was a wide-ranging housing bill aimed at creating more affordable units.

Lamont's opposition to the first bill was well-known, but Democratic legislators were caught off guard when he vetoed the housing measure.

"So we're going to get some flack from this, from people who are going to say, 'Well, you guys said, 'It was all set,'" House Speaker Matt Ritter told the Connecticut Mirror Wednesday ahead of what he anticipated would be an uncomfortable meeting with his caucus. "And we're going to say, 'We thought it was all set.' And so it's not good for anybody."

Lamont didn't help his relationship with progressives on Monday when WTNH reporter Mike Cerulli asked him if he favored former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City. Lamont responded, "I worked with him pretty constructively. I'll just leave it at that."

That blithe response did little to help Cuomo avoid a humiliating defeat against Zohran Mamdani the following day, but Lamont's intra-party critics were quick to use his comments against him.

"Lamont's endorsement for an accused sexual harasser and disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo is indicative of all of his choices lately—wrong and out of touch," said Constanza Segovia, the head of a progressive group, in a statement. Lamont, for his part, responded to Mamdani's victory by complimenting him for running "a hell of a race."

At least one Democratic lawmaker thinks that Connecticut's current governor—like New York's former chief executive—could be vulnerable in a primary, and he's suggesting he could be the one to beat him.

"Let me assure you, if he decides to run again, he will not run uncontested," state Rep. Josh Elliott told CT Insider.

Elliott would not directly state whether he was interested in taking on Lamont. The representative, however, drew parallels between his 2016 primary campaign against then-Speaker Brendan Sharkey, who ultimately opted not to seek reelection, and Lamont's current situation.

"I started my career by challenging the speaker of the house because I felt that the speaker was not doing enough for our state," Elliott said. "And I can tell you that my emotional state and how I feel about how our current governor running the state is a perfect parallel to where I was eight years ago."

Elliott, however, acknowledged in a separate interview with the CT Mirror that Mamdani's upset victory over Cuomo didn't necessarily portend a similar result against Lamont.

"You need to be really aware of luck—and that's not to in any way detract from that race," Elliott said, "but I think that Mamdani got lucky to be against a truly unsympathetic competitor, where Ned is a nice guy and is really likable."

On the Republican side, state Sen. Ryan Fazio informed CT Insider this week that he's considering running for governor no matter what Lamont chooses to do. Fazio added that he would likely decide this summer.

Fazio, who flipped a Democrat-held seat in a 2021 special election, argued that he could win enough crossover support to prevail in this Democratic-leaning state, and one would-be rival agrees with him. Fellow state Sen. Rob Sampson said that, while he's been looking at running himself, he believes Fazio would be "a better choice."

The only notable Republican in the race so far is Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, who announced back in March. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart previously set up an exploratory committee in January and said she would make a final decision "sometime in the fall."

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Mamdani's astonishing victory

Election Night

VA-11

Democrats in Northern Virginia will choose a nominee for the upcoming special election for the 11th Congressional District on Saturday, when the party will hold a small-scale nominating contest known locally as a "firehouse primary."

Ten candidates will appear on the ballot, but the frontrunner is Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who held a giant 41-8 lead over his nearest opponent in an internal poll—the only publicly released survey of the race. Walkinshaw also has the endorsement of the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, who gave the supervisor his backing last month just weeks before his death triggered this election.

Republicans will pick a candidate at a party gathering on June 28, but Democrats will be heavily favored in the general election on Sept. 9. Kamala Harris carried the district 66-31 last year, and Connolly won his final race by a similar 67-33 margin.

Senate

MI-Sen

Former Rep. Mike Rogers just announced a pair of endorsements while his allies have publicized a new poll in a late attempt to deter Rep. Bill Huizenga from entering the Republican primary for Michigan's open Senate seat.

Rogers posts a wide 48-20 advantage over Huizenga in a survey for First Principles Digital, a super PAC that supports crypto-friendly candidates like Rogers. The poll, which was first shared by Punchbowl News, was conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, a firm run by Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio.

Rogers' campaign announced that same day that Reps. Jack Bergman and Tim Walberg are supporting him over their House colleague. The pair did not mention Huizenga in a statement offering their "complete and total endorsement" to Rogers, who was the GOP's nominee last year for the state's other seat in the Senate.

Huizenga, who has repeatedly resisted pressure from the NRSC to stay out of the race, has insisted that Rogers' close loss to Democrat Elissa Slotkin makes him the wrong candidate for 2026. The Detroit News reported earlier this week that Huizenga "has indicated he plans to launch a Senate bid next month."

SC-Sen

Former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer confirmed this week that he's indeed considering challenging South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham in next year's Republican primary.

Bauer, who last won office in 2006, gave an interview to the conservative Washington Examiner shortly after The State first reported on the existence of an "Andre Bauer for U.S. Senate" fundraising page on the conservative platform WinRed. Bauer said that he had yet to "fully commit" to a new campaign and would decide in the "near future."

The former lieutenant governor also said that, while he hadn't spoken to Donald Trump about challenging Graham specifically, the party's master has long encouraged him to run for office again. That drew a furious response from Senate Leadership Fund executive director Alex Latcham, whose deep-pocketed super PAC aids GOP senators like Graham.

"This is bullshit," Latcham tweeted about Bauer's claim. "I oversaw President Trump's South Carolina campaign and Andre was a massive pain in the ass." He added, "The (former) Lt. Governor thought President Trump's campaign was the Andre Bauer show. Notice he was the only official not on stage when @POTUS was declared the SC primary winner."

Governors

IL-Gov

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday that he would seek reelection next year, a kickoff that came two days after the Chicago Tribune first reported he'd run again. Pritzker is the first sitting governor eligible to run for a third consecutive term in 2026 to commit to doing so.

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick is the only Republican who has entered the race to lead this blue state, though he doesn't appear to have generated much attention in the four months since he launched his campaign in February.

NY-Gov

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik "is preparing" to run for governor of New York, two unnamed sources tell The Hill. According to one, "It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when" Stefanik will announce she'll take on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

That "when" might not come for some time, though. Gothamist reported last month that the congresswoman "can wait to see" how New York City's mayoral race shakes out in November, as well as how the rest of Trump's first year back in office goes, before committing to anything.

SD-Gov, SD-AL

Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson will hold an announcement event on Monday, the South Dakota Scout reports, after months of chatter about his plans for next year. While Johnson has not specified what exactly he'll be announcing, the Cook Political Report's Matthew Klein wrote last week that observers see him as "virtually certain to run" for governor.

This post is currently held by GOP Gov. Larry Rhoden, who was elevated from the lieutenant governor's office in January after Kristi Noem resigned to join Donald Trump's cabinet. Rhoden has yet to reveal if he'll seek a full term, though, and Klein relayed that local party operatives "genuinely have no idea" what he'll do.

A Johnson campaign for governor would set off an open-seat race to replace him as the representative for South Dakota's sole House seat. Trump carried the state 63-34 last year.

House

IA-04

Chris McGowan, who is the president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday became the first prominent Republican to announce he'll seek Iowa's dark red 4th District. This constituency in the western part of the state is held by GOP Rep. Randy Feenstra, who formed an exploratory committee in May for a likely campaign for governor.

The Sioux City Journal writes that McGowan, who served in the Air Force, spent two decades as a GOP consultant before assuming his current role in 2011. There was talk last year that retiring Gov. Kim Reynolds might appoint him to the vacant office of lieutenant governor, but the job went instead to then-state Sen. Chris Cournoyer.

The only other notable Republican who has publicly talked about running for the 4th District is state Sen. Lynn Evans, who announced last month that he was exploring the idea. Evans said he'd make a final decision within 30 days of May 17, but he passed that self-imposed deadline on Tuesday without saying anything either way.

Plenty of other western Iowa Republicans could also run, though. Inside Elections has mentioned state Rep. Matt Windschitl as a possible contender in a piece declaring him the owner of "one of the best beards in politics." You can find that beard here, and let us know if you agree.

NV-03

Neurosurgeon Aury Nagy has kicked off a bid for the GOP nomination in Nevada's swingy 3rd Congressional District, where Republicans have repeatedly come close to unseating Rep. Susie Lee but have never succeeded. Nagy, a first-time candidate, joins a field that includes attorney Chris Brandlin and video game composer Marty O'Donnell.

Washington, D.C. Delegate

In a disturbing development, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton once again told a reporter she would run for reelection next year, only to be immediately contradicted by her own staff.

The latest incident unfolded rapidly late on Wednesday afternoon, when the 88-year-old Democrat told NBC reporter Sahil Kapur, "Yeah, I'm gonna run for reelection." Scarcely 90 minutes later, however, an unnamed spokesperson informed Axios' Andrew Solender, "No decision has been made. She wants to run but is still discussing it with people closest to her."

It was an almost exact replay of events earlier this month, when Norton told Kapur, "I'm going to run. I don't know why anybody would even ask me." But just hours later, her office issued a statement that quoted her as saying, "Through thoughtful discussions with my friends, family, and closest advisors, I'm still considering my options for the next election cycle."

As Axios notes, a similar incident took place on the last day of April, when Norton told Solender she was considering the possibility of running to be the top-ranking Democrat on the high-profile House Oversight Committee. But again, that very same day, she issued a statement saying she'd decided against the idea.

Wednesday's about-face was the latest in a long series of episodes this year that have alarmed those around Norton, who has served as the non-voting delegate for Washington, D.C., since 1991. According to multiple media reports, she has struggled to answer questions in public and recognize people she knows.

The district will hold primaries in June of next year, with a candidate filing deadline likely in March.

WI Redistricting

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit seeking to strike down the state's Republican-drawn congressional map, but it may not necessarily be the end of the line for the plaintiffs.

Normally, the Supreme Court hears matters on appeal, but the challengers in this case opted to file a "petition for leave to commence an original action" directly before the high court. In other words, they wanted the justices to have both the first and last word in their case.

In a terse order that did not explain their reasoning, however, the justices denied the plaintiffs' petition. But the challengers could choose to file a new lawsuit before a trial court, which is traditionally how legal disputes get heard. It would also offer the chance to develop a factual record through written evidence, witness testimony, and expert reports—a task that trial courts are best-equipped to conduct. (Typically, appellate courts only decide questions of law.)

It's not clear whether the plaintiffs will pursue such a path, since their attorneys did not respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press. But even if they do, there may not be enough time to resolve a suit prior to the 2026 elections, though Wisconsin's late candidate filing deadline—set for June 1 of next year—gives the legal system the better part of a year to conclude matters.

Mayors & County Leaders

Buffalo, NY Mayor

Former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield said Wednesday that he would no longer run for mayor as an independent, a decision that came one day after he took a distant third place in the Democratic primary.

Acting Mayor Christopher Scanlon has yet to announce whether or not he'll continue on with his own independent campaign following his 46-36 loss in the primary to state Sen. Sean Ryan.

Miami, FL Mayor

The Miami City Commission voted Thursday to immediately move municipal elections from odd to even years, which would postpone this fall's race to replace termed-out Mayor Francis Suarez by one year.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, however, previously issued an advisory opinion saying that the City Commission, which is the local equivalent of the city council, does not have the authority to alter the timing of the election without voter approval.

A day before the vote, Uthmeier warned that "my office reserves the right to consider all available actions to prevent this violation of law from occurring."

New York, NY Mayor

Is Andrew Cuomo going to forge on to the general election despite conceding Tuesday's primary to Zohran Mamdani?

According to the New York Post, the answer is no. On Wednesday evening, the tabloid reported that the ex-governor "will almost certainly not run in the general election as an independent candidate, seeing no obvious path to victory," according to unnamed "insiders close to the Cuomo camp."

That prompted a caustic response from Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi, who tweeted, "We understand that the @nypost under Keith Poole and Rupert Murdoch, who actively worked to elect Mamdani, are attempting to drive a pressure campaign — it's just not rooted in reality."

Some time later, though, Azzopardi deleted the tweet without explanation. On Thursday evening, however, CNN reported that Cuomo would not withdraw his name from the ballot by Friday's deadline to do so, keeping open the possibility that he could keep running.

A new poll taken immediately after Cuomo's defeat, meanwhile, seems aimed at encouraging him to continue. The survey, from Honan Strategy Group, finds Cuomo and Mamdani tied at 39 apiece, with Mayor Eric Adams taking 13% as an independent and Republican Curtis Sliwa bringing up the rear with just 7%.

Honan did not disclose a client, but the firm previously conducted multiple polls of the primary on behalf of a lobbying group aligned with Cuomo that helped establish him as the frontrunner.

As for Adams, he's pressing onward. The mayor held his official campaign kickoff on Thursday, despite his minimal institutional support and limited funds. Sliwa is, too. The conservative radio host, who took 28% as the GOP nominee in the general election four years ago, told Politico's Emily Ngo, "I'm not getting out of this race unless they figure out a way to put me in a pine box and bury me six feet under."

Morning Digest: Mamdani defeats Cuomo in massive upset

Obituaries

Carolyn McCarthy

Former New York Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat who represented Long Island from 1997 until her retirement in 2015, died Thursday at the age of 81.

McCarthy, whose husband was one of the six people murdered in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road mass shooting, became a gun safety activist after the tragedy. McCarthy, a registered Republican, was frustrated when GOP Rep. Daniel Frisa voted to roll back the national assault weapons ban, and she initially considered challenging him in the primary.

Local party leaders weren't interested in supporting such a campaign, but national Democrats eagerly recruited her to run in the 4th District in 1996. McCarthy unseated Frisa in a 57-41 landslide, and she spent her 18 years in office as a prominent voice for gun safety.

The New York Times' Clyde Haberman has much more about McCarthy's unlikely political career and her long service in his obituary.

Pat Williams

Former Rep. Pat Williams, whose service from 1979 to 1997 made him the last Democrat to represent Montana in the House, died Wednesday at 87. Williams, a cousin of the legendary motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel, was also the state's longest-serving House member.

Williams was decisively elected in 1978 in the 1st District in the western part of the state, and he had no trouble holding it for the ensuing decade. Things changed in 1992, though, when Montana lost one of its two House seats following the last census. That forced Williams into a general election against his Republican colleague, Ron Marlenee, who represented eastern Montana.

Williams prevailed 50-47, and he held on 49-42 during the 1994 red wave. After the congressman retired in 1996, though, the GOP flipped his seat. (Montana regained its second congressional district after the 2020 census.)

The Montana Free Press' Tom Lutey has much more on Williams in his obituary.

Correction: This piece incorrectly said that Andre Bauer was elected to his only term as lieutenant governor of South Carolina in 2006. Bauer was elected to that office in 2002 and reelected in 2006.