Tom Foley of Greenwich - who is leading the Republican race for governor in the polls - announced Monday that he will be arriving at Saturday's state party convention without a running mate.
Instead, he said he would serve with Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton or whomever wins the Republican primary for lieutenant governor on August 10.
"Let the Republican primary voters decide,'' Foley said in an interview Monday. "I don't want to be cutting deals and short-circuiting the process. ... Let the primary voters decide and not the gubernatorial candidate.''
Boughton was introduced Monday as Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele's running mate as they pledged their support to each other. Foley, though, said he would serve with the 46-year-old Boughton if they both win their respective primary races this summer.
"Mark Boughton is well qualified to be lieutenant governor,'' Foley said.
If he wins the primary and eventually runs with Boughton in the general election in the fall, Foley said, "I don't want it to look like he wasn't my choice.''
Foley said he would also serve with Lisa Wilson-Foley of Simsbury if she wins the lieutenant governor's primary - even though "I don't know a whole lot about her.''
After establishing a detailed vetting process six weeks ago, Foley's campaign contacted a number of Republicans recently and asked them if they would be interested in becoming lieutenant governor. But Foley emphasized that none of them had been offered the job. He eventually decided that the primary voters should decide.
Foley said there is a major difference between being asked if you are interested in a particular position and then actually being offered the job.
Two of those reportedly on Foley's list - state Rep. Pam Z. Sawyer of Bolton and state Rep. Penny Bacchiochi of Somers - both showed up Monday at the state Capitol press conference where Fedele introduced Boughton as his running mate.
"I endorsed Fedele before Foley got into the campaign,'' Sawyer told Capitol Watch. "I'm sure he's picking someone else.''