Advancing Connecticut, a new super PAC funded exclusively by the Republican Governors Association, reported Friday that it spent $920,000 on advertising attacking Gov. Ned Lamont on broadcast and cable television.
His opposing operation, the Democratic Governors Association-funded Stronger CT committee, has spent $1.4 million since mid-July opposing the Republican candidate, Bob Stefanowski.
The latest round of reported spending brings total spending in the Connecticut governor’s race to at least $14.6 million. So far, it’s a fairly even fight, with $7.4 million spent by Republicans and $7.2 million by Democrats.
Needless to say, more will come with three more months of campaigning. Neither candidate faces a challenge in Tuesday’s primary.
The Democratic governor and his Republican challenger opted out of the state’s Voluntary Citizens Election Program, as they did when they first faced off in 2018.
This year, participation in the Citizens’ Choice Program would have limited their total spending to about $8 million each for the entire campaign, most of it in public grants of $7.7 million.
As of July 1, Stefanowski had spent $4.2 million of the $10 million he personally deposited into his campaign account. It has also raised $1.1 million from donors. Lamont’s self-funded campaign spent $6.3 million.
Campaigns for state office in Connecticut are limited to maximum contributions of $3,500. The limit for participants in the public funding program is $290.
But there is no limit on contributions to super PACs, and top donors this year contributed $750,000.
Aside from the RGA affiliate, there are two other super PACs opposing Lamont.
CT Truth PAC has spent nearly $1.6 million. Parents Against Stupid Stuff has spent $200,000 on a website, digital ads and direct mail accusing Lamont of not speaking out against what it considers inappropriate sex education lessons.
The first is funded primarily by three businessmen: David Kelsey of Old Lyme and Thomas E. McInerney of Westport each gave $750,000; Raymond Debbane of Greenwich, an investor and chairman of Weight Watchers, gave $100,000.
The Democratic and Republican Governors’ Associations, which raise money from business interests and private donors, are the sole donors to Stronger CT and Advancing Connecticut.
With money flowing through the groups’ national accounts, money spent by the RGA and DGA in Connecticut cannot be easily assigned to specific donors.