Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz abandoned her bid for governor to focus on attorney general after AG Dick Blumenthal saw his main chance in running to fill Chris Dodd’s promised vacancy. But Blumenthal believes that a court could have to rule on whether Bysiewicz has enough “active” experience (you need 10 years) as a lawyer to become AG.
Bysiewicz thinks otherwise, but Democratic State Central Committee chairwoman Nancy DiNardo seems not so sure.
The problem is, the issue might not become “ripe” for a judge to consider until after the party’s nominating convention the weekend of May 21, she says. The Bologster doesn’t agree, because campaigning and fundraising is going on now.
Whatever happens could be exacerbated by an August primary, because George Jepsen of Ridgefield, the former Senate majority leader/former party chairman, and state Rep. Cameron Staples, D-New Haven, co-chairman of the legislative Finance Committee, are also interested in the AG seat. While Bysiewicz has well over $400,000 in her war chest and statewide recognition that made her the favorite to win the governor’s race, Jepsen and Staples each have about a quarter-century of experience in legal practice and statewide political connections that could at the least give them the 15-percent of delegate support to force a primary.
“I am concerned about the impact this might have on our convention,” DiNardo told the Blogster this afternoon after contemplating for a couple days Blumenthal’s belief that a court may have to decide on Bysiewicz’s credentials. “I will confer with our legal counsel and others to determine whether we have standing. I’ll also be conferring with Susan Bysiewicz before I make a decision.”
FYI: The last Republican attorney general was John Bracken of Hartford, who served from 1955 to 1959.