Priyanka Srivastava

Staff Writer

The race for governor draws to a close, and after watching countless political ads and months of campaigning, we will finally find out the governor of Connecticut on November 4. Incumbent Dan Malloy, a Democrat, was challenged by Tom Foley, a Republican. It really is anyone’s race, and has been one of the closest in the country. Many New England states, which are traditionally Democratic, have elected Republican governors in the past years. Malloy was the first Democrat to hold the seat in two decades. According to polls, Foley has had an advantage over Malloy in suburban areas, while Malloy is favored in urban areas.

Foley and Malloy had previously competed for the seat in 2010. The election was close, but Malloy won by 6,404 votes. Foley challenged his previous opponent again, and beat Republican John McKinney in the Republican primary.

Both men have impressive resumes. Foley has a degree from Harvard and was the Ambassador to Ireland from 2006 to 2009. He founded the NTC Company, a private investment company, in 1985, and served in Iraq in order to encourage the growth of the private sector within Iraq.

Malloy attended Boston College and was the mayor of Stamford for 14 years, making him the longest serving mayor for the city. Prior to that, he was an assistant attorney general in Brooklyn, NY, and a member of many notable groups such as the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Stamford Cultural Development Organization, and the president of the Connecticut Council of Municipalities.

As governor, Malloy’s legislation has been subject to mixed reviews. After the Sandy Hook tragedy in December 2012, he revamped the gun laws, making them one of the strictest in the country. They required background checks on private gun sales; put forth a ban on magazines which can hold more than 10 rounds; and expanded the list of guns on the assault weapons ban list. This has been subject to much scrutiny by those who abide by the Second Amendment, including the National Rifle Association.  In addition, Malloy has signed legislation which will increase the minimum wage to $10.10 by 2017, ban the death penalty, and decriminalize marijuana.

If elected, Foley plans on making Connecticut more hospitable toward businesses, some of which face burdening regulations and paperwork, which can discourage the growth of businesses and jobs. He also plans to fix underperforming schools and give kids the option to go to the public school of their choice.

If reelected, Malloy plans to allow college graduates and students to refinance student loans at lower rates. He also hopes to grant $10 million in school security infrastructure grants to make public schools safer.

Connecticut will make its choice known at the polls November 4. (Courtesy of tomfoleyct.com, danmalloy2014.com, balletpedia.org)