Hartford - Former ambassador Thomas C. Foley had a straightforward explanation for his jump from the race for the Senate into the 2010 governor's race: With Gov. M. Jodi Rell out of the race, he would return to seeking the office he had wanted in the first place.What Foley didn't offer on Thursday, however, was a policy platform, or many concrete reasons voters should back him as he turns from taking on Sen. Chris Dodd to trying to keep the governor's office in Republican hands.

What Foley didn't offer on Thursday, however, was a policy platform, or many concrete reasons voters should back him as he turns from taking on Sen. Chris Dodd to trying to keep the governor's office in Republican hands.In a brief campaign announcement in a small, crowded conference room at the Hartford Hilton, Foley said he believed his experience as a corporate executive and political outsider made him the right candidate to lead Connecticut. He said friends had urged him a year ago to consider seeking the governor's office.

In a brief campaign announcement in a small, crowded conference room at the Hartford Hilton, Foley said he believed his experience as a corporate executive and political outsider made him the right candidate to lead Connecticut. He said friends had urged him a year ago to consider seeking the governor's office.At the time, Foley said, he demurred, not wanting to challenge Rell, and instead set his sights on Dodd. But with Rell's announcement three weeks ago that she would not seek a second full term, Foley said, "I have reconsidered."

At the time, Foley said, he demurred, not wanting to challenge Rell, and instead set his sights on Dodd. But with Rell's announcement three weeks ago that she would not seek a second full term, Foley said, "I have reconsidered." The press conference wasn't really one after all; the candidate and his aides at first declined to open the room up for questions before eventually convening a five-and-a-half-minute scrum in the hall outside the conference room.

The press conference wasn't really one after all; the candidate and his aides at first declined to open the room up for questions before eventually convening a five-and-a-half-minute scrum in the hall outside the conference room.Once there, Foley offered few substantive answers about his platform or policy views, saying he and a group of advisers would be assembling a list of campaign stances in the coming weeks.

Once there, Foley offered few substantive answers about his platform or policy views, saying he and a group of advisers would be assembling a list of campaign stances in the coming weeks.As Foley hastily departed the question-and-answer session with reporters from state newspapers and TV outlets still shouting questions, an aide said more answers would come at a later date.

As Foley hastily departed the question-and-answer session with reporters from state newspapers and TV outlets still shouting questions, an aide said more answers would come at a later date."There'll be plenty of time to talk with you during the campaign," said the adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, a former aide to Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate.

"There'll be plenty of time to talk with you during the campaign," said the adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, a former aide to Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate. Foley's announcement comes one day after Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele formally announced his candidacy to succeed Rell.

Foley's announcement comes one day after Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele formally announced his candidacy to succeed Rell.Fedele, who hails from Stamford, served 10 years in the legislature before returning to private life. He returned to politics after being tapped as Rell's running mate in the 2006 election, which the Republican ticket won handily over Democrat John DeStefano Jr., the mayor of New Haven.

Fedele, who hails from Stamford, served 10 years in the legislature before returning to private life. He returned to politics after being tapped as Rell's running mate in the 2006 election, which the Republican ticket won handily over Democrat John DeStefano Jr., the mayor of New Haven.The lieutenant governor's announcement, like Foley's and that of the only official Democratic candidate, former House Speaker James A. Amann, was all about jobs.

The lieutenant governor's announcement, like Foley's and that of the only official Democratic candidate, former House Speaker James A. Amann, was all about jobs. The same theme has been a standby of other potential candidates who are still in the exploratory phase, including Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., former Senate candidate Ned Lamont, former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy and state Sen. Gary LeBeau.

The same theme has been a standby of other potential candidates who are still in the exploratory phase, including Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., former Senate candidate Ned Lamont, former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy and state Sen. Gary LeBeau."Our state's economy is still in the danger zone," Fedele said in a speech Wednesday before the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. "Families are still struggling, businesses are still stagnating, and far too many people are still out of work.

"Our state's economy is still in the danger zone," Fedele said in a speech Wednesday before the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. "Families are still struggling, businesses are still stagnating, and far too many people are still out of work. "The solution lies in a single word - jobs. We need to create new jobs to grow our economy."

"The solution lies in a single word - jobs. We need to create new jobs to grow our economy."But other than Fedele's expressed opposition to tax increases - a position Foley said Thursday he agreed with - the campaigns have been remarkably free so far of policy proposals or concrete ideas for correcting Connecticut's present course.

But other than Fedele's expressed opposition to tax increases - a position Foley said Thursday he agreed with - the campaigns have been remarkably free so far of policy proposals or concrete ideas for correcting Connecticut's present course."We're going to put together a plan forward for Connecticut and we're going to be talking about policy recommendations when that's completed," Foley said as he deflected questions about whether he believed Connecticut would be right to opt out of federal health reforms, how he would address the state's current budget deficit, and what exactly he meant in a comment criticizing "reckless spending."

"We're going to put together a plan forward for Connecticut and we're going to be talking about policy recommendations when that's completed," Foley said as he deflected questions about whether he believed Connecticut would be right to opt out of federal health reforms, how he would address the state's current budget deficit, and what exactly he meant in a comment criticizing "reckless spending."Foley said friends recommended a year ago that he run for governor, but that he chose to challenge Dodd since Rell had yet to announce her plans to retire. Now, the field looks different, he said.

Foley said friends recommended a year ago that he run for governor, but that he chose to challenge Dodd since Rell had yet to announce her plans to retire. Now, the field looks different, he said."I think the governorship fits my background better, and I think it's a job where I can make more of a difference for Connecticut, which is my motive," Foley said. "So, originally, that made the most sense."

"I think the governorship fits my background better, and I think it's a job where I can make more of a difference for Connecticut, which is my motive," Foley said. "So, originally, that made the most sense."In his brief press conference, Foley said was leaning against participating in the state's public financing system for political campaigns, a move that would have its own ramifications for other candidates, who could receive supplemental public grants if Foley spends over the program's spending limits.

In his brief press conference, Foley said was leaning against participating in the state's public financing system for political campaigns, a move that would have its own ramifications for other candidates, who could receive supplemental public grants if Foley spends over the program's spending limits."We plan to raise money and spend my own money, if we go that way," Foley said.

"We plan to raise money and spend my own money, if we go that way," Foley said.The candidate also briefly addressed his business background, saying his firm, NTC Group, had employed about 6,000 people at its peak - Foley has divested some companies he owned, and did not give a current number - and also said his work in Baghdad running privatization initiatives for the Coalition Provisional Authority in 2003 and 2004 is "beginning to bear fruit now that they've solved most of the security problems."

The candidate also briefly addressed his business background, saying his firm, NTC Group, had employed about 6,000 people at its peak - Foley has divested some companies he owned, and did not give a current number - and also said his work in Baghdad running privatization initiatives for the Coalition Provisional Authority in 2003 and 2004 is "beginning to bear fruit now that they've solved most of the security problems."Foley's decision to drop out of the Senate contest brought compliments from some former foes in that race, including financier Peter Schiff and former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons of Stonington, who said he wished Foley and his family well. The departure continues a marked narrowing of a once-crowded primary field of Republicans eager to take on Dodd.

Foley's decision to drop out of the Senate contest brought compliments from some former foes in that race, including financier Peter Schiff and former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons of Stonington, who said he wished Foley and his family well. The departure continues a marked narrowing of a once-crowded primary field of Republicans eager to take on Dodd. The remaining candidates for the Republican nomination now include Simmons, Schiff and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, all of whom will no longer have to contend with Foley, a prodigious fundraiser who was named a "Pioneer" for his efforts in assembling contributions for the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush.

The remaining candidates for the Republican nomination now include Simmons, Schiff and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, all of whom will no longer have to contend with Foley, a prodigious fundraiser who was named a "Pioneer" for his efforts in assembling contributions for the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush.After his work in the Green Zone during the Iraq occupation, Foley was named ambassador to Ireland by Bush in 2006.

After his work in the Green Zone during the Iraq occupation, Foley was named ambassador to Ireland by Bush in 2006.t.mann@theday.com

t.mann@theday.com