Gov. Ned Lamont sworn in for second term, pushes for bipartisan solutions to Connecticut's problems
GREENWICH, Conn. -- Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has issued a plea for bipartisan problem solving.
He took the oath for a second term on Wednesday, and delivered a state of the state address, pushing for fiscal stability and economic growth.
Lamont's name will remain on the "Welcome to Connecticut" signs for another four years.
This after he cruised to re-election by 13 points in November. Polls show he is one of the most popular Democratic governors in the country.
"During COVID, during the pandemic, I believe he did a great job," Stamford resident Melvin Marroquin said.
"I like Lamont. I think he keeps the people of Connecticut at the forefront of his decisions," added Becca Levine of Cos Cob.
Connecticut is a blue state with the Legislature firmly in Democratic control. Lamont opened his state of the state by asking lawmakers to work across the aisle.
"Let's show off how much we can get done by working together. Demonstrating our differences are what brings us together, not what tears us apart," Lamont said.
Lamont said he'll continue to pursue family friendly policies to help Connecticut recover from the pandemic.
"Paid family and medical leave, expanded child care, and paid sick days. These initiatives help young families get back to work and stay at work," the governor said.
Lamont has benefited from spending and borrowing caps that Republicans pushed for before he took office. Connecticut now has a $1 billion surplus and more than $6billion in its emergency fund.
Patricia Crouse is a political scientist at the University of New Haven.
"He's wiling to listen to both sides, work with both sides. He took the mayor of Danbury, who is a Republican, and brought him in as a financial advisor. Not many governors would be willing to do that," Crouse said.
Lamont is a millionaire many times over. For his second term, he will again refuse a salary of $225,000 per year.
Lamont will host an inaugural ball on Wednesday night in Hartford, with music from The Bacon Brothers Band, led by actor Kevin Bacon, who has a goat farm in Litchfield County.