Ned Lamont

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Ned Lamont
NedLamont2006.jpg
Lamont in 2006
Member of the
Greenwich, Connecticut
Board of Selectman
In office
1987–1989
Personal details
Born Edward Miner Lamont, Jr.
(1954-01-03) January 3, 1954 (age 59)
Washington, D.C.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Ann Huntress
Residence Greenwich, Connecticut
Alma mater Harvard University (B.A.)
Yale University (M.B.A.)
Occupation Businessman, Professor

Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. (born January 3, 1954) is an American businessman and politician. In 2006, he defeated incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman for the Democratic nomination 52-48%; Lieberman eventually ran as a third party candidate under his Connecticut for Lieberman party. In the election, Lamont finished in second place with 39%, compared to Lieberman's 49% and Republican Alan Schlesinger's 9%. In 2010 he ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Connecticut, but lost to eventual winner, Dan Malloy.

He is the founder and chairman of Lamont Digital Systems, which provides video and data services to college campuses across the country. He is currently a faculty member and Chair of the Arts & Sciences Public Policy Committee at Central Connecticut State University where he was named by the Board of Trustees as Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Philosophy.

Contents

Personal life and pre-political career[edit]

Lamont was born on January 3, 1954 in Washington, D.C. to Camille Helene (née Buzby) and Edward Miner Lamont, and is the great-grandson of former J. P. Morgan & Co. Chairman Thomas W. Lamont.[1][2] Lamont's father was an economist who worked on the Marshall Plan, and later served in the Nixon administration in Department of Housing and Urban Development.[3] Lamont attended Phillips Exeter Academy where he served as president of the student newspaper, The Exonian. After graduating Phillips Exeter in 1972, Lamont earned an Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in 1976, and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management in 1980.[4]

In 1977 Lamont began working for The Black River Tribune, a small newspaper in Ludlow, Vermont. In 1983 Lamont married Ann Huntress, and together they have 3 children. Ann is a venture capitalist, serving as a managing partner at Oak Investment Partners; in 2007 she was named #50 in Forbes' "Midas List."[5][6] After receiving his M.B.A. from Yale, Lamont entered the cable television industry, managing the start-up of Cablevision's operation in Fairfield County, Connecticut.[4] In 1984, Lamont founded his own cable television company Lamont Digital Systems (now known as Campus Televideo), which provides satellite and telecommunication services to colleges and universities.[7]

Political career[edit]

Before running for the U.S. Senate, Lamont was elected and served as a selectman in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut for one term. Lamont also served for three terms on the town finance board, and chaired the state investment advisory council, which oversees the investment of the state pension funds.[8]

2006 U.S. Senate campaign[edit]

Main article: Connecticut United States Senate election, 2006
Election results by municipality; Blue denotes win for Lamont, yellow for Lieberman.

On March 13, 2006 Lamont officially announced his campaign for the United States Senate against incumbent, Joe Lieberman.[9]

On July 6, Lamont faced off against Lieberman in a 51-minute televised debate which covered issues ranging from the Iraq War, energy policy, and immigration. Lieberman argued that he was being subjected to a "litmus test" on the war, insisted that he was a "bread and butter Democrat" and on a number of occasions asked, "who is Ned Lamont?" During the debate Lieberman asked Lamont if he would disclose his income tax returns, which he did afterwards.

Lamont focused on Lieberman's supportive relationship with Republicans, telling him "if you won't challenge President Bush and his failed agenda, I will," and criticized his vote for the Energy Policy Act of 2005, dubbed the "Bush/Cheney/Lieberman energy bill." Lieberman stated, in response to Lamont's assertion that he supported Republican policies, that he had voted with the Democratic caucus in the Senate 90% of the time. Lamont argued that the then three-term incumbent lacked the courage to challenge the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq War.[10]

On July 30, The Sunday Times reported that former President Bill Clinton was believed to have warned Lieberman not to run as an independent if he lost the primary to Lamont.[11] Throughout the election, Lamont significantly funded his own campaign, with donations exceeding $12.7 million,[12] as he had pledged not to accept money from lobbyists.[13]

Lamont won the primary with 51.79% of the vote, as opposed to Lieberman's 48.21%;[14] the only Senate race in 2006 where an incumbent lost re-nomination. However, in his concession speech, Lieberman announced that he would stand by his prior statements that he'd run as an independent if he lost the Democratic primary.[15] In the general election Lieberman won with approximately 50% of the vote; exit polls showed that Lieberman won the vote of 33% of Democrats, 54% of independents, and 70% of Republicans.[16]

Post-election activities[edit]

Lamont was one of the key supporters in Connecticut for the Chris Dodd presidential campaign.[17] After Dodd dropped out of the race, Lamont became the Connecticut campaign co-chair for Barack Obama's presidential campaign.[18] Lamont was credited for bringing the types of voters he attracted to provide Obama's win in the Connecticut Democratic primary.[19] In March 2008, Lamont was elected as a Congressional district-level delegate from Connecticut to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, pledged to Barack Obama.[20]

Since September 2007, Research 2000 polls commissioned by the blog Daily Kos found that Lamont would win a Senate rematch with Joe Lieberman by growing margins.[21][22] However in February 2009, Lamont stated that he was not considering another campaign for Senate.[23]

After the election, Lamont has since entered academia and is currently an adjunct faculty member and Chair of the Arts & Sciences Public Policy Committee at Central Connecticut State University where he was named by the Board of Trustees as Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Philosophy.[24] Previously he was a teaching fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics.[25] Lamont also serves on the Board of Directors of Conservation Services Group, Mercy Corps, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Connecticut Council for Education Reform.[26][27]

2010 Gubernatorial campaign[edit]

Main article: Connecticut gubernatorial election, 2010

On November 4, 2009, Lamont reported that he would create an exploratory committee for the race for Governor of Connecticut in 2010, and on February 17, 2010, he officially announced his candidacy.[28] On May 22, 2010 he was defeated for the Democratic nomination by former Stamford Mayor, Dan Malloy. Lamont received 582 votes (32%) to Malloy's 1,232 votes (68%). Since Lamont won more than fifteen percent of the vote he appeared on the primary ballot on August 10, 2010. He lost the primary election to Malloy, who received 57.6% of the vote to Lamont's 42.4%.[29]

References[edit]

  1. ^ William Addams Reitwiesner. "Ancestry of Ned Lamont". Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  2. ^ Ken Krayeske (January 24, 2006). "Ned Lamont (interview)". The 40-Year Plan. Retrieved August 10, 2006. 
  3. ^ John Nichols (July 27, 2006). "A Fight for the Party's Soul". The Nation. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  4. ^ a b "Ned Lamont: Democrat candidate for Governor". The Connecticut Mirror. Retrieved February 6, 2013. 
  5. ^ Alison Leigh Cowan (October 16, 2006). "Not-So-Hidden Asset, His Wife, Is Force in Lamont’s Senate Bid". The New York Times. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  6. ^ "#50 Ann Huntress Lamont". Forbes. January 24, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  7. ^ "Ned Lamont:Founder & Chairman of the Board, Campus Televideo". Center for National Policy. Retrieved February 6, 2013. 
  8. ^ "Lamont Grants MyLeftNutmeg First Blogger Interview". MyLeftNutmeg. January 13, 2006. Retrieved August 3, 2006. 
  9. ^ Melina Cordero (April 6, 2006). "Lamont courts local voters". Yale Daily News. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  10. ^ "Lieberman, Lamont Face Off In NBC 30 Debate". WVIT. July 6, 2006. Retrieved August 3, 2006. 
  11. ^ Tony Allen-Mills (July 30, 2006). "The anti-war tycoon splits Democrats". The Sunday Times. Retrieved August 3, 2006. 
  12. ^ Andrew Miga (October 21, 2006). "Lamont Gives $2M to Flagging Campaign". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  13. ^ Ned Lamont (April 3, 2006). "4,000 Donors in First Quarter". LamontBlog. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  14. ^ "Connecticut primary results". Hartford Courant. August 10, 2006. Retrieved August 25, 2006. 
  15. ^ "Lieberman concedes; Lamont wins primary". NBC News. August 9, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  16. ^ "CNN.com-Elections 2006". CNN. Retrieved May 27, 2010. 
  17. ^ Ari Melber (February 25, 2007). "Ned Lamont Backs Habeas Corpus- and Chris Dodd". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  18. ^ Ned Lamont (March 28, 2008). "Why I'm Supporting Barack Obama". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  19. ^ David W. Chen (February 6, 2008). "Obama Takes Connecticut, Helped by Lamont Voters". The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2010. 
  20. ^ "Connecticut Democratic Delegation 2008". The Green Papers. 
  21. ^ "CT-Sen: Lieberman's popularity continues to slide". Daily Kos. April 7, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  22. ^ Walter Alarkon (July 6, 2008). "Poll: Lieberman Would Lose to Lamont". The Hill (newspaper). Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  23. ^ Mark Pazniokas (December 8, 2010). "Lamont not looking for a rematch with Lieberman in 2012". CT Mirror. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  24. ^ "Department of Philosophy Faculty". Central Connecticut State University. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  25. ^ "Former Fellows-The Institute of Politics". Harvard Institute of Politics. Harvard University. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  26. ^ "Ned Lamont". Your Public Media. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  27. ^ "Norman Rockwell Museum Announces New Board Members". Norman Rockwell Museum. September 9, 2011. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  28. ^ Susan Haigh (February 12, 2010). "Ned Lamont Running For Governor In Connecticut: Official". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 
  29. ^ Raymond Hernandez (August 10, 2010). "Lamont Loses Connecticut Primary for Governor". The New York Times. Retrieved February 8, 2013. 

External links[edit]

Party political offices
Preceded by
Joe Lieberman		 Democratic Party nominee for United States Senator from Connecticut
(Class 1)
2006		 Succeeded by
Chris Murphy
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