HARTFORD, CT —The race for governor just got a little more expensive with four of the five candidates giving their campaigns more of their own money.
Democrat Ned Lamont contributed an additional $8.2 million to his campaign bringing his total investment in the race to $12.1 million, just $2 million more than his losing primary bid in 2010.
The campaign ended the month of September with $5.5 million in its war chest.
Republican Bob Stefanowski also loaned his campaign an additional $400,000 last month. That brings his total investment in his campaign up to $3 million. He has raised a total of $2 million from individuals. However, he’s spent all but $747,520 of it and he has about $148,000 in outstanding bills so he’s going to have to continue fundraising.
The Republican Governors Association has also invested about $2.58 million in television advertisements in support of Stefanowski.
Oz Griebel, the former head of the MetroHartford Alliance, has loaned his campaign about $143,500 of the total $387,000 he’s raised. Last month he loaned his campaign $76,000 and has been doing what he can to get his message across on radio and some television advertising.
Some of what Griebel has been doing is working because he received 11 percent support in the recent Quinnipiac University poll.
According to reports filed with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, Griebel has about $39,000 left in his campaign coffers heading into Election Day.
Libertarian Party candidate Rod Hanscomb also loaned his campaign $10,000 this quarter. He raised $4,200 from individuals and has about $14,000 cash on hand heading into the last four weeks.
Mark Stewart Greenstein the fifth candidate to qualify for the ballot has not raised any money from individuals, but reported he has $11,000 cash on hand. It’s unclear where the money came from.
