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Ned Lamont

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Ned Lamont
Occupation(s)Chairman, Lamont Digital Systems
SpouseAnnie Lamont

Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. (born January 3, 1954 [1] in Washington, D.C.) is the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in the Connecticut United States Senate election to be held on on November 7, 2006. He will face Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger and incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman (a Democrat who has petitioned to run on a third party ticket) in a three-way general election in November, having defeated Lieberman 51.8% - 48.2%[2] among Democratic voters in a primary election on August 8, 2006.[3]

Background

Lamont grew up in Syosset, New York, and is an heir to the fortune of his great-grandfather, Thomas W. Lamont, who was a partner of the banking and finance firm J. P. Morgan & Co. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1972, Ned Lamont earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1976 and a Masters of Public and Private Management from what is now known as the Yale School of Management in 1980. He began his career working for a small newspaper in Ludlow, Vermont.[4]

Lamont then entered the cable television industry, managing the startup of Cablevision's operation in Fairfield County, Connecticut. In 1984, he founded, and is currently president and chairman of, Lamont Digital Systems, a builder and operator of advanced telecommunications networks for college campuses and residential gated communities, with over 150,000 subscribers. The company's finances are private, though it currently has 35 employees, down from 100 in 2001. [citation needed] His most recent salary was reported as $546,000 per year [5] A trade publication reported Lamont and his partners tried unsuccessfully to sell the firm two years ago.[6]

Before running for the U.S. Senate, Lamont was elected and served as selectman in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, for eight years (two terms), chaired the state investment advisory council, and served on many civic boards. Lamont unsuccessfully ran for a state Senate seat in 1990, finishing in third place.[7]

Family

Lamont and his wife, the former Ann "Annie" Greenlee Huntress, a venture capitalist, have three teenaged children.[8][9] Anne Lamont seconded her husband's nomination at the Connecticut Democratic Convention in May 2006. Their 18-year-old daughter, Emily, Harvard class of 2009, has campaigned frequently for her father across Connecticut, introducing him at various events. Her effort to vote for her father in the primary failed, as her ballot was rejected since she had not registered as a Democrat.[10] This fault turned out to be one on the part of the Greenwich Registrar. Emily was registered as a Democrat.[citation needed] Her younger siblings, sister Lindsay (14) and brother Teddy (13), have generally remained out of the spotlight.

Lamont's 2005 state tax returns indicate he is an art enthusiast as he paid $64,311 in sales tax on art purchases, including a piece worth over $1 million of artwork. The tax returns also show that he and his wife donated to a family philanthropic fund that donated over $213,000 to charities, schools, and organizations. Lamont also donated over $10,000 in cash to other charities, but his campaign manager says he donated more, just chose not to deduct those donations.[5]

Lamont is the great-grandson of former J.P. Morgan & Co. Chairman Thomas W. Lamont and the grandnephew (not the grandson, as has been widely reported) of Corliss Lamont (a director of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1932 to 1954).[11] His self-reported net worth lies somewhere between $90 million and $300 million.[12]

His father, Ted (Edward M. Sr.), was an economist who worked with the Marshall Plan which helped reconstruct Europe after World War II.[13] He later served in the Nixon administration in Housing and Urban Development. Ted Lamont is now an unaffiliated voter, having last voted for a Republican in 1988. Since then he has voted Democratic. He told The Hartford Courant that "Eastern Moderates no longer have a place in the GOP."[14] Ned Lamont contributed to one Republican as late as 1998, when he contributed $500 to the re-election effort of Congressman Chris Shays,[15] but since 1999 has been contributed over $57,000 to Democrats, including $1,500 to Joe Lieberman.[16][17]

His mother, Camille Buzby "Buz" Lamont, was born in Puerto Rico, the daughter of an American salesman (a Quaker veteran of World War I) and a Catholic missionary. She is of French and U.S. descent and she studied at the George School in Pennsylvania, Middlebury College in Vermont, and at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.[18] She speaks fluent Spanish but never taught Ned.[19]

2006 U.S. Senate campaign

Main article: Connecticut United States Senate election, 2006
Democratic Primary Results
Candidate Results[20] Percent
Ned Lamont 146,587 51.79%
Joe Lieberman 136,468 48.21%

Lamont began looking into a potential run against Lieberman around February 2005. In March 2006, Lamont officially announced his campaign for United States Senate against Lieberman. As of July 19, 2006, Lamont has spent over $2.5 million of his own personal fortune on his campaign.[21] Also, Lamont pledged not to take money from lobbyists.[22] Lamont's campaign manager, Tom Swan, is however a registered lobbyist with the state of Connecticut. [23] In early 2006, Lamont received the backing of former independent Connecticut Governor and Republican U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker, who was unseated by Lieberman in 1988.[24]

Lamont has portrayed himself as a more progressive alternative to Lieberman.[25] His campaign is mostly supported by progressive activists, including MoveOn.org, which donated $251,156 from its contributors to the campaign. [26][27]

On July 6, 2006, Lamont faced off against Lieberman in a 51-minute televised debate which covered issues ranging from the war in Iraq to energy policy to immigration. [28] 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?" Lieberman asked Lamont if he would disclose his income tax returns. After the debate Lamont did release his 2005 tax return and financial details about prior years. Lamont focused on Lieberman's supportive relationship with Republicans ("...if you won't challenge President Bush and his failed agenda, I will") and criticized his vote for 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. However, Lamont argued that the three-term incumbent lacked the courage to challenge the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war.[28]

Lamont began as a "dark-horse" candidate, but was at a statistical dead heat with Lieberman in July, and went on to win in August. Polls taken prior to the primary vote showed Lieberman, if running as an independent, polling better among Republicans and independents in a three-way race, including Republican candidate Alan Schlesinger, who badly trails both Lamont and Lieberman.[29] Early August polls, however, showed Lamont increasing his lead significantly[30], and many speculate on the effect of the primary outcome (and expected high Democratic endorsement) on the general election. The initial post primary poll showed Lieberman holding a narrow lead in a general election, however[31].

On July 30, 2006, the London Sunday Times reported that former president Bill Clinton is believed to have warned Lieberman not to run as an Independent if he loses the primary to Lamont.[32] Many Democratic leaders have pledged to support the winner of the Connecticut Democratic primary. Most Democratic leaders, however, supported Lieberman's campaign for the Democratic nomination, and some, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, allegedly asked Lamont not to run.[33]

Lamont resigned his membership in a Greenwich country club shortly before his campaign began, as the club was "too white and too rich and he did not want it to become a campaign issue."[34] It became an issue, however, following the release of a flier from the Lieberman campaign questioning Lamont's record on race.[35]

Lamont criticised Wal-Mart during the campaign, and lambasted Lieberman for previously receiving campaign contributions from Wal-Mart, which he later returned. On August 4, 2006, The Washington Times reported that Ned "Lamont, his wife and a dependent child own as much as $31,000 in Wal-Mart stock. Mr. Lamont and his wife jointly own two accounts containing as much as $16,000 in Wal-Mart stock. Their Wal-Mart holdings spin off as much as $3,500 in annual dividends. In addition, a trust fund he set up for one of his children contains as much as $15,000 in Wal-Mart stock and spins off as much as $1,000 in dividends."[36] Time magazine reported on August 4, 2006, that Lamont's campaign manager, Tom Swan, said the candidate was not actively controlling the investment. "He does not own any stock directly, it's not a direct holding," he said. Part of the Wal-Mart stock is held in a Goldman Sachs "Tax Advantaged Core Strategies managed account", according to a letter released Thursday by Swan. He said the account is designed to track the S+P 500 index, and that Goldman Sachs makes the investment decisions for the account."[37]

On August 21, Lamont distanced himself from the demands of some supporters that Joe Lieberman be purged from the Democratic voter rolls [38]

References

  1. ^ Associated press profile from Boston Globe accessed 10 August 2006
  2. ^ "Connecticut Primary Results". Hartford Courant. 2006-08-10. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Associated Press: Lieberman Files to Run As Independent. Stephanie Reitz, 9 August 2006. URL accessed 10 August 2006
  4. ^ DFA Link: Ned Lamont for US Senate. URL accessed 3 August 2006
  5. ^ a b Andrew Miga (2006-05-17). "Lieberman challenger Lamont sheds light on his wealth". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ John M. Higgins (2006-08-13). "Connecticut Candidate's Cable Connections". Broadcasting and Cable. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ My Left Nutmeg: Lamont Grants MyLeftNutmeg First Blogger Interview. 13 Jan 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  8. ^ NY Times: Ann Huntress to Wed E.M. Lamont Jr.
  9. ^ NedLamont.com: Family photo. URL accessed 3 August 2006
  10. ^ Hartford Courant: Candidate's daughter has ballot disqualified, Associated Press. 11 August 2006. [1]
  11. ^ Historic Humanist Series: Corliss Lamont. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  12. ^ Hartford Courant: Wealth: Touchy Political Issue; Lieberman Plays Up Lamont's Millions, But Will Voters Care? Mark Pazniokas. 4 June 2006. Original URL dead, reprint at NedLamont.com.
  13. ^ The Nation: A Fight for the Party's Soul. John Nichols, 27 July 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006
  14. ^ Hartford Courant: Out of the Political Shadows. Mark Pazniokas. 23 April 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  15. ^ http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=lamont&txtState=CT&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt1998=Y&Order=N
  16. ^ 1998 and 2000 election cycle contributions
  17. ^ 2002, 2004, and 2006 election cycle contributions
  18. ^ "Camille H. Buzby Becomes Fiancee". New York Times. 1950-11-03. p. 22.
  19. ^ Ken Krayeske (January 24, 2006). "Ned Lamont (interview)". Retrieved 2006-08-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ State of Connecticut: Statement of vote.
  21. ^ Open Secrets 2006 CT Senate Race [2]
  22. ^ "This campaign has not solicited, and will not accept, Washington lobbyist money" – Lamlont campaign email
  23. ^ Office of State Ethics: Lobbyist List
  24. ^ Lowell P. Weicker Jr. (2006-05-17). "Enough Of The War - And Enough Of Lieberman". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2006-08-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ Congressional Quarterly: The CQ Politics Interview: Ned Lamont. 23 June 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  26. ^ BBC: Lieberman fights for political life. Matt Wells. 3 July 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  27. ^ PoliticalMoneyLine: MoveOn.org Political Action Raises $2.6 Million. 14 July 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  28. ^ a b NBC30: Lieberman, Lamont Face Off In NBC 30 Debate. 6 July 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  29. ^ Quinnipiac University: Polling results. 20 July 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006
  30. ^ Bloomberg: Lieberman Trails Lamont by 13 Points in Connecticut, Poll Says. 3 August 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006
  31. ^ Hartford Courant: Post-Primary Poll Gives Lieberman Narrow Lead
  32. ^ The Sunday Times: The anti-war tycoon splits Democrats. Tony Allen-Mills. 30 July 2006. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  33. ^ Wall Street Journal: Kos Celeb. Joe Taranto. 13 May 2006. URL accessed 2 August 2006.
  34. ^ New York Times: Lieberman Rival Seeks Support Beyond Iraq Issue. Patrick Healy, 19 July 2006. URL accessed 2 August 2006.
  35. ^ Talking Points Memo: Scan of flier. URL accessed 3 August 2006.
  36. ^ The Washington Times: Lieberman rival owns stock in Wal-Mart. Charles Hurt. URL accessed 4 August 2006.
  37. ^ TIME: An Embarrassment of Riches for Lieberman's Challenger. Massimo Calabresi. URL accessed 4 August 2006.
  38. ^ http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-22013108.apds.m0522.bc-ct--connaug22,0,806951.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire
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