Thomas Breen photo
Karen DuBois-Walton addresses the Democratic state convention in May.
Karen DuBois-Walton announced Tuesday that her campaign for state treasurer has raised enough money to qualify for public financing.
DuBois-Walton, who runs New Haven’s housing authority, said the campaign crossed the $86,000 threshold of needed minimum contributions last week, so she’s submitted paperwork to the Citizens’ Election Program to qualify for a $484,125 grant to help get her word out.
She is facing two fellow Democrats in an Aug. 9 primary: Erick Russell, a New Haven attorney endorsed by the state party at a May convention; and Dita Bhargava, a former Wall Street trader from Greenwich who sought the position in 2018. They both have also announced raising enough money to qualify for the state funds.
“I am thrilled. Our team worked really hard at this,” DuBois-Walton said. “It shows that we are in there.”
To date the campaign has raised $99,497 from 752 contributors, she reported.
State Rep. Harry Arora, a Republican seeking the position, has already been approved to receive the state grant.
First-term State Treasurer Shawn Wooden is not running for reelection.
The linked article by Hugh McQuaid is profoundly misleading when it says, "Neither Gov. Ned Lamont nor his Republican opponent, Bob Stefanowski are expected to participate in the program this year. Both men are independently wealthy and declined to access public funding in 2018 when both spent millions of their own funds on their campaigns." Lamont's and Stefanowski's wealth is nowhere near equivalent. Lamont's wealth is several times that of Stefanowski's, as in basketball team owner to basketball player. Lamont spent about $15 million of his own money, Stefanowski about $3 million. Overall, Lamont spent $16 million, Stefanowski $6.6 million. Lamont comes from old money, Stefanowski comes from no money.
https://seec.ct.gov/eCrisReporting/Data/Attachment/Unassigned/SEEC30_Supplemental_Termination_Report_1_(Non_Standard)_74411.PDF
https://seec.ct.gov/eCrisReporting/Data/Attachment/Unassigned/SEEC30_Termination_Filing_General_Election_Selected_for_Post-Election_Review_69234.PDF