Lamont Reelected, Democrats Secure Historic Gains

Gov. Ned Lamont won a rare third term Nov. 3, as Democrats swept all congressional and statewide races while securing historic margins in the state House and Senate.

Connecticut Democrats’ election performance mirrored a sweeping national wave that saw the party retake control of both the U.S. House and Senate in emphatic fashion.

Democrats will have margins of historic proportions when the General Assembly convenes in January, even larger than the landslides that followed Watergate and Barack Obama’s 2008 election as U.S. President.

Just three Republicans will be sworn in when the 36-member Senate convenes next January after the party lost eight seats, including the Litchfield County-based seat held by Minority Leader Stephen Harding.

In the 151-seat state House, Republicans lost 14 seats and will be outnumbered by Democrats by more than three-to-one.

‘Fed Up’

Lamont defeated state Sen. Ryan Fazio, whose Greenwich seat was among the party’s Nov. 2 losses, by 18 percentage points, the widest margin of his three election wins.

“I think the message yesterday was loud and clear,” Lamont said at a post-election press conference Nov. 4.

“People are fed up with what’s going on in Washington, D.C., and the dysfunction there, and they’re having a hard time getting by.

“I like the fact that people had some confidence in the state of Connecticut and how we’re managing through these very complicated times.”

What do Connecticut’s election results look like across the state? See the winners of every state Senate and House race, district by district, with our interactive election map. ➡️ Explore the map: https://t.co/FC6tn98hU9 #electionresults #Connecticut https://t.co/egy669dLx1

— CBIA (@CBIANews) November 4, 2026

Voters reelected Comptroller Sean Scanlon, State Treasurer Erick Russell, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas, and Attorney General William Tong—all by double digit margins.

Democrats Joe Courtney (CT 2), Rosa DeLauro (CT 3), Jim Himes (CT 4), and Jahana Hayes (CT 5) all easily won reelection to the U.S. House.

Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin won the 1st U.S. House District race by 33 points, and will succeed Rep. John Larsen, who held the seat for 14 terms before losing the Democratic primary to Bronin.

Republicans have not won statewide office, including a congressional seat, since 2006.

General Assembly Margins

A decade ago, the state Senate was tied 18-18 and Democrats held a narrow five-seat margin in the House. The GOP has failed to capitalize in subsequent elections, with this week’s elections a pointed exclamation mark.

State Republican leaders echoed Lamont’s comments about voter reaction to the national political climate.

“The election results are a reaction to the chaos in Washington rather than an endorsement of the policies of Democrats in our General Assembly,” House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) told the Connecticut Mirror.

Candelora, who ran unopposed for reelection, will see his caucus reduced to 35 members, with the Democrats’ 116-35 margin in the House the largest since the 1974 post-Watergate election.

The all-time historic low for Connecticut Senate Republicans occurred in the post-Watergate wave election, when the party won just seven seats.

“It’s as bad as it gets,” said Harding, who lost by four points to Brookfield Democratic Town Council chair Aaron Zimmer.

Senate, House Moves

Senators Eric Berthel (R-Watertown), Henri Martin (R-Bristol), and Rob Sampson (R-Southington) were the only GOP incumbents to survive Tuesday, with Sampson holding on by about 500 votes.

Seventeen-term incumbent Sen. John Kissel (R-Enfield) lost by 12 points to former Democratic state representative David Kiner.

Five-term incumbent Heather Somers (R-Mystic) fell to another former Democratic state representative, Joe De La Cruz, who won 52% of the vote.

Sen. Jeff Gordon (R-Woodstock) lost by eight points to small business owner Ethan Werstler; workforce program director Carolann Reid beat first-term Sen. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) by two points; and three-term incumbent Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-North Haven) lost narrowly to North Haven economic development commissioner Brandi Mandato.

Democratic pick-ups included the 28th District Senate seat held by Republicans for 50 years.

Democrats picked up two open Senate seats, including the 28th District seat held by Republicans for 50 years that Lamont’s former communications director, Rob Blanchard, won by 22 points.

Republican House losses included two Shelton-area seats held by the party for more than five decades.

Former Shelton Board of Education member Amanda Kilmartin won the 122nd District held by six-term incumbent Rep. Ben McGorty (R-Shelton) by four points.

And Shelton alderman Bryan Lizotte won the open 113rd House seat with 52% of the vote, beating Republican Joseph Lauretti, son of longtime Shelton mayor Mark Lauretti.