Rematch Endorsed: Malloy, Foley Win Party Nods

Connecticut Democrats endorsed Governor Dannel Malloy for a second term in office on Friday night, while state Republicans are once again backing Tom Foley as their party's candidate for governor.

Malloy accepted his party's backing at the Democratic convention at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Foley, the GOP's candidate in 2010, secured more than 57 percent of the delegates on Saturday during the Republican convention at Mohegan Sun.

Addressing the 1,813 delegates at the Democratic convention, Malloy took credit for putting the state "on the right path" after facing a $3.67 billion budget deficit. He said Connecticut is moving forward by making "tough choices," and ticked off a list of accomplishments.

Malloy received some of the loudest cheers when he touted passage of one of the strongest gun control laws in the country, passed after the 2012 Newtown school massacre. Delegates said they're optimistic he can win in November, despite a recent Quinnipiac University Poll that shows him in a potentially close race. Incumbent Nancy Wyman was endorsed for another term in office as lieutenant governor. 

A rematch between Foley and Malloy is not a sure bet. At the Republican convention, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and Senate Minority Leader John McKinney both secured more than 15 percent support from delegates, allowing them to wage a primary election challenge in August. While Boughton won enough delegates early on in the balloting, it came down to the wire for McKinney, who ultimately gained enough support from delegates who switched their votes.

Foley told his fellow Republicans to "seize this opportunity to save our state from the status quo." 

Penny Bacchiochi is the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor.

This report includes information from The Associated Press.