Greenwich cable television entrepreneur Ned Lamont has won the endorsement of one of the state’s largest unions – the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 371.
Four years ago, the union endorsed New Haven Mayor John DeStefano over Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy in the final week before the August 2006 primary that DeStefano won. But this year’s endorsement comes far earlier than the one four years ago.
The 70-year-old union has about 10,000 members in Connecticut and about 12,000 overall in Connecticut, Vermont, and western Massachusetts. The union is the largest in Fairfield County and the fourth largest in the state AFL-CIO.
“We need Ned as the next governor of Connecticut to stand up for us, and so today we’re standing up for him,” said Brian Petronella, the union’s well-known president. “Ned’s spent his whole life creating jobs. He built a business from the ground up, and he’s not afraid to make tough choices in order to protect Connecticut’s working families.”
Petronella added, “Ned has shown us that he has the courage to tackle the problems facing our state head on, with a fresh perspective and the kind of clear vision that Hartford has been lacking for two decades. The members of UFCW Local 371 are proud to support him.”
In a statement, Lamont said, “My top priority as governor will be to create good jobs, like the ones the folks at the UFCW have fought for over the years. Jobs that pay a fair wage, provide safe working conditions and offer fair benefits.”
While neither Lamont nor Malloy has broadcast television commercials yet, Malloy has started a paid online campaign that will be seen on “hundreds of Connecticut news and information websites, including key political blogs,” the campaign said.
The ads show Malloy talking about his life, his 14 years as Stamford’s mayor, and his plans for the future.
“We’re running a smart, disciplined, and targeted campaign that reaches out to the right voters at the right time. This online advertising is another component of that effort,” campaign manager Dan Kelly said in a statement. “We see advertising as one more tool to engage voters, and to let them learn more about Dan Malloy, his record of accomplishment in Stamford, and his plan for getting Connecticut back on track.”