GOP’s Stefanowski cancels fundraiser with anti-gun-control Nebraska governor in Canton

About 24 hours before a long-planned fundraiser, Republican Bob Stefanowski suddenly canceled the event Monday with the chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association.

Stefanowski’s strategist, Liz Kurantowicz, said that Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts had a scheduling conflict that prompted the cancellation of the event at a Republican’s upscale home in Canton.

The event had caused controversy among Democrats because Ricketts favors banning abortion, even in cases of rape, if the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in the coming weeks.

“Nebraska is a pro-life state. I believe life begins at conception, and those are babies, too,” Ricketts told CNN last month. “If Roe v. Wade, which is a horrible constitutional decision, gets overturned by the Supreme Court, which we’re hopeful of, here in Nebraska, we’re going to take further steps to protect those pre-born babies.’'

When asked if he favored raising the age to 21 to buy an assault weapon, Ricketts said, “I haven’t looked at the details of that bill.’'

Even with the cancellation of the fundraiser, local Democrats are still planning a protest Tuesday about one mile away in the parking lot at the Cherry Brook elementary school on Barbourtown Road in Canton.

“We were pleased to hear that Ricketts is not going to come, and we view that as a victory,’' said Michael Vogel, a Democrat who helped organize the protest. “The obvious inference is they canceled because of the pressure.’'

Ricketts had declined to speak with the Courant as an RGA spokesman said they do not speak to the press at private fundraising events.

The Connecticut Democratic Party announced Monday that public officials would be attending the protest, including Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, state legislators Eleni Kavros-DeGraw of Avon and Jillian Gilchrest of West Hartford, Simsbury Selectman and legislative candidate Eric Wellman and Chris Mattei, a former federal prosecutor who explored a run for governor in 2018 and ran for state attorney general.

Despite pledging to spend $10 million of his own money on the race, Stefanowski has continued to raise money. The top ticket price for the Ricketts fundraiser was $3,500 per person, which included entrance to a VIP reception. The ticket prices were $2,500 for a platinum supporter, $1,000 for gold supporter and $250 for a “Save CT Supporter,’' according to an invitation that was obtained by The Courant.

The campaign has sent out invitations for a major fundraiser with New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu that has a maximum ticket price of $3,500 each.

Stefanowski is locked in a high-stakes, big-money battle against Gov. Ned Lamont, a fellow millionaire former business executive. Lamont has already spent more than $40 million of his own money in three statewide races in 2006, 2010, and 2018. He is expected to spend millions more this year to keep his current position.

Lamont’s campaign reacted quickly to the cancellation.

“After refusing to release his consulting clients and his 2018 NRA questionnaire, this is just the latest attempt from Bob to conceal his actual positions from the voters of Connecticut,’' said Jake Lewis, the campaign spokesman. “However, Bob’s record speaks for itself: from supporting Trump and Trump’s justices that are on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade, to his promise to ‘veto any legislation that makes it tougher on gun owners.’ The simple truth remains that Bob is too extreme for Connecticut.”

Stefanowski, who turned 60 on May 21, is trying to break a 15-year losing streak by Republicans in major races in Connecticut. In 2006, then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell and then-U.S. Rep. Chris Shays of Bridgeport both won reelection. But Shays lost in the Democratic wave that swept in Obama as president in 2008, and no Connecticut Republican has won a seat for Congress, governor or other statewide office since then.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com