It's Official: Gov. Lamont Will Run For A Third Term

Mathew Biadun | News-Editor

The biggest question looming over Connecticut politics was finally answered today. Ned Lamont, Connecticut’s two-term Democratic governor, is seeking to turn those two terms into three. He officially filed today to run in 2026, alongside his lieutenant governor Susan Bysiewicz. 

The announcement came after months of subtle hints and noncommittal responses. The final push appeared to be Tuesday’s election results where, amid a high turnout, Democrats swept the state’s municipal offices. 102 municipalities will now be run by Democrats, including eighteen of the state’s twenty largest cities. Just one town, Easton, saw a switch from blue to red, and even that election is now facing a recount. The blue wave hit large cities, flipping Bristol and New Britain, and smaller ones, like Bethany and Westport, alike. 

The election showed strong signs for the Democratic Party’s ongoing successes in the state. The reason for Democrats’ successes have been largely drawn down to two reasons - concerns over affordability, and opposition to federal policies made by the Trump administration, such as the current government shutdown. 

Those two motives provide a help and a hindrance to the Lamont administration. Opposition to President Donald Trump may aid Lamont; but may open him up to attacks from rivals, such as his current primary challenge from further-left Democrat Josh Elliot. Affordability concerns could help him if he’s able to blame it on federal policies: but would open him up to further attacks from Republican opponents like Ryan Fazio, who has frequently attacked Lamont and state Democrats for Connecticut’s high electric rates. 

The Republican challenger to Lamont has yet to be decided. Erin Stewart, former mayor of New Britain, is facing Ryan Fazio, current state senator from Greenwich, in a battle for the Republican nomination. No Republican governor has been elected in Connecticut since 2006, marking almost two straight decades of Democratic supremacy for the state’s top-job. 

Running a third term is rare, but constitutional, and not unprecedented. Republican John Rowland was elected governor thrice in 1994, 1998 and 2002. His third term ended in disaster, however, when a corruption scandal forced the governor to resign in 2004. No governor has run for a third term since. 

Lamont has retained high approval ratings, however, showing continued signs of his popularity within the state. The year ahead will prove whether or not that approval holds steady, or if it will sour as Republicans make their case for the governorship.