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Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) – You may have missed the fact that the Mayor of Newington is running for Governor. How many does that make? Twelve?? Oh no, it’s eleven. State Senator Gary LeBeau dropped out. Who???

Do all these guys really think they have a chance to become governor? The real answer is no.

There are really only about four or five who have a real chance at winning. So why all the announcements? Many are jockeying for position on the underticket. Like Lt. Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer.

If you are the mayor of a city and can get your local town Democratic or Republican committee to endorse your candidacy, you go to the State Party Convention in May with leverage. You are then in on the action and bartering for delegates.

A candidate must get a majority of the delegates to get the convention endorsement. A candidate must get at least fifteen percent of the delegates in order to wage a primary in August.

So there are ‘top tier candidates’ and there are ‘lower tier candidates.’ Who’s who? Most political observers on the Democratic side say Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy is a top tier candidate because of his long time as mayor of a large city and ran for governor before (Malloy actually won the convention endorsement four years ago only to lose the primary to New Haven Mayor John DeStefano).

Millionaire Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont is also considered ‘top tier’ because people know him from his run against Joe Lieberman and the fact that he has plenty of his own money and is willing to spend it.

On the Republican side, Former Ambassador and Greenwich millionaire businessman Tom Foley is considered ‘top tier’ because he has plenty of money and is willing to spend it. Former 4th District Congressman Chris Shays would be considered top tier if he decides to enter the race because he’s very well known in Fairfield County (That’s where the most Republican votes reside and Shays served the area in congress for 20 years.)