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Nancy Wyman

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Nancy Wyman
Chair of the Connecticut Democratic Party
In office
February 1, 2019 – June 11, 2020
Preceded byNick Balletto
Succeeded byNancy DiNardo
108th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
In office
January 5, 2011 – January 9, 2019
GovernorDan Malloy
Preceded byMichael Fedele
Succeeded bySusan Bysiewicz
Comptroller of Connecticut
In office
January 4, 1995 – January 5, 2011
GovernorJohn Rowland
Jodi Rell
Preceded byBill Curry
Succeeded byKevin Lembo
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 53rd district
In office
1987–1995
Preceded byMichael Helfgott
Succeeded byMichael J. "Mike" Cardin
Personal details
Born (1946-04-21) April 21, 1946 (age 78)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMichael Wyman
Children2
EducationLong Island College Hospital
Signature
WebsiteGovernment website

Nancy S. Wyman (born April 21, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician who was the 108th lieutenant governor of Connecticut, from 2011 to 2019.[1] She was state comptroller of Connecticut from 1995 to 2011, and was the first woman elected to that office since it was created in 1786. She served as the Chairwoman of the Connecticut Democratic Party from 2019 to 2020.

Early life

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Wyman was born to a Jewish family[2] and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her father worked as an accountant and supplemented his income by delivering the New York Daily News. She earned an associate degree in radiological technology from Long Island College Hospital.[3]

Early career

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Wyman began her career in public service as vice chairperson of the Tolland Board of Education. She served in this post for four years, but was on the board serving in other roles for five additional years. In 1986, she was elected as the State Representative from the 53rd district of Connecticut, serving in this capacity from 1987–1995.[4]

Comptroller (1995–2011)

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In 1994, Wyman became State Comptroller upon defeating Republican Gene Gavin, a Certified Public Accountant. She succeeded William E. Curry Jr., who did not run for re-election in order to run for governor.

As comptroller, Wyman was the chief fiscal guardian for the State of Connecticut. She oversaw the state health plan for 200,000 state employees, retirees, and their dependents.[5]

Despite the high popularity of Connecticut's last two Republican governors, Wyman has easily won re-election. In 1998 she was challenged by Republican State Representative Christopher R. Scalzo. In 2002, 28-year-old West Haven Republican Justice of the Peace and City Commissioner Steven Mullins presented an easy challenge to Wyman.

Mullins, a real estate manager by profession, was chosen by then-Governor John G. Rowland to challenge Wyman the week of the state Republican Convention. He is the only African-American nominee for state comptroller, Democrat or Republican, in Connecticut history.

After being endorsed by three of Connecticut's major newspapers, seven term Groton Republican State Senator Cathy Cook lost to Wyman in 2006.

Lieutenant Governor (2011–2019)

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Democratic candidate for Governor Dan Malloy chose Wyman to be his running mate in the 2010 gubernatorial race.[6] After defeating primary opponent Mary Glassman on August 10, 2010,[7] Wyman became the official 2010 Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Malloy and Wyman won a narrow general election.

Wyman was sworn in on January 5, 2011, succeeding Republican Michael Fedele. She was succeeded by former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz on January 9, 2019.

Political advocacy

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In 2006, Wyman co-chaired Joe Courtney's campaign for United States Congress against incumbent U.S. Representative Rob Simmons in Connecticut's second Congressional District. Courtney defeated Simmons by a narrow margin.

Issues

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Wyman is liberal when it comes to social issues. In March 2007, she testified at a public hearing of the State Legislative Judiciary Committee in support of Bill #7395 – "An Act Concerning Marriage Equality." In her opening statement before the committee, she stated, "To violate the rights of a few is to violate the rights of all."[8] The bill supports same-sex marriage rights in Connecticut. In 2008, same-sex marriage became legal in Connecticut by court order.

Personal life

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Wyman is married to Tolland Democratic Registrar of Voters R. Michael Wyman. They have lived in Tolland since 1973.

Electoral history

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Connecticut's Comptroller Election, 1994
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic* Nancy Wyman 529,709 54.66
Republican Gene Gavin 439,473 45.34

*Wyman was also nominated on the A Connecticut Party line.

Connecticut's Comptroller Election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nancy Wyman (inc.) 501,266 56.72
Republican Christopher Scalzo 373,337 42.24
Libertarian Steven Edelman 9,207 1.04
Connecticut's Comptroller Election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nancy Wyman (inc.) 577,851 62.19
Republican Steven Mullins 338,613 36.44
Libertarian Leonard Rasch 12,651 1.36
Connecticut's Comptroller Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nancy Wyman (inc.) 651,150 64.42
Republican Cathy Cook 320,520 31.71
Libertarian Richard Connelly Jr. 23,688 2.34
Green Colin Daniel Bennett 15,427 1.53
Connecticut's Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nancy Wyman 110,768 63.33
Democratic Mary Messina Glassman 64,137 36.67

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman - Archive". State of Connecticut. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Jewish Ledger: "Q & A with… Nancy Wyman - State Comptroller talks about run for Lt. Governor" By Judie Jacobson 2014
  3. ^ Altimari, Daniela (December 29, 2010). "Nancy Wyman: A Liberal Democrat With Bipartisan Support". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  4. ^ nancywyman.com Archived June 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "State of Connecticut -Office of the State Comptroller – Nancy S. Wyman – Comptroller". Osc.state.ct.us. April 16, 2010. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  6. ^ nancywyman.com Archived January 30, 2013, at archive.today
  7. ^ "Connecticut Primaries: Results". Hartford Courant. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  8. ^ "Testimony of State Comptroller Nancy Wyman Before the Judiciary Committee March 26, 2007" (PDF). Office of the State Comptroller. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
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Connecticut House of Representatives
Preceded by
Michael Helfgott
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 53rd district

1987–1995
Succeeded by
Michael J. "Mike" Cardin
Political offices
Preceded by Comptroller of Connecticut
1995–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
2011–2019
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Connecticut State Comptroller
1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Mary Glassman
Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
2010, 2014
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Connecticut Democratic Party
2019–2020
Succeeded by