Malloy embraces role as contrarian to GOP governors

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (C) speaks while flanked by Gov. Mary Fallin, (R-OK) (L), Gov. Bobby Jindal (D-LA) (2ndL), and other members of the National Governors Association, after a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House February 24, 2014 in Washington, DC. less Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (C) speaks while flanked by Gov. Mary Fallin, (R-OK) (L), Gov. Bobby Jindal (D-LA) (2ndL), and other members of the National Governors Association, after a meeting with President ... more Photo: Mark Wilson, Mark Wilson/Getty Images Photo: Mark Wilson, Mark Wilson/Getty Images Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Malloy embraces role as contrarian to GOP governors 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is cementing his reputation as a leading anti-conservative provocateur. Just ask Indiana's Mike Pence, the latest Republican governor to have a run-in with Connecticut's prosecutor-in-chief.

Before Malloy took Pence to task on a religious freedom law that allows businesses to discriminate against gays, he sparred with Texas' Rick Perry over gun control, Louisiana's Bobby Jindal on the minimum wage and New Jersey's Chris Christie on, well, just about everything.

Now in his second term, Malloy, a Democrat, is using a megaphone to increase the volume on progressive issues.

"Listen: I've never hidden my candle under a basket," Malloy said last week.

It's no surprise that Malloy's disses have gotten him national attention.

"When you see a bigot, you have to call him on it," Malloy told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"The reality is the governor's not a stupid man, but he's done stupid things."

Early last week, Malloy backed up his words with a travel ban to Indiana by Connecticut state employees. On Saturday, he lifted the ban on state-paid travel after Indiana amended the legislation to provide protection to LGBTQ people.

The week before, it was Jindal's turn, with Malloy getting personal about the Louisiana Republican's presidential aspirations.

"He must have been beaten up really bad on the playground," Malloy told a website about Jindal. "Really bad, I think."

Malloy is burnishing his profile in a bellicose and unapologetic way that has progressives fawning and critics groaning that he is grandstanding to divert attention from a staggering state deficit. Malloy's visibility is expected to increase as the calendar approaches 2016, when both national parties will clash over the presidency and Malloy takes the reins of the Democratic Governors Association.

"He's part of the heart and soul of the Democratic Party," said Donna Brazile, the veteran Democratic strategist and CNN contributor. "Clearly, we need more of him across the country, not less."

Noisy political talk

Conservatives widely questioned Malloy's motives, however.

"I would think that the opposition to this bill is based mostly on political opportunism," said John McCormack, a senior writer for the conservative magazine The Weekly Standard.

Malloy was first in calling for a ban on state employee travel to Indiana over the religion law. New York's Andrew Cuomo followed, but Malloy had already grabbed the headlines.

"This is an opening you would expect the (incoming) DGA chair to exploit," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "He gave Pence a real going over on CNN."

What raising the minimum wage and gun control reform were to Malloy's first term, when 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, advocacy of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights may be to his second term.

"He's very passionate and very tough, and exactly what we need as a spokesperson," said Ray Buckley, vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a member of its LGBT caucus.

Buckley said Malloy is the ideal foil of Republicans, especially in a noisy world of political talk shows.

"They're not expecting it," Buckley said. "So I think he catches them off guard."

Malloy, a former prosecutor, said it's not an act.

"I call them as I see them," Malloy said. "I know what I know. And I know what I believe. And I saw a state going after some of its citizens."

Pence's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Proud attack dog

For his part, Malloy is relishing the limelight, with BuzzFeed referring to him as the Democrats' loudest attack dog in the recent profile that outlined his spat with Jindal.

The two have sparred since February 2014, when Malloy admonished Jindal over the minimum wage during a joint news conference of governors outside the White House.

Then there's the tension between Connecticut's governor and Christie, who came here five times last year as the head of the Republican Governors Association to stump for Malloy's opponent, Tom Foley. The two have frequently clashed over whose state is better for business and over gun-control reform, with Malloy chastising Christie for his 2014 veto of a high-capacity-magazine ban in New Jersey.

In 2013, Malloy took on then-Texas governor Perry, who tried to lure away Connecticut firearms companies after post-Sandy Hook gun reform laws were passed. In a bit of gamesmanship, Malloy crashed Perry's downtown Hartford luncheon with business leaders to welcome his counterpart here.

"That's what politics are," Malloy said of his repeated run-ins with Republicans from other states.

Brazile said with Republicans controlling the dialogue after the 2014 midterm election, Malloy has much to offer Democrats heading into 2016.

"So having Dan Malloy out there allows Democratic progressive voices as well as Democratic centrist voices to be heard," Brazile said. "He's not Howard Dean, nor is he Joe Lieberman. When you hear Dan Malloy, you know his values."

National focus

Lowell P. Weicker Jr., who was Connecticut governor from 1991 to 1995 and ran under the banner of A Connecticut Party, said while he respects Malloy, there is a downside to all of his moonlighting.

"I suspect that if I was in his position, I wouldn't be out there. I would be at home," Weicker said. "His primary obligation is to Connecticut. I think that's something he's got to keep in the back of his mind."

John Kleinhans, executive director of the Connecticut Republican Party, said Malloy's priorities are misplaced regarding the affairs of Indiana when they should be focused on the projected $2 billion, two-year budget deficit.

"I think Gov. Malloy would be better suited trying to fix Connecticut's collapsing economy and looming deficit rather than raising his national profile for the Democratic Governors Association," Kleinhans said. "Maybe it's time he consider moving. I know a lot of Connecticut taxpayers who would gladly help him pack."

Malloy's response was that he is a proven multi-tasker, with the governor noting he had time Wednesday to attend a ground-breaking in Waterbury for the widening of Interstate 84, a budget conference in Hartford and a phone interview with state-based media.

"I know what my priorities are," Malloy said. "My priorities are the citizens of Connecticut."

neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy