A Connecticut Party

A Connecticut Party was a political party formed by former Republican Senator and gubernatorial candidate Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. in 1990.^[1] Weicker subsequently won the election and served a single term as Governor of Connecticut. The party was intentionally named in a manner so as to fall first, alphabetically, on the ballot.^[2]

In 1992 the party held its first convention with 350 delegates attending. At the convention the party endorsed more than 100 candidates for the General Assembly (about 80 Democrats, 16 A Connecticut Party candidates and a "handful of Republicans").^[3]

In 1994, Weicker's Lieutenant Governor, Eunice Groark, carried the ACP banner into the Governor's race, but was defeated, finishing third with 18.9% of the vote. In other races for statewide or federal office the party mostly endorsed Democrats including incumbents Joe Lieberman for US Senate, Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal; state Treasurer, Joseph M. Suggs Jr. and first district Representative Barbara B. Kennelly. The party also endorsed the Democratic party candidacies of Representative Miles S. Rapoport, for secretary of the state and Charlotte Koskoff, for the Sixth District congressional seat.^[1] In the 2nd congressional district the party ran its own candidate David Bingham who finished third in a three-way race with 14.90%.

Without a statewide officeholder, the party faded from view by the mid-1990s.

References

1. "A Connecticut Party Endorses Lieberman". New York Times, July 07, 1994
2. Two parties-or more? by John F. Bibby and Louis Sandy Maisel
3. "Third Party Celebrates Its Second Year" by Andrew L. Yarrow, New York Times,July 27, 1992