Head Scratcher: Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy Raised Taxes, Increased Spending, Demonized Guns. So Why Isn’t He More Popular?

Dan
Malloy Is Progressives’ Dream Governor. So Why Isn’t He
Winning?

From immigration to gun control and the minimum wage, Connecticut’s
Dan Malloy signed into law a wish list of lefty priorities. But
he’s locked in a tie with his Republican challenger.

That’s the actual headline and sub-head to a Daily
Beast piece about Dan Malloy, the incumbent governor of
Connecticut whose re-election
is looking pretty shakey.

Higher taxes on the rich? Check. A state earned income tax
credit for the poor? Check. A higher minimum wage? Connecticut was
the first state to raise it to $10.10 an hour after President Obama
called for it. There is more: mandatory paid sick leave, repeal of
the death penalty…strict new gun control laws, and massive new
spending on public education, higher education, and
infrastructure.

Full Beast piece here.

Here’s a hint as to why Malloy is in a pickle: Most of the
things he did, especially when it comes to taxing and spending
more, are genuinely unpopular. Indeed,
just 23 percent of Americans (a recent high, by the way) see
themselves as liberal.

He’s not in a tight race despite his legislative
victories but because of them. You know, kind of like the
way Barack Obama’s first two years of complete free run led to a
GOP-controlled House.