HARTFORD, Connecticut.— Gov. Ned Lamont has won the Democratic primary for governor of Connecticut, setting up a November general election contest against Republican Ryan Fazio as Lamont seeks a third consecutive term in office.
The Associated Press projected Lamont as the winner Tuesday night, approximately 20 minutes after polls closed across Connecticut at 8 p.m., following early returns that showed the governor holding a commanding advantage over his Democratic challenger, State Rep. Josh Elliott.
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At the time of the projection, Lamont had received more than twice as many votes as Elliott. With results still being reported from municipalities across the state, Lamont stood at approximately 67% of ballots counted, with 49,224 votes.
The totals remained preliminary Tuesday night and were expected to change as additional municipalities completed their reporting.
Lamont’s victory moves him into the November 3 general election against Fazio and places the Democratic governor in position to pursue a third term, something that has not been accomplished by a Connecticut governor in more than two decades.
The governor campaigned on his administration’s fiscal record and argued that Connecticut should continue investments in education, housing, early childhood programs and healthcare.
Lamont has also identified healthcare costs as one of the major issues he wants to address if voters return him to office.
“I want affordable healthcare for everybody,” Lamont said while discussing what he described as unfinished business from his administration.
Affordability has emerged as another central issue in the gubernatorial campaign, with Connecticut residents continuing to confront high housing, healthcare and everyday living expenses.
Lamont has sought to connect his economic agenda to those concerns, pointing to increases in the state minimum wage and efforts to expand housing.
“I want to talk about affordability. Start by paying people more and then build more housing,” Lamont said. “You’re not serious about affordability unless you have more housing where people can get their first home and a roof over their head.”
Elliott entered the Democratic primary presenting himself as a more progressive alternative to the incumbent governor. His campaign challenged Lamont on economic policy and sought support from Democratic voters who argued that Connecticut should take more aggressive action on affordability and other issues.
Tuesday’s results, however, showed Lamont maintaining a substantial advantage as returns began arriving shortly after polls closed.
The governor thanked voters and election workers following the primary as supporters gathered to watch the results.
With the Democratic nomination secured, attention now shifts to the general election campaign between Lamont and Fazio.
The November contest will give Connecticut voters a choice between continuing the Democratic administration that has governed the state under Lamont since 2019 and turning the governor’s office over to Republican leadership.
Election officials continued receiving and updating results Tuesday night, meaning Lamont’s final vote total and margin of victory were expected to change as all municipalities completed their reporting.
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