Executive orders, a presidential election and a focus on racial justice: The year in politics
One year ago, national political headlines were dominated by the ongoing impeachment proceedings against President Trump, while the debate in Connecticut focused on the contentious issue of highway tolls.
But state officials were already keeping a close watch on a mysterious new flu-like virus that was spreading in Wuhan, China. ”We are continuing to monitor the outbreak of coronavirus in China,’' Gov. Ned Lamont tweeted on Jan, 27. “Here in Connecticut, two persons have been under investigation: one tested negative and the other is awaiting results. We ask that the public not panic but take possible symptoms seriously.”
Soon, the impeachment saga would end and tolls would fade as the COVID-19 crisis took hold in Connecticut and around the nation, dominating politics and virtually every other aspect of life in 2020.
The pandemic was the year’s defining issue but wasn’t the only big political story. Below is a list of other developments that shaped the year.
Presidential election
Following one of the most contentious — and weirdest — presidential campaigns in modern history, Democrat Joe Biden was formally declared the winner four days after the polls closed.
Biden’s decisive win in Connecticut was evident far sooner: The Associated Press called the state for Biden shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Connecticut’s seven electoral votes for president were all cast for Biden.
Gov. Lamont runs state by executive order
Since March, Lamont has had more control than any governor in recent memory. During this time his popularity has risen significantly, with a majority of state residents approving of his performance and overwhelming support for his handling of the pandemic.
Unfettered by the General Assembly, Lamont has managed the public health emergency through a series of executive orders limiting indoor retail and restaurant occupancy, establishing rules for schools and sporting events, requiring travelers to Connecticut to isolate upon arrival and a host of other rules.
The legislature hit the pause button on March 12 and, with one significant exception, has remained closed.
General Assembly
Democrats made big gains in both chambers of the General Assembly. The party will hold 98 of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives.
In the Senate, the Democrats will occupy 24 seats, to the GOP’s 12.
Emboldened by their strong margins, Democratic leaders say they will push a progressive agenda over the next two years, including a public option for health insurance and measures to address systemic racism, among other legislative proposals.
Racial justice
The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May set off a national discussion on systemic racism and police brutality. Two months later, the Connecticut legislature convened in a special session to pass a comprehensive bill that aims to make law enforcement more accountable.
The measure, which was quickly signed into law by Lamont, mandates all officers wear body cameras, bans the use of chokeholds in most cases and creates a new independent inspector general to investigate deadly use of force by police. It also changes the concept of qualified immunity that currently shields officers from personal damages in civil lawsuits.
The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett
Ruth Bader Ginsburg died in September from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Throughout her decadeslong career, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court was considered an icon to liberals who viewed her as the final hope for progressive control of the nation’s highest court.
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant,’' Sen. Richard Blumenthal said at the time of her death. “The world is a different place because of her.’'
Blumenthal and other Democrats opposed Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s pick to replace her on the court. Barrett, Ginsburg’s ideological opposite, won confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate, and drew praise from opponents of legal abortion in Connecticut. “This will have repercussions long beyond the Trump era,” Peter Wolfgang, president of FIC Action, the political arm of the conservative Family Institute of Connecticut, said at the time. “Judges will be there forever. ... This is really the whole ballgame.”
Congressional races
All five Democrats in Connecticut’s congressional delegation won reelection in November. The most competitive races were in the 3rd District, where Republican businesswoman Margaret Streicker spent more than $1 million in her unsuccessful quest to unseat Democrat Rosa DeLauro, and the 5th District, where former federal prosecutor David X. Sullivan challenged freshman Democrat Jahana Hayes.
The race in the 2nd District was marred by controversy. Republican candidate Thomas Gilmer dropped out of the race on the day of the August primary after he was arrested on domestic violence charges. Republican Justin Anderson wound up winning the primary, but lost the general election to Democrat Joe Courtney.
Rise of Rosa DeLauro
DeLauro occupies a powerful new perch in Congress: the 15-term Democrat from New Haven and the dean of the Connecticut delegation, was overwhelmingly selected as the next chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, an influential position that gives her enormous control over federal spending over the next two years.
Daniela Altimari can be reached at altimari@courant.com.
