Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz says in a new announcement

Exactly in the middle, the ad pivots to Stefanowski.

“Bob Stefanowski was endorsed by Donald Trump,” Bysiewicz says in a split-screen image of Trump and Stefanowski. “He is backed by extremists who fought to overthrow Roe. It even got an A rating from the NRA.

Two of the three claims are unquestionably true, if outdated: Trump and the NRA endorsed Stefanowski — albeit in 2018, not 2022.

On reproductive rights, Stefanowski says he supports current Connecticut laws affirming a right to abortion until fetal viability, but he supports requiring parental notification for underage girls to terminate a pregnancy. .

And that stance has earned her the compliments of a prominent abortion opponent, Peter Wolfgang of the Family Institute. Democrats also discussed a planned fundraiser for Stefanowski with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, an abortion opponent who co-chairs the Republican Governors Association. Ricketts later canceled his attendance.

Stefanowski declined to say whether he would have signed a new law declaring Connecticut a “safe harbor” against lawsuits against out-of-state women seeking abortions here or against providers. abortion. His running mate, Representative Laura Devlin of Fairfield, voted in favour.

In response, the Stefanowski campaign offered its own comparison to 2018 and pivoted on inflation, its favorite 2022 theme.

Stefanowski indicated that he was not seeking endorsement this year from the NRA or any other group requiring the completion of a candidate questionnaire. He says he supports Connecticut’s current gun safety laws, including universal background checks and limits on large-capacity military-style weapons imposed after the Sandy Hook school massacre.

Like most Republican candidates running for office in Connecticut, Stefanowski broke with the former president over his claim that President Joe Biden won by fraud.

When Bysiewicz’s ad airs on Tuesday, it will be one of two different committees trying to capitalize on elements of Stefanowski’s first campaign, a reminder that a previous campaign sets some sort of record for someone who doesn’t. never held a position.

A super PAC funded by the Democratic Governors Association runs an ad reminding voters of Stefanowski’s past as the CEO of a payday loan company. He also reiterates Democratic findings that his 2018 proposal to phase out the income tax could only be achieved by cutting essential services and municipal assistance.

Stefanowski hasn’t backed down from the income tax proposal, but it’s not a feature of his current campaign. In response to Bysiewicz’s announcement, the Stefanowski campaign offered its own comparison to 2018 and a mention of inflation, its favorite 2022 theme.

“If Governor Lamont and Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz want to continue to run a campaign from four years ago, can we start by looking at food, fuel and family costs from four years ago and the compare to the prices that crush everyone in Connecticut. today because of their higher taxes,” said Stefanowski adviser Liz Kurantowicz.

Candidates for lieutenant governor raise their own money and have separate nominating committees, though voters must vote for a ticket in November, not separately for governor and lieutenant governor.

Bysiewicz started July with $347,407 in cash in his campaign account. Devlin, who was chosen in April as Stefanowski’s running mate, had $123,131. Devlin is not mentioned in Bysiewicz’s announcement.