Does Westport’s chief executive have her eye on Hartford?
Kevin Rennie thinks so.
The Hartford Courant political columnist — a former member of the Connecticut General Assembly — publishes a blog called “Daily Ructions.” He writes:
Westport First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker is preparing to seek the Republican nomination for governor, Daily Ructions has learned. Tooker has been a steady winner in vote-rich Fairfield County as fellow Republicans have been knocked over like ninepins since 2017.
Tooker has held on in Westport as the once reliably Republican town has become a Democratic stronghold, demonstrating cross-party appeal that is essential for any Republican to have a chance in a statewide contest. No Republican has won a statewide Connecticut election since incumbent Jodi Rell’s historic 2006 victory for a full term as governor.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker
Tooker will face Erin Stewart, the Republican mayor of New Britain serving her sixth and final term. Stewart on Tuesday announced to a gathering of well wishers that she intends to explore a race for governor. The early going will be the contest to raise $350,000 in small donations. This is always harder than it looks and requires a high tolerance for drudgery. Stewart learned in 2018 how difficult it was to raise $250,000 in qualifying contributions that a candidate for governor needed that year. She made a convention eve switch to the race for lieutenant governor, losing the convention endorsement and primary to Southington Republican Joe Markley.
Former volunteer soccer coach Tooker enjoys a loyal cadre of supporters in Westport, a town thick with campaign givers. Her husband, Mo, is connected in state business circles, though it can be difficult to squeeze even a few bucks out of the state’s politically timid corporate community. The state’s University of Notre Dame graduates may also pony up for fellow alum Tooker.
Four of the state’s five most recent governors have been from Fairfield County.
Both Stewart and Tooker will need to steer clear of soliciting local contractors for campaign dough. Republican Matthew Corey, a frequent candidate for high office, is also considering joining the race for governor.
The first campaign finance reports are due in April. The math tells the tale, as does a candidate’s array of ideas to share at local party committee meetings, where the questions can be unexpectedly penetrating.
First Selectwoman Tooker did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Click here to read Kevin Rennie’s blog. (Hat tip: Tom Prince)
A Republican candidate running for Govenor in CT has no chance whatsoever of winning. This deep blue state has shown time and again that it wants to play with the “Big Boys” (CA, NY, MA, NJ) as far as it’s political agenda goes. Try as she may ( or any other Red candidate for that matter); she cannot overcome the the uninformed electorate’s socialist leaning wants and needs. As always, just my opinion…
Bob, It’s been two weeks and it’s chaos in the government! After this debacle, you probably won’t see a Republican president for decades! Sit back and enjoy the folly. Personally, I might move to the 51st state.
Yes we have enough gop chaos, don’t we?
From your lips to God’s ears, Jack; but I so fear the opposite is true.
Massachusetts has had many Republican governors over the past few decades. Charlie Baker was excellent.
Fun fact: Governor Baker is married to a Westport native, Lauren Schadt.
Daughter of Jim?
Yes. He was the former CEO of Reader’s Digest and Cadbury Schweppes. Lauren (“Laurie” in her Westport days) was known as a child advocate as first lady, and now has returned to her career in marketing.
I knew a Bruce Baker. Any relation? He may have been a 1965 Staples graduate.
I wear Ted Baker shirts. Any relation?
Tooker for Governor! YES!
It would be an honor to have Jen Tooker lead our state ,
Lynda Kommel-Browne lyndakicloud@gmail.com
could you post a list of Tooker accomplishments for Westport.?
Too many foto ops to list. I liked the one where she and The Chief demonstrated whole body calisthenistics (as practiced at Town Hall).
No way! She certainly belongs in the Republican Cult…and that’s enough reason right there to vote for anyone else.
All the over-the-top town projects and runaway spending should be halted now. Yes I’m looking at you $7m maintenance shed; oversized athletic field over a beautiful community garden; rudderless P&R Commission; several disastrous ideas for downtown parking; a general lack of transparency; and slight of hand for her pet projects.
So who would be running as her Lt. Governor?
Dave Eason, super cop
Interesting article – “once reliably Republican town”? Not for at least two decades has the number of registered Republican voters even come close to the number of registered Democrats here. The fact that Jen Tooker was able to get elected (and reelected) as [heavily Democrat] Westport’s first selectperson says something about her leadership and record of accomplishment.
And then there’s this reference to Jen’s previous experience – “Former volunteer soccer coach Tooker” ? How about her time on the Board of Ed and the Board of Finance, but more importantly her employment (11 years) at General Re, a major, global, financial services firm? (Full disclosure – I know about her professional talents and career because I also worked at General Re during that period). While I’m sure Jen is proud of her time coaching WSA soccer, suggesting she is a soccer mom that somehow got elected first selectperson is, politely, a mischaracterization.
I think Jen would make a great governor!
I asked another supporter to post Tooketrs accomplishments. Nothing posted Would you be post 5 of Toolers best accomplishments ?
You have to be kidding. Nothing accomplished in 4 years of running town. Just more expensive studies
Just made sure I had not fallen asleep last night in January only to wake up on April fools day.
What an absolute joke.
And Jack whittle, the only reason she sadly beat Jonathon- and by a mere 69 votes is because there was an independent running that year and they were more aligned with the Democratic “type” voter, and that person got 69 votes.
Sadly, but for that, Jonathan would have won.
She also undoubtedly chose Andrea Moore as her second because Andrea is a popular figure in town and without the above 2 factors she would have never had any shot whatsoever.
As for her time on BoF and on board of Ed, I suggest to you IMHO, that she is a large part of why the schools were allowed to go to hell in a hand basket, and now need enormous money spent.
I would not want that as my legacy.
Nor would I want the community gardens horrific treatment, the jesup green fiasco where in order to win the tantrum she was happy to see the a huge part of our town green turned into a parking lot in order to get her way on the lunacy of Parker Harding.
The lack of transparency, the pet projects, the want to spend money like a drunken sailor, on the likes of a shed for 7 million at Longshore IMHO.
My opinion the missing elevator from the Inn, now back thanks to “some” members of P&Z, but no thanks to her !!!!
Ya, I don’t see this run as successful. Possibly she’s politicked her way through to getting the nomination, but in my opinion an anti business ticket whose actions speak to a lack of transparency on every level, hasn’t got a snowballs chance in hell of being a winning ticket.
Nicely documented. Thank you.
Not trying to argue with you here, but wasn’t the thing that killed Jon’s run the member of the DTC who objected to his candidacy and then started besmirching him left and right and (maybe?) even took the DTC to court to try to stop his nomination? Total sh!tshow that undermined his candidacy. And, yes, still a razor-thin margin.
Well she certainly doesn’t want to run for reelection, as she’d be lucky to break 40% of the vote.
She could do hundreds more photo ops. Think how happy her dentist would be. She could create another life-size cardboard cut out with her running mate like she did with Andrea Moore. Endless opportunities!
She is a Trumper and if there is anything we must do in Connecticut it is to keep the stench of Trumpism out of our state.
Agree wholeheartedly. Get rid of the stench of Bidenism before you add another stench.
I’m investing in Biden cryptocurrency.
Biden’ family has billions invested with Saudi Arabia. Biden has a media company. Biden’s wife also started a cryptocurrency company.
With recent events at Malibu, Hunter’s moving to Westport. He likes the congenial artist vibe. He’s subletting space at the Weinstein estate.
hunter is qualified to work for Trump. He drinks. He monetizes his family political position. Hunter runs around with women and prostitutes. He uses or used drugs. He was addicted to meds abd drugs. He is a narcissist. The guybb b is fully qualified to be secretary of defense or head of fbi for Trump.
I’m sure he appreciates your support. But all your ideas involve work. That concept never quite stuck with him.
As a Republican, a big NO thank you. She is unqualified IMO and has either caused or allowed simple town issues to get more complicated or remain unresolved. She spends too much time doing photo ops. I thought this post saying she is running was an April fools joke at first like another poster said.
Wow. The knives are out from Both Sides!
I thought Jim Marpe did a good job running this town as a Republican. I disagreed with his focus on running flat budgets especially in a time where capital projects were cheap to fund (wouldn’t it be great to have a taken out a 2% construction loan to build a new Long Lots?), but he ran the town well. Jen Tooker does lots of photo ops but there seem to be increasing issues across town departments… Parks and Rec hasn’t had a leader in months and other employees are bailing, the issues in the school coaching world seem to be festering without clear reasoning, and unless surveys and photo ops are solutions, nothing has been even tried regarding traffic… This stuff might not be as fun as cutting a new ribbon, but it’s the job of a mayor or Governor.
Why does Ms. Tooker routinely refuse to engage with Dan Woog and Westport Journal and provide a comment? It’s such a basic part of democracy. She is the first selectwoman, elected by town residents and paid $155,000 a year. Pick up the phone, tap on the keyboard, communicate with the free press, inform the citizenry, or ask a minion to do it. Instagram? Something? Anything?
I have found Ms. Tooker very willing to offer a comment when asked. She gets back quickly. A spokesperson for her reached out to me around 11:30, and said he would provide a full quote soon — along the lines of she is exploring a run. I’ll post it when I get it.
I still remember the time a reporter called Tooker for comment and she demurred because she was “getting on a plane.” Years later, presumably, the plane has landed and the reporter is still waiting for her call.
She wasn’t dodging you she was on a diplomatic mission to Ghana (with LA Mayor Karen Bass).
Please no more GOP nonsense.
Ms Tooker has been involved with at least photo that could cause her a problem if she ever runs for a higher office.
Tooker, no surprise she hasn’t responded! She has no business running for governor in either party. as a resident of Of Westport. I have many times trying to involve her in conversation. Always got the impression that she was too good for us. Sorry to say!
I would like to know if this means Jen Tooker will not be seeking a second term as First Selectwoman. That is an important fact for Jen to disclose.
Absolutely not.