This November Is Not a Routine Election

Greenwich voters face an unusually consequential election this November. Beyond the Governor’s race and Dr. Michael Goldstein’s challenge to Jim Himes, voters will help decide whether Democrats keep overwhelming control of the General Assembly—or whether Connecticut restores political balance, accountability, and local control.

Connecticut’s recent budget surpluses are welcome, as is the increase in defense spending benefiting Electric Boat and other Connecticut employers. But these favorable developments should not obscure four major longer-term challenges.

1. High State Debt and Growing Spending Pressures

• Connecticut continues to carry substantial debt and unfunded retirement obligations, ranking it among the most heavily indebted states on a per capita basis. State government compensation is also among the highest in the nation.
• At the same time, recent exceptions and workarounds involving Connecticut’s fiscal guardrails have raised legitimate questions about whether the spending discipline established in recent years will endure.

2. High Cost of Living

• Connecticut remains one of the nation’s least affordable states. Housing costs substantially exceed the national average, while residents also face exceptionally high electricity and other energy costs.
• These pressures matter because state policies can either aggravate the cost of living or help alleviate it.
• Connecticut’s spending pressures also raise an unavoidable question: where will future revenues come from? Proposals discussed in Hartford to restructure property taxation, increase reliance on state revenues, or impose new taxes deserve especially careful scrutiny.

3. Weak Economic Competitiveness

• Connecticut has struggled for many years to generate sustained economic and employment growth. The state’s economy performed strongly during part of 2025, but growth subsequently slowed. More recently, Connecticut’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate reached 5.2% in July, compared with 4.1% nationally.
• Taxes, regulation, energy costs, and housing affordability all influence Connecticut’s ability to attract and retain businesses, workers, and families.

4. Erosion of Local Control

• Decisions traditionally made by towns—including important questions involving housing, zoning, education, and development—are increasingly being influenced or determined by Hartford.
• For Greenwich, preserving meaningful local decision-making should be a major concern. And do not be deceived by the votes by local Democratic State Representatives Meskers and Arzeno “supporting” local control. The Democrats in Hartford have been relentless in seeking greater state control of local zoning, and their supermajority provides cover (a “hall pass”) that allows these two Democrats to cast politically expedient votes.

The issue, therefore, is larger than any individual bill or candidate. Healthy government benefits from political competition, accountability, and checks and balances. When one party exercises overwhelming control, there is inevitably less need for compromise and less opportunity for competing viewpoints to influence legislation.

This November offers Greenwich voters an opportunity not merely to choose individual representatives, but to determine whether Connecticut will continue with overwhelming one-party control—or restore a stronger balance of voices in Hartford.

The recent gains by the Democratic Party’s progressive and Democratic Socialist wings have added another dimension to that choice. Voters should pay close attention not simply to party labels, but to the policies candidates support and the direction in which they would take Connecticut.

Fortunately, Greenwich Republicans are fielding an excellent slate of candidates focused on the issues affecting our state and our community.

The Slate

Leading the ticket is Greenwich native Ryan Fazio, the Republican candidate for Governor. Seeking Ryan’s soon-to-be-former seat—the State Senate District 36 seat representing Greenwich and portions of New Canaan and Stamford—is Joe Kelly.

Running for the Connecticut House of Representatives are Tina Courpas, incumbent in the 149th District; Jonathan Goldstein in the 150th District; and Michael Mason in the 151st District.

And in the Fourth U.S. Congressional District, Dr. Michael Goldstein is seeking to represent southwestern Connecticut in Washington.

This November presents Connecticut voters with a consequential choice about taxes, spending, affordability, economic growth, local control—and ultimately the direction of our state.

We hope you will learn more about our candidates, lend them your support, and join us in victory in November.