Stage is set for state primary

Both major political parties hold primary elections for statewide offices on Tuesday, Aug. 10, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Republicans running for the nomination for governor: Tom Foley of Greenwich, Michael Fedele of Stamford, and Oz Griebel of Simsbury.

Foley, the front-runner with 48 percent among likely Republican primary voters in a July 15 Quinnipiac University poll, was endorsed at the state party convention; Fedele, with 13 percent, is the current lieutenant governor. Griebel (7 percent) is a business executive and is supported by state Sen. Andrew Roraback (R-30) of Goshen. Another 32 percent are undecided.

Democrats Ned Lamont, a Greenwich executive, and former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy are vying for their party’s nomination for governor. Lamont defeated U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Democratic senate primary in 2006 but lost in the general election to the senator, who ran as an independent.

The Quinnipiac Poll shows Lamont leading Malloy 46 to 37 percent among likely Democratic primary voters, with 16 percent undecided.

For the nomination to run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Chris Dodd (D), Attorney General Richard Blumenthal was nominated by the Democrats at their state convention in May.

The GOP nominated Greenwich executive Linda McMahon with 52 percent of the vote at the Republican convention in May. Former Congressman Rob Simmons received 45 percent at the convention, and remains on the ballot, although he has not campaigned since late May. Peter Schiff also qualified for the ballot in June.

Among the Republicans looking for the nomination to run against incumbent Rep. Chris Murphy (D-5) for the U.S. House of Representatives are state Sen. Sam Caligiuri of Waterbury, Justin Bernier of Plainville and Mark Greenberg of Litchfield. Caligiuri won the vote at the state convention with 67 percent; Bernier received 33 percent. Greenberg qualified for the ballot in June.

Looking ahead to the general election in November, the Quinnipiac poll had either Democratic contender defeating any of the Republicans for governor:

Lamont would defeat Foley 45 to 33 percent, Fedele, 49 to 27 percent and Griebel 49 to 25 percent.

Malloy would beat Foley 44 to 33 percent, Fedele 49 to 26 percent and Griebel 51 to 25 percent.

(From July 7 to 13, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,367 Connecticut registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

Quinnipiac also conducted separate surveys July 6 to 13 of 668 likely Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points and 854 likely Republican primary voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.)

Absentee ballots

Voters who are registered Democrats or Republicans may appear in person at their town hall to apply for and receive absentee ballots up until the close of business on Aug. 9. Voters can apply by mail as well; call your town hall for information.

Unaffiliated voters who wish to register as a Democrat or Republican to vote in the primary may do so in person up until noon on Aug. 9.

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