The race for State Treasurer race got an additional Republican candidate in the final hours before the filing deadline at noon Tuesday.
Sher Valenzuela, who ran for Lt. Governor against Matt Denn two years ago and lost, will face Ken Simpler in the GOP primary in September.
Valenzuela, who owns the Milford-based First State Manufacturing, says she entered the race after waiting to see if another candidate would step in and question Simpler’s background, including his work as a hedge fund manager at the investment firm Citadel.
She says that could be a liability in the November general election.
"The Democrats hung that around Mitt Romney’s neck in his election, the hedge fund past. I know all of the information that the Democrats are gathering on the background of this candidate and it’s not being discussed," said Valenzuela.
Valenzuela adds that current Treasurer, Democrat Chip Flowers, is a “disaster” and, if elected, she would pursue a jobs creation platform.
Valenzuela, who owns an upholstery business employing about 80 people in Milford, says she is uniquely qualified as a business owner to pursue that agenda.
"All of our communities spin around the central engine of job creation. And if there’s any office that should be interested in that hub of activity, it’s the state treasurer," said Valenzuela.
In a statement, the Simpler campaign said “a finance job requires a finance professional,” adding that Simpler remains the only candidate with a proven track record of running a financial office.
The Democrats also have a primary in the Treasurer’s race with Flowers facing a challenge from Sean Barney, a former policy adviser to Gov. Jack Markell.