Q Poll: Mark who?

As Mark Boughton participates in a gubernatorial forum today, the just released Q Poll indicates that when it comes to name recognition, the last honest man in Danbury has a great deal of work to do.

If you wondering to yourself "how can a five term mayor of the seventh largest city in Connecticut have virtually zero name recognition", then let me explain.

In terms of the media market (newspaper, TV, radio), Danbury is located in the no man's corner of Connecticut.

Outside of the News-Times, this city rarely receives any attention in the state's major newspapers (i.e., Hartford Courant). Outside of immigration (which is not a statewide issue that Boughton can campaign on in 2010), the Greater Danbury area is for the most part overlooked/ignored. That being said, it will be very hard for a candidate from this area to get the type of free media exposure necessary to make a significant impact in the gubernatorial race (the Q Poll has Ridgefield Rudy Marconi running second to last among the Democratic gubernatorial candidates).

And of course, without name ID, it's VERY hard to raise money.

With two millionaires willing to self-finance themselves, (Tom Foley on the Republican side, Ned Lamont on the Democratic side), unless the state's public finance system is in tact this year, the chances of Boughton raising the amount of money necessary to be taken seriously is next to impossible.

But again, winning the nomination might not be in Boughton's playbook.

With Boughton in the possible position to grab a large number of delegates from Northern Fairfield County where he is well known (i.e., Greater Danbury Area up to possibly Watertown), while Greenwich resident Foley grabbing delegates in lower Fairfield County, the mayor's eventual entry into the governor's race could be less about winning the nomination but rather raising his state profile for future races and/or placing himself in position to make a deal at this year's GOP convention.