Tom Swan Sees Scott Walker, Not Dannel Malloy, On Teacher Tenure

Tom Swan, a Democrat who ran Ned Lamont’s campaign against U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman in 2006, is known widely in Connecticut political circles for his liberal views.

Coming from a family of teachers, he was not happy Wednesday when Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy talked about changing teacher tenure.

“It looked like Dan Malloy up there, but when he was talking about teacher tenure, all I could see was Scott Walker,” Swan told Capitol Watch after Malloy’s State of the State Address in Hartford.

Walker, the Wisconsin governor, has clashed sharply with liberals and unions for his stance regarding public employee unions in his home state. He has developed a national profile and been the subject of scorn by union members.

But the leader of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, John Rathgeber, had a more charitable view of Malloy’s speech.

“I think the governor hit on all the key points,” Rathgeber said in an interview outside the historic Hall of the House. 

Malloy touched on jobs, the economy, reforming public education, and boosting confidence in the business sector.

“It’s really good to hear the top Democrat in the state” talk about economic growth and development, Rathgeber said.

Some state employers, he said, have complained that certain jobs have been left unfilled because the companies cannot find qualified candidates. With better schooling in Connecticut and improved education, those jobs could be filled, he said.