By Don Michak

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Dannel P. Malloy today collected endorsements from a slew of his party’s leaders from East Hartford, Manchester, and South Windsor, including state Sen. Gary D. LeBeau, who abandoned his own campaign for the state’s top job two weeks ago.

The former Stamford mayor, who in 2006 narrowly lost the Democrats’ gubernatorial nomination to New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr., has yet to formally announce his candidacy after more than a year of exploring another bid.

The one-time New York state prosecutor appears headed for a showdown with the frontrunner in recent polls, Democrat Edward “Ned” Lamont of Greenwich, the cable company executive who is expected on Tuesday to formally announce his candidacy.

Malloy, meeting this morning with a large group of supporters at the Marco Polo Restaurant in East Hartford, said he was “overwhelmed and energized” by the support from the 41 elected officials and political leaders from the east of the Connecticut River area.

Along with LeBeau, Malloy’s East Hartford backers include Democratic Town Chairman Pasquale “Bud” Salemi and three other members of the party committee; East Hartford Mayor Melody A. Currey; state Reps. Jason Rojas and Henry J. Genga; three Town Council members; three Board of Education members; and former state Rep. Christopher R. Stone.

Malloy’s Manchester supporters include the chairman of the Democratic town committee, Michael Pohl, and five other members of the party committee; the chairwoman of the Board of Education, Margaret Hackett; the secretary of the town’s Board of Directors, Lisa Paggioli-O’Neill, and two other members of that board; former Mayor Josh Howroyd; and former state Rep. James McCanavaugh.

Malloy won the endorsements in South Windsor of Democratic Town Chairwoman Joan Walsh and two other committee members, as well as Mayor John Pelkey.

Malloy said Bolton Democratic Town Chairman John Toomey Jr., and Rep. Thomas J. Kehoe, D-Glastonbury, also are supporting him.