Democrat Dannel Malloy and Republican Tom Foley are ahead in the early results in their respective primaries.
Most of the votes still need to be counted, but Malloy and Foley have been ahead since the results started pouring in.
Malloy was holding a 58 percent to 42 percent lead with 25 percent of the precincts reporting, statewide. The polling places represented so far are mostly in small towns, spread throughout the state. Lamont had expected to poll well in cities and large towns, especially in and around Hartford and New Haven.
But in an ominous sign for Lamont, 10 of 35 New Haven precincts are in, and Malloy leads, 1,728 to 1,507.
At Malloy headquarters, reporter Matthew Kauffman reports:
An hour after the polls closed, Malloy was still holed up in a room at the Residence Inn, while increasingly raucous supporters filed into the City Steam Brewery, munching on meatballs, quesadillas, sliders and ravioli, and watching early returns on a large-screen TV.
Town-by-town numbers trickled into the press room, typically showing Malloy with a lead, although Roy Occhiogrosso, Malloy's chief strategist, said it appeared Malloy had lost the machine vote in Bridgeport by fewer than 80 votes.
"It's looking good so far," Occhiogrosso said with a non-committal air. "It's still early."