Candidate For Governor Ned Lamont Meets Voters in Westport Diner

With the primary Tuesday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont visited with lunchtime customers Saturday in the Sherwood Diner on Post Road East.

Moving from table to table introducing himself, Lamont ended up having his lengthiest conversation with a family from Florida, who peppered him with questions about Connecticut politics and what he'd do as governor.

Lamont said it was "good news" that Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell chose not to seek reelection. "She's a good person," he said, "but the state went bankrupt on her watch."

Lamont emphasized his background as a businessperson who founded Lamont Digital Systems in 1984 as a reason to elect him as governor.

Lamont, who is chairman of the Greenwich company, said it now serves over 250 college campuses with foreign language, distance learning, and cable television services.

Asked where Mary Glassman, his running mate for lieutenant governor, was, Lamont said she was campaigning, but didn't know where.

Lamont is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Dannell "Dan" Malloy, the former mayor of Stamford, who is the endorsed candidate of the Connecticut Democratic Party.

Meantime, Republicans face a three-way contest in their primary, with Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, former abassador to Ireland Thomas C. Folly, and businessman R. Nelson "Oz" Griebel in the running. Foley won the Republican state party's endorsement. 

Lamont's staff said he'd spend the rest of the day traveling upstate, visiting various town festivals along the way.