Connecticut voters are giving incumbent Gov. Ned Lamont a decisive edge over Republican state senator Ryan Fazio, according to the first Quinnipiac University poll of the governor’s race released on September 13. Lamont leads 55% to 38%, a 17‑point margin that makes him the first governor in the state since 1954 to enjoy a double‑digit lead over a challenger.
Gender gap drives the lead
The poll attributes much of Lamont’s advantage to a persistent gender gap. Among women, Lamont enjoys a 64% to 30% lead, while men are slightly more favorable to Fazio, 47% to 44%. This pattern underscores the continued tendency of women in Connecticut to support Democratic candidates.
Debate controversy
Fazio, 36, has criticized Lamont for limiting the number of debates to two televised events and for refusing to hold any before early voting begins on Oct. 19. “For the governor not to want to debate more than two times, but also not to want to debate before early voting starts — and tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Connecticut voters have already made their decision — it’s a disservice to the public,” Fazio said.
Lamont’s campaign counters that the governor has already agreed to ten public events, including eight forums and two debates. “The Fazio campaign doesn’t want to debate more, they want to create more noise,” spokeswoman Lauren Gray said.
Enthusiasm and name recognition
While Lamont enjoys strong name recognition, the poll shows a modest dip in enthusiasm for a third term. Only 27% of Lamont supporters describe themselves as “very enthusiastic,” compared with 39% of Fazio backers. However, a majority of Lamont voters (53%) say they are “somewhat enthusiastic,” indicating solid baseline support.
Fazio trails significantly in name recognition, prompting his push for additional head‑to‑head events. The two scheduled debates will take place on Oct. 22 on WFSB and Oct. 27 on WTNH, both at 7 p.m.
Voter satisfaction and economy
More than half of respondents say they are at least somewhat satisfied with how things are going in Connecticut (8% very satisfied, 44% somewhat satisfied). Yet economic sentiment is mixed: 34% rate the state economy as “not so good” and 19% as “poor,” while only 2% call it excellent.
National context
The poll also captured a snapshot of President Donald J. Trump’s approval rating, which sits at 28% with 67% disapproving. While the figure reflects a challenging environment for the President, it remains a single data point in a broader national conversation.
Methodology
The Quinnipiac poll surveyed 1,288 likely voters via live telephone interviews conducted between Sept. 8 and Sept. 14. The sample was drawn using random digit dialing of landlines and cell phones and carries a margin of error of ±3.8 percentage points.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
