Dan Malloy and Nancy Wyman have made progress — and newspapers across the state are lining up behind them as we hit the homestretch.
In the last three days, we’ve picked up four endorsements from newspapers across the state. That means every major outlet so far has encouraged its readership to support Dan Malloy and Nancy Wyman:
- The Hartford Courant
- The New Haven Register
- The Hearst Connecticut Media Group (CT Post/Stamford Advocate/Danbury News Times/Greenwich Times)
- The New London Day
- The Greenwich Post
- The Norwich Bulletin
The editorial boards picked Dan Malloy because he’s led us through tough times, and all we’ve accomplished is merely a jumping off point for the next four years. They know Tom Foley has failed to articulate specifics about even the most basic policy issues and has no vision for the future.
Here’s a roundup of what they’ve had to say about this race.
The Hartford Courant
On Dan Malloy:
“Mr. Malloy, 59, is something Connecticut hasn’t seen in a while, a hands-on manager who took on the serious problems facing the state.”
…
“Mr. Malloy was also criticized for the $400 million in tax breaks approved earlier this year for United Technologies Corp. UTC supports hundreds of suppliers and contractors and is critical to the state’s aerospace and engineering industries. The tax deal is supposed to trigger a $500 million expansion by UTC. What governor wouldn’t try to keep as many UTC operations in the state as possible?
…
“…he has grown in the job, and offers the state the best chance for progress in the next four years.”
On Tom Foley:
“…he often seems disinterested and incurious, his knowledge of issues superficial, his campaign sloppy at times. His message is purposefully vague, something on the order of: “I’m not Malloy. I’m a businessman. Trust me.”
The New Haven Register
On Dan Malloy:
“Malloy showed strong leadership from the start in Newtown. As families waited desperately for updates in the aftermath of the shooting, Malloy stepped up himself to deliver the horrible news that their loved ones had died.”
…
“Connecticut’s unemployment rate in September fell to 6.4 percent, its lowest point since November 2008, according to the state Department of Labor. More than 11,000 jobs were added in September.
…
“…overall he has proven to be a capable leader worthy of another four years in office. We urge voters to give him that opportunity.”
On Tom Foley:
“…Foley has offered only vague proposals for how he would do better — despite a campaign that dates back to his first run against Malloy in 2010.”
…
“Foley’s unwillingness to share exactly how he will fill gaps in the budget and his questionable past with unions makes him too unpredictable for the labor leaders to trust.”
The Hearst Connecticut Media Group
On Dan Malloy:
“…Gov. Dan Malloy has done an admirable job in pulling the state up the grade over these last four years. He remains the man for the job, in the opinion of Hearst Connecticut Media Group.
…
“Malloy’s emphasis on education — it can be a great equalizer in this state of disparity.
“And let us note that Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman is a more than competent partner in governance. Her skill was evident in her ushering of the Affordable Health Care Act into Connecticut. The hill remains in front of us, but the severity of the grade seems to be easing. That’s partly because of the leadership of Dan Malloy and we believe another four-year term may get us to the top of the hill.”
On Tom Foley:
“…second-time Republican candidate Tom Foley’s response to specific questions are often vague, defensive and, essentially, variations on ‘Trust me. I’m a problem solver.’”
…
“…he provides no examples nor insight into which agencies require improvement or overhaul, making it hard to evaluate what his approach to the problem might be.”
The New London Day
On Dan Malloy:
“No Connecticut governor, and perhaps few governors anywhere, ever faced the fiscal calamity that confronted Gov. Malloy after his 2010 election. The $3.5 billion black hole was the largest deficit in proportion to the budget in the country.”
…
“Gov. Malloy has done well enough to deserve this one. The Day endorses Dannel P. Malloy in the race for governor.”
On Tom Foley:
“…he needs to lay out a plan as to how his governing would be different and better. He has not done so, instead sticking with bumper sticker generalities.”
…
“It is hard to envision where a Foley administration would take Connecticut.”
The Greenwich Post
On Dan Malloy:
“We have all witnessed the terrible crises of the past four years, from the impact of Hurricane Sandy to the unfathomable tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. Every time, Mr. Malloy has been the steady leader we’ve needed. With more work ahead to lift the state’s economy, he and Ms. Wyman are the ones who deserve the chance to do it right.”
…
“The choice in 2014 is as clear as it was in 2010. Dannel Malloy deserves to lead this state into better times ahead.”
On Tom Foley:
“Putting aside the plagiarism charges, there is little to Mr. Foley’s plans. They speak in generalities when we need real ideas. When you add this to Mr. Foley willingness to cozy up to far-right groups like the gun-hugging Connecticut Citizens Defense League and the gay-hating Connecticut Family Institute, you have to wonder if he would simply parrot any idea he thought would close the gap that kept him from victory in 2010.”
The Norwich Bulletin
On Dan Malloy:
“Governing involves making the tough choices, which Malloy has done, and which are not always popular. Leadership is about making difficult decisions under less than ideal circumstances, which he has repeatedly demonstrated during times of crisis.”
…
“More work needs to be done, and we believe Malloy and Wyman can get it done.”
On Tom Foley:
“Foley criticizes the governor for using “Malloy math,” but in reality, it is his plans that don’t always add up.”
…
“Under his proposal a parent with a student in a failing school could move their child to a better performing school within the district. But what if every school in the district is failing, as is the case here in Norwich? Where do you go?”
While Tom Foley has shown he lacks basic policy knowledge, Dan Malloy is moving our state forward — and major newspapers across the state recognize it. That’s why, so far, every major paper has endorsed him for four more years.
