{news} Shapiro and Brown get passing reference in Newsday

[David Bedell]

Newsday
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--dualcandidates1105nov05,0,4886611.story

DeStefano, Malloy running for two seats at the same time

By SUSAN HAIGH
AP Political Writer

November 5, 2005, 12:06 PM EST

HARTFORD, Conn. -- New Haven Mayor John DeStefano and Stamford Mayor Dan 
Malloy want voters to know they're the right men for the jobs: all three of 
them.

The two Democrats are running for re-election as mayor of their respective 
cities on Tuesday. They're also running for the highest office in the state 
_ governor _ in November 2006.

Both men claim they are committed to their cities and that competing for the 
Democratic gubernatorial nomination doesn't take anything away from their 
dedication. In fact, they claim most of their constituents are enthusiastic 
about their aspirations for higher office.

"I think the reality is, overwhelmingly, people know that it is probably 
good to have a governor from your hometown," said Malloy, who is seeking his 
fourth term as mayor.

But not everyone is so enthusiastic. In both mayoral races, the challengers 
have accused Malloy and DeStefano of hedging their bets, not wanting to risk 
losing their day jobs for a chance at governor. The challengers also 
insinuate that both politicians are not fully committed to leading their 
respective cities.

"He's running for governor and he's running for mayor and he's supposed to 
be running the city of Stamford," said Malloy's Republican challenger, Chris 
Munger, a special agent with the FBI for 25 years. "It's amazing the number 
of people who've come up to me and who've said, 'I'm voting for you. How can 
he run for governor?"'

Munger has posted "Stamford First" on his signs in a reference to Malloy's 
campaign for two jobs.

Malloy also faces Green Party candidate Darek Shapiro.

Munger said he believes Malloy is trying to get as much public exposure with 
the voters as possible in hopes of boosting his chances for governor. Malloy 
has been running a TV ad that features his accomplishments as mayor. The 
spot is running across the state, including on Hartford television stations 
that traditionally don't have large audiences in Stamford.

Malloy maintains he is only attempting to gain maximum exposure for his 
mayoral race.

"I have devoted precious little time to running for governor in the last 
month," he said. "I serve as the Democratic mayor in a city that has the 
second largest Republican Party in the state. I am focused right now at 
being re-elected mayor. It has my attention, let me assure you."

In New Haven, DeStefano faces three opponents: Independent candidate Gary 
Jenkins, Green Party candidate Eric J. Brown Jr. and write-in candidate 
Leslie Harper Blatteau.

Blatteau, who is running on the Guilty Party line, is distributing a flyer 
door-to-door that features a caricature of DeStefano holding two sacks of 
money. It reads: "DeStefano's bags are already packed for Hartford. The LAST 
thing New Haven needs is an absentee mayor. Tell John to run for governor on 
his own time."

Blatteau said New Haven voters have concerns about crime and rising rents, 
and many feel DeStefano has been too preoccupied with his campaign for 
governor.

"He tried to sort of sell it at the debate that all of New Haven is running 
for governor," she said. "I'm not running for governor. My neighbor isn't 
running for governor. We want a mayor who is going to be here and take care 
of the needs of the city."

DeStefano, who is seeking his seventh two-year term, maintains he is 
committed to his mayoral race despite his political ambitions.

"We take the mayoral campaign seriously, just like I do the governor's job. 
They're two different efforts, and we're managing them," he said.

Ken Dautrich, a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut 
and an expert on polling, said he doubts any new name recognition DeStefano 
or Malloy pick up during their mayoral races will help them much in a 
matchup with Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who has a near 80 percent 
approval rating among Connecticut voters.

"They know it's a huge uphill battle to run against Jodi Rell. Rell is the 
strongest incumbent probably in the state's history, at least since we've 
been doing polls," Dautrich said. "I don't think, in their heart of hearts, 
Malloy or DeStefano are deluded into thinking they have a good chance of 
winning."

Dautrich said he believes both men are running for mayor because they want 
to have a job after the gubernatorial election. In the meantime, Dautrich 
said, they can hedge their bets that Connecticut's economy might tank or 
some unforeseen political scandal develops.

Dautrich said he also believes DeStefano and Malloy are positioning 
themselves for the 2010 gubernatorial election.

Both Malloy and DeStefano have dismissed Rell's high poll numbers and 
predicted her approval ratings will drop once she is challenged on key 
issues such as Connecticut's dismal job growth and rising college tuition.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE: Susan Haigh has covered the Connecticut statehouse and 
political scene since 1993.

Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.