The Republican SOTS candidate is the first candidate for statewide office to receive the grant.
BRANFORD, Conn—On Wednesday, June 1st the State Elections Enforcement Commission announced that it would make its second public grant payments under the Citizens’ Election Program (CEP). The Commission determined that Republican Secretary of the State candidate, Dominic Rapini, was eligible to receive a program grant—making him the first candidate for statewide office to receive the grant.
“Being the first statewide candidate to receive this grant is truly a testament to not only the grassroots support behind this campaign—but also the strength of our organization,” Dominic Rapini said. “We are ready to win in November and bring much-needed change to Hartford.”
The CEP is a voluntary program that allows qualifying candidates for General Assembly and statewide offices to receive full public financing. candidates for statewide offices must raise $86,600 in small-dollar contributions of which $78,000 must come from in-state contributors. In 2022, the grant amount is $484,125 for statewide candidates in primaries.
The CEP was designed, in part, to reduce the influence of special interests in state politics while encouraging grassroots support of campaigns. In its fourteenth year of providing public funding to General Assembly candidates, the CEP continues to provide a seawall against the rising tide of special interest money in Connecticut elections.
