Stemerman files petitions to gain access to GOP primary

Former Greenwich hedge fund manager David Stemerman has announced that he submitted approximately 20,000 signatures as part of his petition drive to secure a place in the Aug. 14 primary for the Republican nomination for Connecticut governor.

Stemerman, who shut down his Conatus Capital Management firm before entering the race for governor, bypassed last month”™s Connecticut Republican Party convention to focus on becoming a petitioning candidate. Stemerman will need to have roughly 9,000 signatures certified by the Connecticut Secretary of State in order to become part of the primary.

Another businessman-turned-politician, former UBS Chief Financial Officer Bob Stefanowski, submitted 12,000 signatures last week and also received the endorsement of Fairfield attorney Peter Lumaj, who ended his race for the GOP nomination after failing to gain enough delegate support in the party”™s convention. Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti is also collecting signatures to gain access to the primary ballot, and he would need to submit his paperwork today to meet the state”™s deadline for petition filings.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton emerged from the convention with the party”™s endorsement, and he faces former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst and Westport-based technology executive Steve Obstinik in the primary.