From The Associated Press:

Connecticut Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele announced Wednesday that he has entered the race for governor, becoming the first Republican to formally declare his candidacy for the seat being vacated by Republican M. Jodi Rell next year.

Fedele, 54, said his private-sector experience would be an asset in trying to restore lost jobs and boost the economy. He is founder and chairman of an information technology company, and was chosen by Rell to be her running mate in 2006.

“I think we have a defining moment here in Connecticut, an opportunity to turn the state around,” Fedele told The Associated Press before his official announcements in Cromwell and his hometown of Stamford. “I think as governor I can help the state get through the financial crisis.”

Other Republicans have been considering throwing their hats into the ring ever since Rell announced Nov. 9 that she would not seek re-election.

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