New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart hints at new run for governor, says Connecticut Republicans must get more progressive

In a signal that she might again run for governor in 2022, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart announced Tuesday she’s organizing a drive to build the GOP in Connecticut and shift it closer toward the political center.

“This is going to be a difficult year for Republicans, no doubt about it,” Stewart said, acknowledging that national polls show widespread dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s hard-right administration.

“We need to see Republicans remain a viable party in Connecticut,” Stewart said. “I know if the Republican Party wants to survive in this state, they need to change the narrative -- they need to start listening to people like me.”

Stewart announced she is relaunching the STEWPAC political action committee she established years ago for a mayoral campaign in the city. This time, she envisions it promoting moderate Republican candidates across the state in the November state House and Senate elections.

When asked about her plan, state Republican Chairman J.R. Romano said “Erin has a following and it’s certainly deserved.” Romero praised her nearly seven years as New Britain’s mayor, saying “She was able to fix the financial house without a state bailout like [Hartford Mayor] Luke Bronin got.”

Stewart, 33, has been trying to move the state GOP leftward for years, arguing that its conservative wing has been alienating voters over social issues.

She warned at the start of the 2018 gubernatorial race that “We can’t put up Tom Foley again and expect to be successful.” Foley lost elections in 2010 and 2014 to Democrat Dannel P. Malloy.

Stewart portrayed herself as a socially progressive young female candidate with bipartisan backing. The GOP solidly rejected her candidacy, though, and instead chose Bob Stefanowski. Stefanowski not only lost the general election, but Democrats that year won control of the state Senate and widened their House majority.

Stewart was a decidedly nontraditional candidate, describing herself as fiscally conservative but moderate to liberal on social issues. She’s a Second Amendment supporter but is also in favor of abortion rights, and in every election season wins endorsements from labor unions. She’s on her fourth term as mayor, consistently winning big in a heavily Democratic city

But Stewart had little name recognition outside of central Connecticut when she got into the 2018 race many months after her opponents. With little financing or statewide political experience, she made no inroads with the GOP’s conservative wing. She dropped out just before the convention, and lost a primary when she tried to get on the ticket as lieutenant governor.

Stewart wouldn’t declare Tuesday whether she’s planning another run in 2022, but said “I’ll never close any door for opportunity. It’s always a consideration. When I look at my experience running in 2018, I’ll be exploring every option as it leads up to 2022."

Many Democrats in Connecticut are expecting a “blue wave” at the polls in November as a backlash against Trump. If that happens, it might cost the GOP even more seats in the General Assembly. Stewart said that would just hurt taxpayers.

“We see our tax bills going up and up,” she said. “We love to point fingers and play the blame game, but we don’t like to actually vote for people who will change it -- and that’s because we’re not putting forth candidates who really connect with citizens.”

Her PAC would spend money to support moderate Republican candidates, she said. Small government and fiscal responsibility are values that the party should be stressing, she said.

“We have to elevate our voices even louder to say ‘here’s why you should vote for Republican ideology -- less government, pro-business, not necessarily the things spewing from President Trump,” Stewart said. “The GOP shouldn’t just stand for Grand Old Party. For me, it means Government Of The People.”

Don Stacom can be reached at dstacom@courant.com.

___

(c)2020 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.)

Visit The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.) at www.courant.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.