Governor Dannel Malloy has been an ally for the immigrant community in Connecticut, according to John Lugo, an organizer for Unidad Latino En Accion in New Haven.
“Through him we were able to have the driver licenses, to pass the Trust Act which limited collaboration between law enforcement and immigration,” Lugo said. “I guess it’s going to be a big loss.”
A lifelong Connecticut resident, Frank Zoni from Hamden said he sees Malloy’s decision to not seek re-election as a win for the state.
“I feel wonderful,” Zoni said, “he’s made a mess out of Stamford and he’s made a mess out of this state financially.”
Zoni told NBC Connecticut he would like to see someone from the Republican Party become the state’s next governor.
“In fact, the whole legislature should come from the Republican Party cause the state legislature isn’t doing any good,” he added.
Now that Malloy won’t be fighting for a third term as governor, Connecticut’s Democratic Party Executive Director Michael Mandell said he can focus on priorities in his agenda during his remaining 20 months in office.
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“Politics is not the end all be all,” Mandell said. “That what he’s focused on is resolving the budget, is pushing a criminal justice reform agenda, is making that we have a vibrant and sustained economy.”
National politics will play a role in the 2018 race for governor, Mandell said.
“We’ve got a cast of characters on the other side of the aisle that are fighting to get close to Donald Trump,” he said.
In New Haven, Lugo just hopes the next leader of the state will listen to the concerns of the immigrant population.
“I think it’s important to keep the legacy of Malloy and maybe to strengthen some of the policies that he create at the state level,” Lugo said.
On the democratic side, Middletown Mayor Dan Drew has raised more than $100,000 for a potential run for governor in 2018.
Republican State Rep. Dr. Prasad Srinivasan of Glastonbury and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti have officially entered the race to replace Malloy.
