Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont to seek third term in 2026
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday he is filing the necessary paperwork to run for a third term in 2026.
The Democrat, who has been asked by reporters for months whether he will run again, said a formal announcement would likely be made next week.
“Yes, Susan and I are ready to go,” he said at an affordable housing event, referring to Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. “I didn’t want you to have to ask me any longer.”
Lamont, 71, a wealthy former cable entrepreneur, has developed a reputation as a fiscal moderate, signing a major tax cut and paying off unfunded state pensions. He also supported access to abortion through safe harbor laws and better protections for immigrants.
One of two Democratic governors who attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Lamont carefully chose the issues on which to criticize the Republican. The tactic drew complaints from more liberal Connecticut Democrats, who also criticized his budget approach as too conservative.
No governor of Connecticut has served three consecutive terms in modern times. Former Republican Governor John G. Rowland was elected to a third consecutive term in November 2022, but resigned in 2004 amid a corruption scandal.
