Who Will Be Connecticut’s Next Governor, and Why?

by Sharon Rondeau

(Feb. 13, 2026) — On September 30, The Post & Email published an article featuring a new non-profit, American Destiny, founded to “empower the pro-American youth of our nation with the right tools to properly engage in the civic process.”

In late September, co-founders Blake Consentino and Paige Shepard spoke to us against the backdrop of the shocking murder of Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University just weeks before.

Kirk’s political, civics, free-market and Christian activism was well-known across the country and throughout the world. His unexpected death at age 31 became the catalyst for a reported surge in church attendance both domestically and overseas, Bible purchases, prayer, goodwill toward others and thousands of requests from American students to launch new chapters of TPUSA’s high school division, Club America.

At the university level, TPUSA chapters have been formed on more than 3,500 college campuses, according to the organization’s website. At age 18, Kirk launched his idea to reach young people where they were with his message of the strength of American capitalism and the advantages of limited government.

A new TPUSA “on-the-ground” news division, Frontlines, states it “exposes evil and presses truth.”

The “Kirk Effect,” Consentino and Shepard told us for our initial article, catalyzed their efforts to expand American Destiny more rapidly than previoiusly. A member of a TPUSA chapter at her college, Shepard described Kirk as “awesome.”

“He was exactly how he presents; he was a man of God; he was searching for the truth, and he was really passionate about engaging with Gen Z and the younger generation,” she said. 

Consentino characterized the Kirk Effect as a “realignment” toward a “structure regimen” and “tradition” which he said church attendance can provide.

What is Happening in the “Constitution State?”

On November 3, 2026, 36 states and three U.S. territories will be holding gubernatorial elections, one of which is Consentino and Shepard’s native Connecticut. The state’s current governor is entrepreneur and former university adjunct professor Ned Lamont (D), 72.

Lamont is a descendant of prominent ancestors in the fields of banking, public service and international affairs. Born in the nation’s capital and raised partly on Long Island, NY, Lamont did not arrive in Connecticut until he attended Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH, a private preparatory boarding school founded in 1781 knowns for its academic strength and very selective admissions policy.

Lamont went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. As a young entrepreneur following his studies, he founded a telecommunications company supplying cable TV to colleges nationwide. The company, Campus Televideo, was purchased by Apogee in 2015.

In 2010, Lamont unsuccessfully sought the 2010 Democrat gubernatorial nomination against Dannel P. Malloy, who went on to win the general election that November. A popular political figure, Lamont is seeking a third term, as Connecticut does not term-limit the post.

One of the original 13 colonies and known as the “Constitution State,” Connecticut is one of the highest per-capita-income states in the nation, though down to third place from its former position as the highest for many years. According to WalletHub, the state has the third-highest property taxes behind New Jersey and Illinois.

According to a recent USA Today poll, Lamont enjoys a 63% approval rating and is one of the five most-popular governors in the country.

On February 4, Lamont began his State of the State address by decrying recent ICE activity in Minneapolis, MN and invoking Thomas Paine’s famous “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

“Masked federal agents have descended on Minneapolis, terrorizing communities, tearing families apart,” he said. “Two young Americans – a mom and an ICU nurse – shot dead. Some of our folks worry that another government shutdown and sudden federal cuts will mean no dinner tonight, no roof over their head, too expensive to take care of a sick child. These are times that try men’s souls.

“That said, I feel fortunate to be in Connecticut and I hope that you do too,” Lamont continued. “We were a birthplace of freedom. Four signers of the Declaration of Independence, penning the words that we live by: ‘All men (and women) are created equal.’”

The four signatories Lamont referenced were Samuel Huntington of Windham; Roger Sherman of New Haven; William Williams of Lebanon; and Oliver Wolcott of Windsor.

Lamont claimed that under his leadership, Connecticut is countering “the chaos” caused by politicians in Washington, DC by offsetting congressional funding cuts to health care and other programs intended “to protect the most vulnerable.”

At the same time, he touted the services of Planned Parenthood as a “primary care” provider from which in December he allocated approximately $8.5 million of a $500 million “contingency fund” to offset federal cuts to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.

“Unlike many other states, which are facing federal cuts or a deficit of their own, Connecticut is stepping up to protect our most vulnerable, and we are trying to make life a little less expensive for working families and the middle class, who are getting slammed by higher costs,” Lamont continued. He took pride in producing the seventh consecutive balanced budget.

He advocated sending energy rebates of “about $400 per family” to assist with heating costs stemming from the coldest winter in the state in 15 years.

A January 30, 2025 legislative report on Connecticut’s utility rates states:

As of November 2024, Connecticut had the fourth highest average residential retail rates in the country (behind Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts). As previous reports on this topic have noted, Connecticut’s electric rates have been higher than other states for some time (second highest rates in 2014 and 2008, third highest rates in 2006, fourth highest rates in 1998, when the legislature partially deregulated the electric industry). High rates are a regional phenomenon, and all six of the New England states plus New York are among the 10 states with the highest rates.”

The state legislature has long held Democrat majorities in the House and Senate, making the state a solid political triumvirate. All five of Connecticut’s U.S. representatives and two U.S. senators are Democrats. The state’s seven electoral votes have consistently been awarded to Democrat presidential candidates dating back to 1992.

The last Republican to serve in Congress was Rob Simmons from the state’s second district, from 2001 to 2007. Simmons later served two terms as First Selectman of Stonington, retiring in 2019.

The state’s last Republican governor was the late M. Jodi Rell, who served in that capacity from 2004 to 2011, previously serving as lieutenant governor to the once-popular John Rowland.

Rowland served as Connecticut’s 86th chief executive from 1995 to 2004, when he resigned due to a burgeoning scandal which threatened impeachment from legislative Democrats. Late that year, he entered a “guilty” plea on a federal charge of conspiracy to “steal honest service” and served ten months in federal prison followed by four months’ house arrest.

From 2010 to 2014, Rowland hosted a radio show on WTIC until shortly before his indictment and eventual jury conviction on seven federal charges in connection with a Republican congressional campaign.

He served the majority of his 30-month prison sentence and was afterward transferred to a halfway house for several months. In May of last year, President Trump issued a pardon to Rowland which Rowland characterized as “a wonderful final resolution.”

Will Connecticut Elect “Change” This Year?

On January 5, American Destiny hosted Connecticut State Senator Ryan Fazio, 35, at an event termed “Connecticut First Get-Z” at which they introduced the candidate and described their vision for a better Connecticut.

“The 2024 presidential election has demonstrated the power that Gen Z holds in American politics,” Shepard, who spoke first, said. “Young voters shifted to the right, helping Trump secure the popular vote for the first time in 20 years. We are not only the future of politics but have an undeniably vital voice right now. Tonight, we are using this voice to express support for Ryan Fazio…”

“He is the only candidate who is willing to do more than simply listen to our concerns, but he is ready to and will act on them,” Consentino said in his remarks. “His proposals offer real solutions to the many crises we will face in the coming years ahead. Our generation has lost faith in the political class of America. In short, we have political trust issues and we are now looking for something new. Our politics will not be defined by labels, but rather by principles and by action. We will not vote for someone who has sold out to special interests, who spits on the graves of our ancestors, who insults our work ethic, or who ignores the voices of our generation. And we will not back someone who simply claims to be with us because words alone are not enough. Rather, action is what turns the pages of history. And Ryan Fazio is a man of action.”

As we were unable to attend in person, after viewing the video, which includes a group photo-op at the end, The Post & Email posed a number of questions. Our questions and their responses, which provided candidate information of which this writer was unaware, are as follows:

Q. Former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey and Timothy Wilcox are also seeking the Republican nomination for governor. I’m wondering if you’ve compared their platforms and/or positions. If so, in your mind, how does Fazio come out ahead of the others?

A. BLAKE:

Erin Stewart

Erin Stewart got her job as mayor because of her father. Whether it was just name recognition or more serious nepotism, her fathers role in her career is undeniable. Her policy platform is significantly underwhelming, & she fails to adequately address how she will solve many of the crises Connecticut voters are facing.

Betsy McCaughey

In my view, Betsy McCaughey is simply too old. All of the issues that we see today have been caused by members of her generation. That’s not to distribute a blanket blame to anyone in her age cohort, as that would simply be incorrect. But if it was they who let our nation be defiled in such a way, perhaps a younger age cohort is required to fix it. Our elders’ refusal to give up power across every part of government is a major roadblock in the political stagnation we see. Her age is also certainly a disconnect between her & her constituency. Her personally simply will not resonate with the majority of voters. At the moment, her policy platform on her website are a dozen vague words or short phrases. She provides absolutely zero substance anywhere on how she is going to achieve any of what she wants to. Writing the words “US Constitution/ Bill of Rights” or “Prosperity” & then refusing to expand on what that would look like does not provide voters any confidence. On top of all of this, her electability hasn’t been tested since 1998 when she ran to be the Governor of New York under the Democratic party & lost. On the other hand, a sitting state senator, whose electability has been tested consistently, is in the running.

Timothy Wilcox

Plainly put, Timothy Wilcox is not a serious or real candidate. His only asset is his social media following of roughly 800k+ followers on FaceBook, which he is attempting to utilize to bolster his public profile. Unfortunately for him, the vast majority of his followers are outside of our state boundaries–& are therefore completely irrelevant.

Harry (Harpeet) Arora

Although I have noticeable & significant policy disagreements with Mr. Arora, my biggest & most troubling concern is less scientific. Plainly, I am a third generation Ridgefielder–I have lived in Connecticut my entire life. I would like the man chosen to represent my state, & in turn my people, to at the very least have grown up in Connecticut. I do find something to be deeply spiritually offensive with the notion that the person who effectively dictates my life & the lives of my loved ones via executive authority has not experienced growing up in Connecticut like I have, but also hasn’t even spent the first two decades of his life in the same hemisphere. I do not feel as though I could ever be properly represented by someone in this position, whether it be Mr. Harry Arora, whose real name is Harpeet, a Punjabi Hindu, born & raised in New Delhi, India, or some Frenchman who was born & raised in France, ingratiated amongst French culture, or an Egyptian born Sunni Muslim man. I want a candidate who has roots in my home, not one who has transplanted themselves. Ideally, that means a candidate born & raised in my backyard. But at the very least, one who has roots in America.

Q. In this typically “blue” state, do you think people might be thinking differently about a Republican governor this year over previous years? If so, why, and if not, why not?

A. BLAKE: Our state’s economic stagnation & mass-exodus are proof that Lamont’s policies are failing. Simply put, people are looking for a change. Young people are particularly disillusioned with both sides of the political spectrum. If a Republican can present themselves as an outsider fighting against the system, they capture the energy of the moment and redirect it towards tangible action. Especially if they posture themselves with specific populist messaging. This is in large part why the right was growing so strong during the Biden administration. In a way, Trump has pacified a lot of this sentiment on a national level. But in a deep blue state, people are hyper aware of their political situation.

Q. What, if anything, could the Connecticut Republican Party do to promote its principles over those of Democrats if they wish to win the governorship in November? I know in your speech you de-emphasized party politics, but the nominee will have to win the party nomination to receive its backing.  Have you reached out to the Republican Party, or has the Party embraced you in any way?

A. BLAKE: When I used the phrase uniparty, I was referring to this notion amongst the GOP in Connecticut that the way we win is through acting more like Democrats. When we do this, they dictate the rules of engagement. When we virtue signal & try to make an appeal to left-wing ethics, we will always lose. When we attack others on the right in an attempt to seem more ‘reasonable’, we will always lose. We don’t have a formal relationship with the central leadership of the Connecticut GOP as an entity, but we work with them in various other ways. I myself, am a sitting elected RTC member.

PAIGE: One of the most important things that the Connecticut Republican Party can do is shine light on the deranged Democratic politics that are wreaking havoc on our state. If Connecticut residents realize the damage that has been done to their electric bills, housing costs, & cost of living, they are significantly more likely to seek alternatives to the party that is responsible for such travesties impacting our families.

Q. What do you think about Joshua Elliott challenging Lamont in the primary? Is there enough discontent among the Democrats to choose someone different?

A. BLAKE: As material conditions continue to worsen & both sides find themselves either incapable or unwilling to do anything, people across the political spectrum will naturally seek new & radical change (ie. Joshua Elliot). That’s not to say something radical is necessarily bad, that word itself is not a pejorative. But the further the left pushes us, the worse the situation will get for the right, particularly because the right continues to capitulate to the left. The farther left they push, the further left the center moves, the more extreme our pre-existing positions will seem. An object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by external force–the right needs to become that external force. If we continue to let them dictate the rules, victory will only become more & more of an impossibility. What happens when we continue to play this game… What happens in 10, 15, or 20 years when the ‘conservative’ position is to “reduce immigration from 10 million to 5 million a year” or preaching from the rooftops that “the left are the real transphobes”. This is what it means to play on their turf, by their rules. If we want to win, we must not only stay planted in our ideas, but we must begin to push further right ourselves. If we do this properly, we can force the left to begin to chase us. This however, can only be done if we operate the same way the left does, that means we do not attack our own, we do not under any circumstance punch towards the right. We can do what the left has, & make what were previously mainstream conservative views to become the moderate option. When this starts to happen, we can take control of the narrative. But fundamentally, no matter how unpopular it may be, it’s imperative we tell the truth.

On a more tangible note, Josh will likely be a more serious contender in 2030, as the Democratic base in our state isn’t ready for him just yet. But he will definitely see some serious support during this cycle.

Q. Are you concerned about election integrity in the upcoming race (and all other races, for that matter)?

A. BLAKE: My biggest concern in terms of election integrity is the very real possibility of non-citizens voting. Given our extremely lax voting laws, there is very little that practically keeps a non-citizen or an illegal alien from utilizing some form of identification & just going to a polling place. Unite4Freedom tracked 366,259 voting errors/irregularities in CT during the 2024 election alone. A large chunk of this is certainly due to our state’s exorbitant illegal alien population.