Former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz has formally announced a campaign for governor.
“I have heard the hopes and concerns of Connecticut residents. I am determined to make a difference as I formally launch this campaign for Connecticut’s future”, Bysiewicz said in a statement.
The 56-year-old is a former state legislator and three-term Secretary of the state.
Bysiewicz previously had been looking to run against Republican Senator Len. Suzio in her home state senate district, but later said through her interactions with constituents that there was a desire for her to run for the state's highest office.
The Middletown native attended Yale University for her undergraduate degree and received her law degree from Duke University where she also met her husband.
She served as Secretary of the State from 2003 to 2011.
Bysiewicz is not a stranger to statewide runs, with her most recent attempt coming in 2012 when she lost a primary battle for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, eventually won by Chris Murphy.
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In 2010, Bysewiecz initially planned to run for governor, but later changed her plans to run for attorney general. She was denied ballot access after the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that she was ineligible to hold the office because she had not been a practicing attorney for ten years.
Since that roadblock, she has worked in private practice, focused on small businesses.
“As many of you know, I’ve served in the legislature, as Secretary of the State, and for the last seven years, I’ve helped over 80 small businesses grow and hire thousands of new employees. Each of these experiences has prepared me for the work ahead. There is much to be done to put our state back on track--and the best way to do it is to find common ground and work together," she said.
When she announced her exploratory committee, she said her background makes her the best choice on the Democratic side when it comes to jumpstarting Connecticut's sluggish economy. She said she wants to see a higher minimum wage, increased paid sick and family leave benefits, and pay equity among men and women.
