Bysiewicz announces candidacy for AG

Middletown (WTNH) -  

Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz has abandoned her campaign for Governor to run for Attorney General.

She said her phone started ringing off the hook last week when Senator Chris Dodd decided not to run and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced he would.

The prospects for a Democratic Primary for Attorney General are now very, very high. Bysiewicz says she has always aspired to be either Governor or Attorney General. And last weeks political shuffle caused her to change her plans.

"It is my intention to continue to serve and advocate for the people of Connecticut as your next Attorney General," said Susan Bysiewicz [D] for Attorney General.

Surrounded by her husband and children, Bysiewicz made it official and said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is her role model for how to do the job.

s the state's top election official for the past eleven years, she has had a high profile -- not as high as Blumenthal -- but she does have high name recognition and says she has enough legal background for the job.

Former State Democratic Party Chairman George Jepsen says he'll officially file papers for AG, Thursday, and claims his legal experience far exceeds Bysiewicz. He has already pledged to serve a full four year term if elected.

The implication being that Bysiewicz wants to use the job as a launching pad for a U.S. Senate bid in 2012.

"I don't think you can be an effective Attorney General, as a first termer, as you're getting your arms around the size and magnitude of the job if you're part time, if you're distracted, focusing elsewhere on running for a higher office," said George Jepsen [D] for Attorney General.

Bysiewicz will not make a similar pledge.

"One thing I've learned in politics is never to speculate about the future because the future is always different from what you might anticipate and the past week is an example of that," said Bysiewicz.