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Meet Josh

I'm Josh Elliott, and I'm running for Governor.

Josh got his start in politics taking on the political establishment.

Josh grew up in Guilford, Connecticut and attended high school in Hamden, graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College. He later went on to obtain his J.D. at Quinnipiac School of Law.

 In 2016, he won a historic primary for the 88th District House seat, successfully pushing the sitting Speaker of the Connecticut House into early retirement. Since then, Josh has been re-elected by wide margins each cycle. Over nearly a decade of service, he has established himself as a leading progressive voice, advancing policies that strengthen Connecticut’s economy and keep it competitive with surrounding states.

Since getting elected, Josh has been taking on tough fights.

As the founder of the Tax Equity Caucus and the Progressive Caucus, Josh has been a driving force in efforts to reform Connecticut’s regressive tax system, ensuring that the wealthiest residents pay their fair share rather than shifting the burden onto low-income families. His commitment to working families is evident in his support for landmark legislation, including raising the minimum wage, guaranteeing paid sick days for all Connecticut workers, and establishing paid family and medical leave. 

He believes so deeply that the right to vote is a fundamental feature of government that he has sponsored several bills aimed at efficiently reforming Connecticut’s electoral system. Among these are a bill that would restore voting privileges of formerly incarcerated individuals on parole, and a bill that would implement a ranked-choice voting system, which would allow a voter to rank candidates by their preference.

Josh's proudest accomplishment: Telecommunications for Incarcerated People

Josh is dedicated to improving the treatment of Connecticut's incarcerated population. He is an active advocate of banning the use of solitary confinement. He pushed for Connecticut to be the first state to remove the cost for incarcerated individuals to make phone calls to loved ones. Prior to this Connecticut had the highest cost in the United States for these calls. Studies show a positive correlation between family communication and lower reincarceration rates.