Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is no longer headed to Connecticut Tuesday. The co-chair of the Republican Governor’s Association was making the trek to the Nutmeg state to raise money at a private residence for Republican gubernatorial candidate, Bob Stefanowski.
“He had a scheduling conflict,” Stefanowski said in Torrington at a rally against a scheduled increase in diesel fuel.
“We are not going to reschedule him, but we are moving forward with the fundraiser,” Stefanowski said.
He quipped: “I’ll be the star attraction.”
Ricketts visit was seen as problematic for Stefanowski because of his views on abortion.
Ricketts made national news in May when he proposed seeking a ban on abortion in all cases, including rape and incest.
Stefanowski said he supports Connecticut’s current abortion laws, which codify abortion even if Roe is overturned. However, Stefanowski would like to see parental notification for 13- and 14-year-olds. But he said rape and incest should be an exception to parental notification.
He called Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s position on counseling was “extreme,” because it allows young women to seek an abortion without parental consent.
Lamont’s campaign said they weren’t surprised Ricketts is no longer coming to the state.
“After refusing to release his consulting clients and his 2018 NRA questionnaire, this is just the latest attempt from Bob to conceal his actual positions from the voters of Connecticut,” Jake Lewis, a spokesman for the campaign, said. “However Bob’s record speaks for itself: from supporting Trump and Trump’s justices that are on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade, to his promise to ‘veto any legislation that makes it tougher on gun owners.’ The simple truth remains that Bob is too extreme for Connecticut.”
The Connecticut Democratic Party planned a protest near the private residence where Stefanowski will be holding the fundraiser Tuesday.