🔒Gubernatorial race should focus on substance over style

Connecticut voters looking for pizzazz in their gubernatorial candidates this year will be woefully disappointed.

As Democrats and Republicans begin to slowly thin their list of contenders for the state's highest political office, it appears we will be left with more mild-mannered, cerebral candidates.

And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, that is just what this state needs right now because it means the electorate will be less apt to vote for or against a big personality and — hopefully — focus more on the issues.

The last thing we need is a bombastic governor whose demeanor alone will further exacerbate the partisan divide. We are already getting enough of that on the federal level. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy himself — a self-described “porcupine” — rubbed many people the wrong way and was largely ineffective in bringing both parties together.

The lack of big personalities means candidates will need to take more definitive stances on controversial issues to stand out — something rarely done in major elections these days.

With the significant challenges facing Connecticut, I don't think kowtowing to predictable party platforms will win you the general-election ticket.

On the Republican side, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton is the front-runner after winning the GOP endorsement for governor at the party's recent convention. He still faces a tough primary challenge, but has the wind at his back.

Ned Lamont remains the front-runner on the Democratic side. And let's not forget about Oz Griebel, the Republican-turned-Independent candidate whose self-funding campaign is looking to get 7,500 certified signatures from registered voters in order to get his name on the ballot this November.

Notice anything in common about all three candidates? They are all white, middle-aged, and tranquil men. There's nothing wrong with that per se (although a little diversity might help), but the debates this fall won't be considered must-see TV.

That's why it's paramount that candidates come to the table with well-defined blueprints on how to fix our state's budget crisis, deal with burgeoning unfunded liabilities, and create a tax and regulatory climate that promotes long-term economic growth. There are no easy answers to any of those problems but real-world ideas must be shared and fleshed out.

One of the problems today with the media and the public in general is that we are more obsessed with politics than policy. We love to read about and watch political melodramas play out, rather than focus on where candidates stand on the issues.

Why do you think TV news ratings have hit record highs under the Trump administration? It's not because the public is wooed by the president's intellect. They want to see what outrageous things he will say or Tweet next, and then marvel over the opposing party's reaction.

A perfect example of the style-over-substance obsession was the coverage of the recent state GOP convention. Most of the news stories focused on the political gamesmanship to secure delegates, which, of course, was a huge part of the story.

But there were far fewer stories that really delved into policy differences between the candidates. Mostly what we got was broad-brushed character labels: Peter Lumaj was the Trump conservative; Tim Herbst was the combative Republican; Steve Obsitnik was the tech entrepreneur/businessman; and Boughton was the moderate candidate.

What about a deep dive into how Connecticut would balance a budget without an income tax? For those of you who don't know, Boughton said last year that if he was elected governor he would phase out the income tax over 10 years.

That's a pretty bold proposal considering Connecticut faces billion-dollar deficits in the years ahead and the income tax accounts for nearly half of the state's $20 billion budget.

Luckily, we still have plenty of time before the party primaries and general election to learn more about where candidates stand on issues.

Let's be sure to hold them accountable.