State Senator John McKinney waded into the waters of the 2014 race for Connecticut governor, by harshly criticizing Governor Dannel Malloy during an appearance on Face the State with Dennis House, set to air Sunday on WFSB-TV, Hartford.

McKinney, the Senate Minority Leader, became the second Republican to unofficially toss his hat in the ring for the ’14 contest. On Face the State last month, 2010 GOP nominee Tom Foley announced he plans to seek a rematch with Malloy, who beat Foley by only 6400 votes. Other potential candidates include House Minority Leader Larry Cafero, former Lt. Governor Michael Fedele and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. Fedele lost to Foley in the 2010 primary. Boughton was Foley’s running mate after he was Fedele’s.

During the taping McKinney said he wants to run for governor to reverse Malloy’s policies. “Governor Malloy has brought us nothing more than higher taxes and more spending…..the state is going in the wrong direction,” McKinney said. The Fairfield native, who also represents Newtown, defended Malloy’s predecessor, Jodi Rell, and blames the state’s financial crisis on Democrats, who have controlled the General Assembly for nearly two decades. McKinney blamed Malloy for raising “sales, income, and property taxes.”

If McKinney follows through with his desire to run for governor, he told me would launch his candidacy in the spring. He told me his focus now is on the people of Newtown and the legislative session. Foley also said nothing is official until he files the papers, later this year. Neither man can raise money for a campaign until they set up an exploratory committee.

You can watch the entire interview right here: http://www.wfsb.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8303901

We also have analysis from our Face the State analysts Duby McDowell and Brian Flaherty, and Jerrod Ferrari of the Norwalk Hour.

The four of us discussed several GOP women who could be eyeing higher office, though none has publicly expressed interest in the state’s highest office. State Representatives Penny Bacchiochi, Pam Sawyer, and Themis Klarides, along with State Senator Toni Boucher and Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson are all seen as potential candidates for lieutenant governor or for one of the state’s constitutional offices.

We have two flashbacks; a look back at Mayor John DeStefano’s first day on the job and another NFL flirt with Hartford.

Watch our interview with Tom Foley right here: http://dennishouse.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/foley-setting-stage-for-2014-rematch-with-governor-malloy/

Here’s our Face the State flashback, “The Hartford Buccaneers?” http://dennishouse.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/flashback-another-team-flirts-with-connecticut-the-hartford-buccaneers/