CT Governor Race

CT Governor Race, Lieutenant Governor Is Boughton, or is still Mayor Boughton?

With the election results in the city of Bridgeport still in play on Tuesday night, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and his Republican running mate, Tom Foley, were reluctant to declare victory over Democrat Dan Malloy and Nancy Wyman.

O grant.

“It’s very, very close, and we are waiting for the big cities that report,” said Boughton The News-Times, shortly before midnight.

Boughton spent the night with Foley at the Hyatt Regency in Old Greenwich with his wife, Phyllis, other relatives and many followers.

In the past, the position of lieutenant governor was largely ceremonial role, but 46 years of age, Boughton said it will be a visible public official and close ties with the legislature and the municipalities.

Boughton said Foley would link the governor’s office and legislature, and between the state administration and cities and towns.

Born and raised in Danbury, Boughton teaches social studies at Danbury High School for 14 years before entering politics.

He served three years representing the 138th General Assembly District in Hartford before being elected to his first term as mayor of the heavily Democratic city in 2001, a position once held by his father, Donald Boughton.

Last year, won his fifth term of two years with 65 percent of the vote. He is the senior Republican mayor in city history.

Boughton sparked controversy and drew attention to state and national level in 2005 to ask the Connecticut State Police deputize enforce federal immigration laws.

Also lobbied the U.S. Congress to act on immigration reform and appeared on national television programs on the subject.

In the past five years, the debate over immigration has led to massive demonstrations at City Hall, the unit marches down the main street, and a controversial partnership between local police and federal immigration agents.

While the issue further Boughton name recognition across the state, talks about illegal immigration was largely absent from the rhetoric that led to Tuesday’s election.

Most Republicans, including Boughton himself, said voters are more concerned about other issues, especially jobs and the economy.

Boughton started dropping hints about a possible candidacy for governor less than a week after winning reelection in November.

But in May, after raising and less than 50,000 for his campaign, he abandoned his own candidacy for governor and accepted the second slot in the main season ticket headed by Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele today, seeking the Republican nomination for governor.

While Castro lost his bid for the top spot at the convention in May, Boughton won overwhelming support from delegates for the No. 2 job, although he had to survive a primary challenge of Lisa Wilson-Foley of Simsbury in August .

When Foley defeated in the primary Fedele, Boughton had a new mate.