Foley’s $1.4 million payday

FILE - In this May 17, 2014 file photo, Republican candidate Tom Foley accepts the nomination for governor at the Connecticut Republican Convention in Uncasville, Conn. Foley will use Connecticut's public financing program to fund his second gubernatorial campaign after spending millions of his own money on the 2010 election, his spokesman confirmed Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILE – In this May 17, 2014 file photo, Republican candidate Tom Foley accepts the nomination for governor at the Connecticut Republican Convention in Uncasville, Conn. Foley will use Connecticut’s public financing program to fund his second gubernatorial campaign after spending millions of his own money on the 2010 election, his spokesman confirmed Tuesday, June 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

Republican Tom Foley’s evolution from prolific self-funder to a publicly-subsidized candidate for governor is complete.

The state Elections Enforcement Commission awarded Foley $1.4 million in taxpayer funds Wednesday for his GOP primary campaign against state Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield.

“Tom is pleased to have qualified for the grant,” said Chris Cooper, a spokesman for Foley. “With the fundraising phase of the campaign now over, Tom’s time and resources can be entirely focused on communicating with voters about how smarter policies and better leadership can fix Connecticut’s problems and move our state in a better direction.”

McKinney’s application to the Citizens’ Election Program is still pending.

Foley, the U.S. ambassador to Ireland under President George W. Bush and a private equity manager from Greenwich, spent $11 million of his own fortune in a narrow defeat to Democrat Dannel P. Malloy in 2010.

Foley’s public funding application first appeared on the commission’s June 18 agenda, the same day that a competing application from Malloy was approved by the agency. Malloy was eligible for $6 million because he does not have a primary opponent.

Foley was forced to wait an additional two weeks while his staff furnished the commission with additional information on contributors to his campaign as part of the commission’s standard audit process.

Major party candidates for governor must raise $250,000 in $100 increments to qualify for the Citizens’ Election Program.

Foley earned the GOP’s endorsement for governor during the state party convention in May.

Neil Vigdor