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The Basic Questions Candidates For Governor Aren't Answering

Ryan Caron King/Lori Mack
/
Connecticut Public Radio
Democratic gubernatorial candidates Joe Ganim and Ned Lamont have talked a lot about each other, but not as much about how they specifically would address the state's looming multi-billion dollar budget shortfalls.

With just three weeks before the August 14 Democratic and Republican primaries, taglines and sound bytes are all the rage in the governor's race. Positions on a substantive issue? Not so much.

For GOP hopeful Steve Obsitnik, this year's election is about "Makers vs. Takers." His Republican rivals have catch-phrases of their own. Bob Stefanowski touts himself as "Bob the Rebuilder," while David Stemerman proclaims the next governor needs an "outside the box" vision.

On the Democratic side, Joe Ganim and Ned Lamont are spending a lot of time feuding over whose yacht or country club was more exclusionary.

Not among the candidates' typical talking points is how any of them specifically would reduce state spending to address the projected multi-billion dollar budget deficits confronting Connecticut. 

This week's panel discusses that and other basic questions these would-be governors, as well as those running for Congress, should be answering but aren't.

Also on the topic list is the $10 million toll study being considered by the State Bond Commission, and why U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal's forthcoming grilling of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is likely to be the most important assignment of Blumenthal's long political career. Is he up to the challenge?

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.