Ned Lamont facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ned Lamont
Official portrait, 2019
89th Governor of Connecticut
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2019
Lieutenant	Susan Bysiewicz
Preceded by	Dannel Malloy
Personal details
Born	Edward Miner Lamont Jr. (1954-01-03) January 3, 1954 (age 71) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ann Huntress ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	3
Residence	Governor's Residence
Education	Harvard University (BA) Yale University (MBA)
Signature

Edward Miner Lamont Jr. (born January 3, 1954) is an American businessman and politician. He is currently the 89th governor of Connecticut, a job he has held since 2019. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming governor, he served as a local official in Greenwich, Connecticut, from 1987 to 1989. He also ran for the United States Senate in 2006 but did not win.

Lamont ran for governor in 2010 but lost in the Democratic primary election. He tried again in 2018 and won the election, becoming governor. He was re-elected in 2022, winning by an even larger number of votes.

Early Life and Education

Ned Lamont was born on January 3, 1954, in Washington, D.C.. His mother, Camille Helene, was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She worked for Senator Estes Kefauver. His father, Edward Miner Lamont, was an economist. He helped with the Marshall Plan and later worked for the government in housing. Ned Lamont is related to important people like Thomas W. Lamont, who led a big bank, and Corliss Lamont, who helped start the American Civil Liberties Union.

When he was seven, Lamont's family moved to Laurel Hollow, New York. He was the oldest of three children. He went to Phillips Exeter Academy, where he was in charge of the student newspaper. After graduating in 1972, he went to Harvard College and earned a degree in sociology in 1976. He later earned a business degree from the Yale School of Management in 1980.

Professional Career and Business Ventures

In 1977, Lamont worked as an editor for a small newspaper in Ludlow (village), Vermont, called the Black River Tribune. After finishing his studies at Yale, he started working in the cable television industry. He helped set up a new cable company in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

In 1984, he started his own company, Campus Televideo. This company provided cable and satellite services to colleges across the country. He also led Lamont Digital Systems, a company that invested in new media businesses. Campus Televideo was the biggest part of this company until it was sold in 2015.

Lamont has also served on the boards of several non-profit groups. These include the Conservation Services Group and Mercy Corps. He also advised the Brookings Institution and the Yale School of Management.

Early Steps in Politics

Lamont first entered politics in 1987. He was elected as a selectman in Greenwich, Connecticut, which is a local government position. He served for one term. In 1990, he ran for the state senate but did not win. Later, he served three terms on Greenwich's town finance board. He also led a state council that looked after state pension fund investments.

Running for U.S. Senate in 2006

In 2006, Ned Lamont decided to run for the United States Senate. He challenged the person who was already in office, Joe Lieberman.

Lamont and Lieberman had a TV debate. They talked about important issues like the Iraq War and energy. Lamont said that Lieberman was too supportive of Republican ideas. He argued that Lieberman was not challenging President George W. Bush enough. Lieberman, however, said he voted with Democrats most of the time.

Lamont promised not to take money from lobbyists. He used a lot of his own money to pay for his campaign. He won the Democratic primary election with 52% of the votes. This was a big win because it's rare for someone to beat an incumbent in a primary. However, Joe Lieberman then decided to run as an independent candidate. In the main election, Lieberman won, and Lamont did not become a senator.

Working in Academia

Before the 2006 election, Lamont volunteered at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He taught students about starting businesses and helped them find internships. After the election, he taught at the Harvard Institute of Politics and the Yale School of Management.

He later became a professor at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). He taught political science and philosophy. He also started a business competition for students there. In 2019, he gave the graduation speech at CCSU, which was his first as governor.

Governor of Connecticut (2019–Present)

Governor Elections

2010 Election

On February 16, 2010, Lamont announced he would run for governor. He lost the Democratic primary election to Dannel Malloy, who was the mayor of Stamford, Connecticut. Malloy then went on to win the general election.

2018 Election

On January 17, 2018, Lamont announced he would run for governor again. The current governor was not running for re-election. Lamont won the Democratic party's support. He chose Susan Bysiewicz to be his running mate as Lieutenant Governor. Lamont won the Democratic primary election by a large number of votes. He then faced Republican Bob Stefanowski in the general election. Lamont won the election and became the governor of Connecticut.

2022 Election

Lamont ran for re-election in 2022 with Susan Bysiewicz as his running mate. He won the Democratic primary without anyone running against him. He again faced Bob Stefanowski in the main election. Lamont won by an even larger number of votes this time. He became the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election by more than five points in Connecticut since 1986.

Governor's Work and Policies

Lamont became the 89th governor of Connecticut on January 9, 2019. He took over from Dannel Malloy. He has focused on improving the state's economy and transportation. He wants to make train travel faster and extend train lines.

First Term (2019−2023)

In February 2019, Governor Lamont appointed Indra Nooyi, a former CEO of PepsiCo, to help improve Connecticut's economic plan. This group later changed its name to AdvanceCT.

In April 2019, Lamont signed his first executive order. This order told state buildings and vehicles to use less energy. The goal was to reduce pollution and save money for the state.

In June 2019, Lamont signed new laws about guns. One law, called Ethan's Law, requires guns to be stored safely in homes where children live. Other laws banned certain types of homemade guns and storing unlocked guns in cars.

He also signed his first state budget, which was about $43 billion. To balance the budget, which is required by law, he made some changes. He increased funding for education and workforce training. He also made sure cities and towns continued to receive financial help. The state's "rainy day fund" (money saved for emergencies) grew to its largest size ever at that time. Lamont said the budget would get the state "back on track."

On March 8, 2020, Connecticut had its first confirmed case of COVID-19. As more cases appeared, Lamont declared a public health emergency. He closed schools and ordered non-essential businesses to close. He also told people to stay home and wear face coverings in public. As cases went down, he slowly lifted these restrictions.

In July 2020, Lamont signed a new law about police reform. This law requires police officers to wear body cameras. It also bans certain police moves like chokeholds. The law created a statewide group to watch for police misconduct.

On December 15, 2020, the first person in Connecticut received the COVID-19 vaccine. Connecticut became the first state to vaccinate 50% of its adult population. In May 2021, Lamont ended most of the state's COVID-19 restrictions.

In May 2021, Lamont signed a law to make online sports betting and gaming legal. This allowed people to place bets online and at certain casinos. In October 2021, sports betting officially started in the state. He also signed a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2023.

In June 2021, Lamont signed his second state budget, which was about $46 billion. He also signed a law for a new family and medical leave program. Starting in 2022, workers in Connecticut can take up to 12 weeks of paid time off. This is for things like caring for a new baby or a sick family member.

In July 2021, Lamont signed a fee for large commercial trucks using highways. The money from this fee will help repair state roads. Connecticut's ranking for best states for business improved significantly. In October 2021, Connecticut was named the safest state in the country during the pandemic. This was based on things like COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates.

Second Term (2023−Present)

Lamont won re-election for his second term in 2022. He was sworn in on January 4, 2023, along with Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. During his second term, he has continued to work on various state issues.

Approval Ratings

In his first year as governor, Lamont's approval ratings were low. He was often listed among the least popular governors. However, after the pandemic began in 2020, his approval ratings increased. In May 2020, a poll showed 65% of people approved of his work. People especially approved of how he handled the pandemic. By 2022, Lamont had the highest approval rating of any Democratic governor.

Personal Life

On September 10, 1983, Ned Lamont married Ann Huntress. She is a venture capitalist, which means she invests in new businesses. They have three children. The Lamont family lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. They also have a vacation home in North Haven, Maine. The Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy and the Lamont Library at Harvard University are named after his family.

Images for kids

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  General election results by municipality. Blue shows where Lamont won, yellow for Lieberman.

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  Lamont in 2006.

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  Lamont attending the 2007 YearlyKos conference in Chicago.

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  Lamont speaking with former CCSU president Merle Harris in June 2008.

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  General election results by municipality. Blue shows where Lamont won, red for Stefanowski.

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  Lamont visiting the Connecticut Air National Guard after a plane crash in 2019.

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  Lamont is sworn into his second term at the State Arsenal and Armory.

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  Former governor Jodi Rell with Ned Lamont in 2023.

See also

In Spanish: Ned Lamont para niños

• Electoral history of Ned Lamont