<h2>Connecticut now has no-excuse absentee voting!</h2>This means that anyone can request an absentee ballot for any reason. This is the easiest way to ensure that you vote in time. The earlier you vote, the less you have to stress about!

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<h2>I'm Josh Elliott, and I'm running for Governor.</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/5042d827-caef-4add-8033-b43b31913f0b/ea49e476-15c1-4016-931d-dd459ce8aeb2/ea49e476-15c1-4016-931d-dd459ce8aeb2.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=295%2C69%2C665%2C471&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed"><h4>Josh got his start in politics taking on the political establishment.</h4>Josh grew up in Guilford, Connecticut, attended high school in Hamden, and graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College. He later went on to obtain his J.D. at Quinnipiac School of Law.&nbsp;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.

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<h3>Josh believes everyone in our state deserves a fair shot.</h3>In the legislature, he has been a leading voice for Connecticut families impacted by the criminal legal system. 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.

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<h3>Since getting elected, Josh has been taking on tough fights.</h3>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.&nbsp;Josh believes that the right to vote is a fundamental feature of government, and 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 another that would implement a ranked-choice voting system.

Connecticut has an economy that is rigged to favor the wealthy and well-connected. We deserve a Governor who's in our corner.

As Governor, Josh will continue to advocate for working families.

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We are building a grassroots movement to deliver change for Connecticut. This is an all hands on deck, 169-town campaign. Sign up to help us knock doors, make phone calls, and mobilize online.Half of Connecticut Democrats still don't know who Josh is or that we have a choice in this primary. Sign up to help us change that.

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<h3>We can make Connecticut affordable for everyone.</h3>Let's ask the billionaires to pay their fair share, and make childcare, healthcare, housing, and energy truly affordable

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Dozens of leaders from every corner of the state are coming together to endorse Josh because they know he will fight for tax reform, fully funded schools, and universal healthcare.

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The leader hard-working Connecticut families deserve.

<h3>Elliott touts first union endorsement in challenge for CT governor</h3>"Josh Elliott has been a champion for us for a long time," said Michael Hinton, an associate professor at CT State Tunxis and faculty vice president with the union. "It's been a simple decision for me and for many of our leaders, and for the vast majority of our members who overwhelmingly supported this endorsement."

<h3>OPINION: Connecticut doesn't have an energy problem. It has a monopoly problem.</h3>The current arrangement exists for one reason: regulatory capture. The companies that profit from the rules have spent decades buying influence over the people who write them.

<h3>How a debate over taxing the wealthy could decide Connecticut’s Democratic primary</h3>“He has been at the helm of government for the largest tax increase on the middle class that we have seen in decades because those of us in the legislature that want to see true tax relief for working families can’t get this through our governor,” Elliott said.

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For press inquiries:Contact aidan@joshforct.com.For event inquiries:Contact events@joshforct.com.

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Josh is not coming out of nowhere. For 10 years, he has represented Hamden in the Connecticut General Assembly. He has fought for his constituents and for a more fair economic system for everyone in Connecticut.

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We are building a grassroots movement to deliver change for Connecticut. This is an all hands on deck, 169-town campaign. Sign up to help us knock doors, make phone calls, and mobilize online.Half of Connecticut Democrats still don't know who Josh is or that we have a choice in this primary. Sign up to help us change that!

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For years, he’s stood up to the special interests that have made life less affordable and driven families out of our state. Now, he’s running to bring the new leadership we all deserve.

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Connecticut is among the best states in the nation for public education, but the worst in racial equality in education. Wealth-based disparities in school funding persist. We must do everything in our power to ensure every child in every zip code has a fair shot.The solutions:<ul><li>End over-reliance on local property taxes to fund schools.</li><li>Prioritize and fund special education and better address underserved school districts.</li><li>Support universal early childhood education&nbsp;access.&nbsp;</li><li>Better funding and support for teachers and paras.</li></ul>

Connecticut is among the best states in the nation for public education, but the worst in racial equality in education. Wealth-based disparities in school funding persist. We must do everything in our power to ensure every child in every zip code has a fair shot.

Fully Fund Our Schools

Connecticut currently ranks 49th in the nation for housing production, 46th in the nation for housing affordability and has the lowest rental vacancy rate of any state. Roughly half of renters and a third of homeowners are paying more than they can afford just to keep a roof over their heads. Connecticut is lacking hundreds of thousands of housing units needed to meet the demand, and we got here because building the kind of home a young family or a working renter can afford has been made illegal almost everywhere in this state. When you outlaw the housing working people can afford, you don't get to act surprised that working people can't afford to live here.Gov. Lamont had the chance to fix this, and he chose not to. On June 23, 2025, his own administration helped negotiate House Bill 5002 and then he vetoed it. He sided with the far right interest groups and Republicans over the people who need to see that housing built. Montana, under a Republican governor and legislature, legalized duplexes and rolled back parking mandates in 2023. If a deep-red state can build that coalition, Connecticut has no excuse. Even housing advocates note that zoning reform has crossed party lines more in other states than it has here.I'm not running to sign another bill that lets towns opt out. My administration will make building more housing easier to do, and we will put the shovels in the ground to build that housing .The solutions:Put Shovels in the Ground and Start Building Today: Connecticut currently ranks 49th in the nation for housing production. There were around 7,000 housing permits filed in 2025, which is roughly half a percent of the nation's total. Even what gets built is too expensive to compete with existing homes. Connecticut has a housing shortage and until shovels get in the ground to build that housing, we are going to continue to see housing prices rise. Supply has to come first. Connecticut currently bans most of the housing working people could afford. As Governor I will support the following:<ul><li>Legalize middle housing statewide by right: duplexes through nine-unit buildings approved administratively, with no discretionary hearing that can kill a project.</li><li>End parking minimums near transit, not just for the small buildings HB 8002 covers. Within a half-mile of transit, let the market decide how much parking to build, the way California's AB 2097 does statewide, with no carve-outs for wealthier neighborhoods.</li><li>Build on state-owned land and underused DOT parking lots near rail and bus lines, instead of leaving transit-adjacent property sitting as asphalt.</li><li>Cut minimum lot sizes, one of the most direct tools towns use to block density and hold prices up.</li><li>Allow smooth, administrative conversion of vacant commercial and office space into housing overseen by the Connecticut Department of Housing.</li><li>Fix current building and fire code statewide standards, and identify ways to make changes that keep tenants safe, while encouraging more housing development.</li></ul>Protect our Tenants from Onerous Evictions: Connecticut's housing crisis has pushed many working families into renting longer than they planned. Some rent because it's the more affordable option. Some rent because they're moving somewhere new or starting over. Whatever your reason, renting shouldn't mean facing the same fear every time your lease is up: whether you can afford to stay, or whether your landlord will decline to renew because they have other plans for your home. As Governor, I will support the following:<ul><li>The strongest Just-cause eviction protections in the country. No tenant, anywhere, should be subjected to an eviction without a true cause. These causes do not include: tenant organizing activity, political opinions, gender orientation, or the sale of a property to a corporation.</li><li>Build on the fair rent commissions HB 8002 created for towns over 15,000 residents and extend it further. Offer incentives for municipalities that establish a commission</li><li>Statewide rent caps set by the Department of Housing that considers the cost of living and inflation so no one is priced out of their home overnight. It is understandable if rents gently rise but massive, profit driven increases will not be allowed.</li></ul>Build a Green Housing Workforce: We need workers to build our next tranche of housing supply. With a generation coming out of college about to contend with AI taking entry level work, we can offer these students and workers a solution. We can build the workforce necessary to take on this task, and ensure these are good paying, attainable jobs that offer strong benefits and retirement. As Governor I will work on the following:&nbsp;<ul><li>Work with union labor, our college and university system, and DOH to build more career pathways for students to obtain a union job focused on housing development.</li><li>Dedicate state funding to go towards building a ‘Green Housing Jobs Corp’. These workers will be trained in building the next generation of housing in a sustainable way that is good for the environment, and ensures racial equity is at the center of the work.</li></ul>New Statewide Standards: Lamont's unnecessary vetoing and watering down bills created a system that lets every town choose between joining a regional plan or writing its own minimum and checking back in five years. The towns most responsible for the shortage are exactly the towns most likely to choose the minimum. Spreading the obligation across every town is also the only way to stop the displacement that comes from concentrating all new construction in the same few cities.&nbsp;As Governor I will:<ul><li>Restore the fair-share requirement Lamont's veto stripped out so every town plans for its share of housing growth, on a fixed schedule, with real consequences for towns that chose to ignore it.</li><li>Replace opt-in regional planning with a binding statewide production standard, built on the version of HB 5002 his own administration helped negotiate before he killed it.</li><li>Adopt ADU as of right standards statewide to provide even more diverse housing options.</li><li>Update the state’s 8-30g laws to allow for modular homes to count towards the requirement as long as they are deed-restricted and remain affordable.</li><li>Allow Connecticut places of worship to be able to build affordable housing units on their unused land.</li></ul>Defend the Federal Vouchers and Public Housing Connecticut Families Already Depend On: More than 150,000 Connecticut families rely on federal rental assistance representing well over a billion dollars a year in support residents already count on. The Trump administration has moved to cut the HUD staff who administer these programs and consolidate the field offices that process them, and Connecticut has already been warned that permanent housing programs serving thousands of residents could lose tens of millions of dollars. A state that doesn't backstop this is choosing, quietly, to let people lose their housing. As Governor I will:<ul><li>Use the state's Federal Emergency Relief Fund to backstop vouchers and permanent supportive housing if federal funding is cut or delayed.&nbsp;</li><li>Direct the Department of Housing to track and publicly report any reduction in voucher issuance, HUD processing capacity, or delays affecting Connecticut residents in real time.</li><li>Expand the state's own Rental Assistance Program as a deliberate hedge against federal instability, instead of treating it as an afterthought to the federal program.</li></ul>Connect Housing to School Funding and the Towns That Are Shrinking: Towns that are losing population and closing schools are very often the same towns that have made it illegal to build anything a person under 40 can afford. When the only housing available is a large single-family home on a large lot, young families can't move in, the population ages in place, enrollment falls, and the fixed cost of running the town gets spread across fewer people. The fix for affordability and the fix for a shrinking tax base are the same project. As Governor I will:<ul><li>Pair zoning reform that allows starter homes and middle housing with a direct fix to school funding. The Education Cost Sharing foundation hasn't been increased since 2013, and the towns under the most fiscal stress are carrying the most weight.</li><li>Let towns that want to rebuild a stable population actually do it, instead of asking them to manage decline with a smaller tax base every single year.</li></ul>Create a Connecticut Housing Production Fund: A generation of renters has watched wages fall farther behind home prices every year they've waited to buy. Connecticut's main tool for building affordable housing is a competitive tax-credit process that funds a handful of private developments a year, and the affordability it buys eventually expires and reverts to market rate. In order to compete in this market, Connecticut can build its own housing, targeting unused properties, and build vibrant communities. As Governor I will:<ul><li>Capitalize the fund through state bonding and let the Department of Housing build and own mixed-income housing directly, instead of only financing private developers. </li><li>Target these builds around old or unused office spaces and near downtowns to create more walkable communities. </li><li>Make every project permanently affordable by design. Market-rate rents in the same building fund the below-market units, and the affordability never expires, because the public never gives up ownership.</li><li>Require affordability commitments on new construction, so building more doesn't just mean building at the top of the market.</li></ul>Lamont's record on housing is a veto on a bill he negotiated and opt-outs built into the bill he finally signed. Mine will be measured in shovels in the ground, building a new generation of housing Connecticut can afford. Let’s get to work.&nbsp;

Housing costs are outpacing income. Connecticut faces a shortage of affordable homes, while tenants lack basic protections.

A Place for Everyone to Call Home

The union, representing faculty and staff from Connecticut’s 12 community colleges, is the first to endorse Elliott as momentum builds for his primary campaign.&nbsp;Hamden, CT – Today, SEIU Local 1973, the union representing faculty and staff at the Connecticut Congress of Community Colleges (4Cs), endorsed State Rep. Josh Elliott, House Democratic Co-Chair and challenger for Governor. The union is a leading statewide advocate for investment in higher education, affordability for students, and livable wages for educators and staff.&nbsp;The endorsement comes just months after incumbent Governor Ned Lamont <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2023/08/16/ct-community-college-service-staffing-cuts-union-opposed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">allowed</a> funding for community colleges to expire, leading to hundreds of staffing cuts and a <a href="https://www.courant.com/2026/03/20/governors-proposed-cuts-to-ct-scholarship-program-would-limit-recipients/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reduction</a> of scholarships and tuition support. Lamont also vetoed SB 8, which would have ensured unemployment benefits for striking workers, putting him at odds with organized labor statewide.“The 4Cs faculty and staff have committed themselves to preparing students for their futures. They aren’t just teachers. They are public servants, advisors, and mentors. The time to make investment in our educators is long past due. We in government must stand with them. That is what I've done in the legislature, and that is what I’ll do as Governor. I’m honored to have their endorsement,” Elliott said. “Our members have seen firsthand how Governor Lamont has failed to stand with working people, from underfunding public higher education to vetoing protections for striking workers. Connecticut deserves better. Josh Elliott understands that a sustainable future requires an equitable tax policy, strong public services, and respect for workers’ rights. That’s why The 4Cs is proud to endorse him for governor,” said Michael Hinton, faculty at CT State Tunxis and union vice president.&nbsp; The endorsement adds to Elliott’s momentum. On May 16, Elliott far surpassed the 15% threshold among state party convention delegates to win a spot on the ballot, officially becoming the first primary challenger to a sitting Connecticut governor in 48 years. This month, he filed his application for a $3.7 million public financing grant from the Citizens’ Elections Program after passing the $335,500 qualifying threshold in grassroots donations, raising more money than any other candidate in CEP history. He has been endorsed by more than 100 local leaders.

The union, representing faculty and staff from Connecticut’s 12 community colleges, is the first to endorse Elliott as momentum builds for his primary campaign.&nbsp;

Community College Educators Union, SEIU Local 1973, Endorses Josh Elliott for Connecticut Governor

We are living through a moment of extraordinary concentration of wealth and power. The Trump administration has gutted the National Labor Relations Board, leaving workers without a functioning federal agency to protect their rights. Unions are the single most effective institution we have ever built. They ensure that the gains of a growing economy are shared by the people who built it, not concentrated at the top. They are how we build and maintain a thriving middle class. We have to do more than say we stand with labor. We have to actively fight for its advancement and back that commitment with real protections and policies.The solutions:<ul><li>Pass the Striking Workers Bill. Workers deserve a state that has their back. This bill would establish a $1 million fund, financed through the unemployment insurance system, to support workers who remain on strike for more than two weeks. That two-week threshold is crucial: nearly all strikes end before reaching it. Evidence from other states shows that when similar funding is available, strikes lasting more than two weeks decline sharply—because the ability to sustain a strike for a longer period gives workers greater bargaining power and helps speed up negotiations with employers.</li><li>Create a State Income Tax Credit for 100% of Union Dues. Private interests are spending money to convince workers to leave their unions. The economic argument they are making should not go unanswered. We will respond directly by making dues cost nothing out of pocket for Connecticut workers.</li><li>Install a Labor Liaison. Having a dedicated position in the Governor’s office to advise on and guide state labor policy, and to work directly with unions across the state, gives workers greater influence—and a seat at the table.</li></ul>

Unions are the single most effective institution we have ever built. They ensure that the gains of a growing economy are shared by the people who built it, not concentrated at the top. They are how we build and maintain a thriving middle class. We have to do more than say we stand with labor. We have to actively fight for its advancement and back that commitment with real protections and policies.

Standing with Labor

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Connecticut’s tax code is regressive. Working- and middle-class families pay more proportionally than the ultra-wealthy. Public services are underfunded, and municipalities rely too heavily on local property taxes.The solutions:<ul><li>Implement a&nbsp;progressive and fair tax structure&nbsp;that fairly taxes those earning over $1 million annually.</li><li>Create a tax system in Connecticut fairer for all, especially working families.</li><li>Modernize Connecticut’s fiscal “guardrails” to allow for smart investments in infrastructure, education, and housing.</li><li>Reduce reliance on local property taxes by increasing equitable state education funding.</li><li>Implement a permanent, and fully refundable Child Tax Credit.</li></ul>

Connecticut’s tax code is regressive. Working- and middle-class families pay more proportionally than the ultra-wealthy. Public services are underfunded, and municipalities rely too heavily on local property taxes.

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Fair Taxes

Josh Elliott, Democratic Challenger for Connecticut Governor, Responds to Trump’s Attacks on Connecticut CommunitiesHamden, CT – State Rep. Josh Elliott, the progressive Democrat challenging Ned Lamont for Governor, condemned the Trump Administration’s recent attacks on Connecticut communities. In the past week, the state has seen a student detained by ICE, the city of New Haven sued over its immigrant protections, and an uptick in ICE’s presence in Norwalk. All signs that Trump is targeting Connecticut again.Here in Connecticut, we look out for our neighbors. That’s why we have some of the strongest pro-immigrant laws in the country, and why we are always fighting to expand protections for marginalized communities.But Donald Trump has made it his mission to attack those values. He is tearing families apart and working every day to terrorize our neighbors. That’s why ICE detained a Cheshire High School student, the son of someone who worked hand-in-hand with the U.S. military in Afghanistan. That’s why he’s attacking Norwalk. And that’s why Trump’s DOJ is suing New Haven for protecting its immigrant population.As Governor, I will never hesitate to stand up to bullies, whether they’re in the White House or the board room. I will always put our neighbors first.

State Rep. Josh Elliott, the progressive Democrat challenging Ned Lamont for Governor, condemned the Trump Administration’s recent attacks on Connecticut communities. In the past week, the state has seen a student detained by ICE, the city of New Haven sued over its immigrant protections, and an uptick in ICE’s presence in Norwalk. All signs that Trump is targeting Connecticut again.

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Elliott Responds to Trump Attacks on Connecticut

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Health insurance as an industry should not exist. For too long, working people have been taken advantage of by insurance corporations who have no obligation to care about anything other than their bottom lines. And it’s not just people who are hurt by this. Budgets for small businesses and municipalities are becoming more and more strained as they have to pay for insurance for their employees. The system is broken and we know it.Connecticut is the insurance capital of the world. To take on this industry, we need a Governor with the political courage to do so. For too long we have had one who is not willing to take on tough fights. It’s time to change that.The solutions:<ul><li>Deliver a Real Public Option: Working people deserve more than rhetoric when it comes to health insurance. They deserve a real public option. One that moves us gradually toward a single-payer system. We need to improve the existing state health insurance plan, and slowly start bringing working people onto it; starting with municipal workers, then non-profits, then small businesses. Under this system, we will ensure that people can see the state plan in action and know that it works.</li><li>Invest in Job Training and Preparedness: In the process of taking on the insurance companies, Connecticut may lose some insurance jobs. That’s a reality we must tackle head on. Preemptively investing in job training programs will be essential to ensuring folks are not out of work. This also includes tuition and training assistance for those seeking to enter a new field.</li></ul>

Health insurance as an industry should not exist.Connecticut is the insurance capital of the world. To take on this industry, we need a Governor with the political courage to do so. For too long we have had one who is not willing to take on tough fights. It’s time to change that.

Delivering Universal Healthcare

The Connecticut High School Democrats, the official high school affiliate of the Democratic Party, has endorsed State Rep. Josh Elliott, the House Democratic Co-Chair and progressive leader running to be Connecticut’s next governor.&nbsp; Hamden, CT – The Connecticut High School Democrats, the official high school affiliate of the Democratic Party, has endorsed State Rep. Josh Elliott, the House Democratic Co-Chair and progressive leader running to be Connecticut’s next governor.&nbsp;The endorsement adds to Elliott’s momentum. On May 16, he far surpassed the 15% threshold among state party convention delegates to win a spot on the ballot, officially becoming the first to primary a sitting Connecticut governor in 48 years. He recently announced endorsements from more than 70 state and local elected officials. An April poll shows him tied with Governor Lamont among voters aged 18-34.“Connecticut needs a governor who will hear and understand the state's diverse constituents. Connecticut needs a governor who will stand up to the corporate elite and the oligarchy. Josh is exactly that. As a first time voter and emerging college student, there is no one I am more proud to vote for than Josh. He will represent everyday people, the youth, and those who are often underrepresented in state government. Our voices matter. Josh will provide a platform for us to not just feel seen, but to be seen,” said Evan Lucas, Connecticut High School Democrats Chair. “Connecticut is a fantastic state, but we cannot remain stagnant and work with the belief that it is best for tomorrow to look like today, let alone the past. The people of Connecticut deserve a governor willing not only to embrace but also to be outspoken and initiate action to make progress. As an Asian-American student and lifelong middle-class Connecticuter, I am confident that Josh Elliott will do his constituents justice as Connecticut's governor. Josh will not only speak for us–he will act for us. His campaign has already made an impact by highlighting longstanding, pressing issues such as the abysmal racial disparities in our state's funding for school districts. I intend to continue supporting Josh's transformative campaign in hopes that middle-class families like mine can breathe easier and students like me can get the education they deserve, free from a system that stunts their opportunities and forces them to see the unequal quality of their education rather than simply attaining it. I urge others, residents of Connecticut or not, to stand with us as well,” said Allison Tran, Connecticut High School Democrats Vice Chair.

The Connecticut High School Democrats, the official high school affiliate of the Democratic Party, has endorsed State Rep. Josh Elliott, the House Democratic Co-Chair and progressive leader running to be Connecticut’s next governor.&nbsp;

CT High School Dems Endorse Elliott for Governor

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Connecticut has long been a leader in advancing equality, but leadership requires constant vigilance. At a time when LGBTQ+ people, especially the transgender community, face unprecedented attacks across the country, our state must not only defend progress but advance it. The LGBTQ+ community is not a monolith; it includes people of every race, ethnicity, faith, age, disability status, economic background, and immigration experience, and many face overlapping forms of discrimination and inequity. Connecticut can continue to be a leader nationally, no matter who is President, but we need a Governor who is proactive in protecting the dignity, safety, and opportunity of the LGBTQ+ community.The solutions:<ul><li>Ensure Gender-Affirming Care is Accessible and Affordable for Everyone:For years, Connecticut has been at the forefront of ensuring access to health care for transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex (TGI) individuals. But recent federal actions are undermining that progress, especially for transgender adolescents, even though this care remains legal and protected under state law. Meanwhile, Lamont has been silent as hospitals across the country have quietly ended gender-affirming care under federal pressure. The result is a growing gap in access to medically necessary services for patients, alongside increasing operational uncertainty for providers. If you receive state dollars - you must uphold our State’s values. That is why as Governor I will support the following:&nbsp;<ul><li>Provide gender-affirming care coverage under my real Public Option plan and prohibit categorical exclusions for gender-affirming care in all state-regulated health plans.&nbsp;</li><li>Invest in programs that increase the number of culturally competent providers across the state.</li><li>Funding agreements with providers will include explicit non-discrimination requirements covering gender-affirming care.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Continue to Strengthen Connecticut’s Shield Law :Connecticut's shield law protects patients and providers from out-of-state prosecution for care that is legal here. Gov. Lamont may have signed the bill into law, but has since done nothing to strengthen it, especially extending more protections to providers. As governor I will:<ul><li>Defend the shield law, extend it to cover cross-state telehealth, and close every gap advocates raise as an area of concern.&nbsp;</li><li>Pledge to never extradite anyone charged by another state for receiving or providing care that Connecticut law protects.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Data and Privacy ProtectionThe federal government is increasingly overreaching, demanding access to sensitive information ranging from immigration data to voter records. Federal agencies have also sought access to protected patient information related to gender-affirming care and have taken steps that undermine students’ privacy rights. At the same time, recent decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States have raised serious concerns about the forced outing of students and the normalization of harassment and discrimination against LGBTQ+ youth under the guise of free speech. Connecticut must act with urgency to safeguard the privacy and security of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially when it comes to healthcare and education data. As Governor I will:<ul><li>Restrict all state health data going to support any federal investigation targeting LGBTQ+ people for who they are or the care they have received. This includes insurance records, pharmacy records, and any data held by state agencies.</li><li>Create short, targeted retention windows, warrant requirements for retroactive searches, and a hard prohibition on sharing data with out-of-state investigations.</li><li>Strengthen existing regulations to prevent corporate camera networks from sharing Connecticut data with federal investigations.</li></ul></li><li>Safe, Affirming SchoolsThe right to an education is guaranteed by our state Constitution, yet for too many LGBTQ+ students in Connecticut, that promise remains unrealized. Hostile school environments continue to compromise students’ academic success, limit their aspirations for higher education, and negatively impact their overall well-being, ultimately constraining their future social and economic opportunities. Fully funding Connecticut schools means providing Connecticut schools with the resources to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every kid, especially LGBTQ+ youth. As Governor I will support the following:&nbsp;<ul><li>Create a joint initiative with the State Department of Education and LGBTQ+ Justice and Opportunity Network to create a Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ+ Students.</li><li>Require every Connecticut school district to adopt and maintain a comprehensive student nondiscrimination policy that covers every protected class under state law — sexual orientation, gender identity, race, disability, national origin, immigration status, and more.</li><li>Provide public schools with the resources to hire and train mental health professionals that can provide LGBTQ+ inclusive care.</li><li>Create and include comprehensive, age-appropriate LGBTQ+-inclusive education in school curriculum.</li></ul></li><li>Housing Support for LGBTQ+ PeopleSeventeen percent of LGBTQ+ people have experienced homelessness in their lifetimes — nearly three times the rate of the general population. In Connecticut, LGBTQIA+ youth are dramatically overrepresented among our unhoused population. The state's response has been inadequate. General youth shelter funding exists, but affirming, safe, specifically LGBTQIA+-focused shelter beds are scarce. No one should have to choose between fearing for their safety or facing homelessness. That is why as Governor I will support the following:<ul><li>Dedicated funding for LGBTQ+-affirming youth shelters and transitional housing and ensuring that mainstream housing services are genuinely safe and welcoming for LGBTQ+ people of all ages.</li><li>Require LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for all staff at state-funded housing programs, with accountability mechanisms tied to state funding.</li><li>Support Just Cause evictions protections so no person loses their housing solely because of who they are.</li><li>Ensure that senior housing initiatives explicitly include protections and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ older adults.</li></ul></li><li>LGBTQ+ SeniorsAs Connecticut's LGBTQ+ population ages, ensuring equitable access to affirming and culturally competent care must become a growing priority. LGBTQ+ older adults often face challenges in home health care, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care settings, and hospice services, including discrimination, social isolation, and concerns about whether their identities and relationships will be respected. Connecticut should work to ensure that every older adult can age with dignity by strengthening nondiscrimination protections, improving provider training, and promoting inclusive practices across the continuum of care.<ul><li>Expand the Senior Bill of Rights to cover home health care, short-term rehabilitation stays, and hospice care.</li></ul></li></ul>

Connecticut has long been a leader in advancing equality, but leadership requires constant vigilance. At a time when LGBTQ+ people, especially the transgender community, face unprecedented attacks across the country, our state must not only defend progress but advance it.

Standing by the LGBTQ+ Community

Our state must take a holistic approach to public health. Just working on the insurance crisis is not enough. At a time when we have an HHS Secretary federally who is explicitly anti-fact and anti-science, and Congress has clawed back scientific research and public health investments, it is the responsibility of our state leaders to step in and not just fill in the gaps, but to take the lead. Because the pre-Trump status quo was still broken.Mental health issues, addiction, and other crises have exploded in recent decades. We must be willing to make meaningful investments in not just our public health infrastructure, but in addressing the root causes of these crises as well.The solutions:<ul><li>Invest in Mental Health Care: It’s time we treat mental illness just like any other health problem. This means making investments in mental health infrastructure, and ensuring mental health treatments are covered by insurance. Study after study has shown that there is a direct link between mental and physical health. We cannot expect good outcomes for one if we do not invest in the other.</li><li>Treat Addiction like a Health Crisis, Not a Crime: Far too many people are incarcerated due to addiction. For decades we have tried to arrest our way out of an addiction crisis that clearly goes so much deeper. The status quo is not working. We should be listening to science, and science tells us that addiction is an illness that must be treated as such. Our state should be investing in harm reduction strategies to address addiction, including life-saving safe injection sites.&nbsp;</li><li>Fill in the Scientific Funding Gaps: In Trump’s second term, he has taken a chainsaw to scientific research funding at the federal level. The losses that will come as a result cannot be measured. We will never know what discoveries were not made and what lives were not saved. But at the state level, we can fill in the gaps. We should be making record investments in our state universities to ensure scientific research continues. Our future depends on it.&nbsp;</li><li>Address Affordability Anxiety: Families are being stretched thin. By bringing down energy costs, lowering property taxes, and ensuring we make real investments in public education, we can relieve some stress that has been taking a toll on working people.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Our state must take a holistic approach to public health.Just working on the insurance crisis is not enough. At a time when we have an HHS Secretary federally who is explicitly anti-fact and anti-science, and Congress has clawed back scientific research and public health investments, it is the responsibility of our state leaders to step in and not just fill in the gaps, but to take the lead. Because the pre-Trump status quo was still broken.

Creating a Healthy Connecticut

Connecticut faces rising sea levels, more frequent flooding, and extreme weather that threatens our communities, economy, and way of life. We need a governor who will treat climate change with the urgency it demands—not just setting targets, but actually delivering results. My administration will accelerate the transition to clean energy, invest in resilient infrastructure, and ensure that the communities hit hardest by pollution and environmental neglect are first in line for resources and relief.The solutions:<ul><li>Environmental Justice First: Direct priority funding to environmental justice communities for brownfield cleanup, pollution reduction, and access to green spaces. Make Connecticut beaches publicly accessible and affordable for all families.</li><li>Accelerate Clean Energy: Streamline permitting and invest aggressively in offshore wind and solar to make Connecticut a national leader in renewable energy, create good-paying green jobs, and bring down energy costs long-term.</li><li>Fix Our Infrastructure Now: Provide direct state funding to municipalities struggling with unprecedented flooding, aging culverts, and overwhelmed sewer systems. Communities shouldn't have to wait for the next storm to get help.</li><li>Expand Public Transit and EV Access: Improve and expand affordable public transportation to reduce car dependence and traffic congestion. Electrify bus fleets—including school buses—to cut emissions in asthma hotspots. Build out statewide EV charging infrastructure with real incentives for families and businesses.</li><li>Invest in Natural Resilience: Protect and restore wetlands, coastlines, and urban green spaces that buffer communities against extreme weather and sequester carbon naturally, while preserving biodiversity for future generations.</li><li>Smart Land Use: Give municipalities standardized climate data and the tools they need to adopt climate-friendly development policies. Incentivize green infrastructure and emerging technologies.</li><li>Create a Connecticut Climate Corps: Launch a paid fellowship program placing young people with state agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofits to work on our most pressing climate challenges—building the next generation of environmental leaders while getting critical work done.</li></ul>

We need a governor who will treat climate change with the urgency it demands.Connecticut faces rising sea levels, more frequent flooding, and extreme weather that threatens our communities, economy, and way of life. We need a governor who will treat climate change with the urgency it demands—not just setting targets, but actually delivering results.

Protecting our Environment

Connecticut families pay some of the highest energy costs in the country while the CEO of Eversource earns more than $19 million a year — over 100 times what a frontline lineman makes. It’s time to rein in utility excess, give towns real options, and build an energy system rooted in renewables, resilience, and fairness. I'm not just going to complain about Eversource. I have a plan to break their grip on our state:<ul><li>Take on Eversource’s monopoly<ul><li>Change our eminent domain laws. Right now, if a municipality or the state wants to acquire utility infrastructure, we have to pay market value — whatever Eversource's investors think the assets are worth. I'm proposing we change the law to allow acquisition at book value — what the assets actually cost, minus depreciation. That's the only way a public option becomes affordable.</li><li>Create statewide ballot initiative rights. Connecticut is one of the few states where citizens can't put questions directly to voters. The legislature has a monopoly on what gets voted on. I want to change our constitution to give people that power. We need two tracks to win this fight — one through the legislature, and one that lets the people act directly when the legislature won't. That's how you build real pressure for change.</li><li>Revoke the monopoly. Eversource has an exclusive franchise to serve most of Connecticut. There's no competition, no alternative, no accountability. We should open their franchise rights to review and create space for municipal utilities or a state-run option.</li><li>A public power option. Whether it's municipal utilities, a statewide consumer-owned authority, or something else — we need an alternative to a for-profit monopoly that answers to Wall Street instead of working families. Other states have public power systems that deliver cheaper, more reliable electricity. Connecticut deserves that choice.</li></ul></li><li>Return utility profit margins to reasonable, historical levels</li><li>Make it easier for towns to form or join municipal electric utilities</li><li>Create state-backed financing tools for municipalities to buy distribution infrastructure</li><li>End state support for natural gas expansion</li><li>Adopt a binding transition plan off natural gas</li><li>Expand rooftop and community solar with guaranteed interconnection timelines</li><li>Make historic investments in undergrounding electric lines</li><li>Expand microgrids for towns, schools, and critical facilities</li><li>Accelerate heat pump adoption</li><li>Tie CEO pay to frontline worker pay</li><li>Ban ratepayer-funded executive bonuses</li></ul>

Connecticut families pay some of the highest energy costs in the country while the CEO of Eversource earns more than $19 million a year, over 100 times what a frontline lineman makes. It’s time to rein in utility excess, give towns real options, and build an energy system rooted in renewables, resilience, and fairness. I'm not just going to complain about Eversource. I have a plan to take them on.

Lower Energy Costs

Josh Elliott, Democrat for Connecticut Governor, Announces Statewide “Build the Future” TourHamden, CT – State Rep. Josh Elliott, the House Democratic Co-Chair and progressive leader running for governor, announced the Build the Future Tour, with rallies in 13 cities and towns across the state from June 11-17.The tour will highlight the issues facing Connecticut’s working families —&nbsp;tax reform, school funding deficits, energy costs, threats from the federal administration, and more —&nbsp;and the need for new leadership. At each stop, Elliott will be joined by local leaders, stakeholders, and community members.The tour will kick off in New Haven on June 11; followed by Waterbury on June 12; Danbury, Stamford, Norwalk, and Bridgeport on June 13; New Britain, Hartford, and Middletown on June 14; New London on June 15; Willimantic and Storrs on June 16; and Torrington on June 17. A full listing of events can be found <a href="https://www.mobilize.us/joshforct/?event_type=16" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.Elliott is waging the first primary challenge to a sitting governor in 48 years. On May 16, he far surpassed the 15% threshold among state party convention delegates to win a spot on the ballot. Since then, he announced having raised the $335,500 required to unlock a $3.7 million primary grant from the Citizens Election Program, allowing him to go toe-to-toe with incumbent Governor Lamont, a billionaire self-funder.

The tour will highlight the issues facing Connecticut’s working families —&nbsp;tax reform, school funding deficits, energy costs, threats from the federal administration, and more —&nbsp;and the need for new leadership. At each stop, Elliott will be joined by local leaders, stakeholders, and community members.

Elliott to Host Statewide "Build the Future" Tour

Bridgeport Meet & Greet

Join Josh and Bridgeport's 130th Democrats for a conversation about tax equity, education reform, and the future of our state.

Every Connecticut resident deserves to be able to afford and live here, especially&nbsp; our seniors. Connecticut is one of the richest states in the richest country in the world. If you choose to retire and spend your golden years here, you should do so with dignity and pride.&nbsp;Connecticut should&nbsp;be a place where our seniors can afford to stay in their homes, where public policy supports multi-generational access to housing , and where we have a strong social safety net so that everyone is protected, no matter what stage of life they&nbsp; are at. That agenda has to be backed by deep&nbsp; investment, a forward looking vision, and a governor willing to fight for it.That is why as Governor my&nbsp;agenda will include&nbsp;helping&nbsp;seniors live well in Connecticut, supporting the workers and local providers delivering the best care possible, and stopping&nbsp; those looking to make a cheap buck off our most vulnerable neighbors.The solutions:<ul><li>No Private Equity in Nursing HomesWe know exactly what happens when private equity gets its hands on a care facility. Prospect Medical Holdings — a private equity-backed hospital system operating right here in Connecticut — declared bankruptcy in 2025 after investors extracted hundreds of millions of dollars in fees and dividends while the system crumbled around patients. Investors walked away with $658 million. Patients and workers were left with the aftermath .Those living in nursing homes deserve dignity and dedicated care. They cannot be a means for venture capitalists to make destructive profits off of. That is why as Governor I will support the following:<ul><li>No new private equity or REIT ownership of Connecticut nursing homes.</li><li>Existing private equity owners will face enhanced transparency requirements, mandatory performance bonds, a prohibition on sale-leaseback transactions for the first five years after acquisition, and no transfer of facility property without the Department of Public Health Commissioner's approval showing it benefits resident care.</li></ul></li><li>Increased Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Aging Related CareMedicaid is the funding source for roughly 74% of nursing home care in Connecticut. Despite years of advocates pleading with Gov. Lamont to raise rates, he has chosen to sit on surplus dollars and hope the issue goes away. Medicaid rates have not kept pace with the actual cost of delivering quality care, resulting in facilities cutting corners on staffing and services, or going under. Both outcomes hurt seniors seeking long term care and memory care the hardest.&nbsp;Connecticut is seeing increased demand for memory care, and the reimbursement structure does not adequately account for the complexity and intensity of dementia-related care. That is why as Governor I will support the following:<ul><li>Direct DSS to conduct an immediate review of reimbursement rates for long-term care, and dementia and Alzheimer's care.&nbsp;</li><li>Based on the DSS review, bring rates into alignment with actual care costs.</li><li>Tie Medicaid reimbursement increases directly to staffing and quality benchmarks.</li></ul></li><li>A Tax Structure that Works for Everyone, Including SeniorsConnecticut has a fundamentally upside-down tax system. The wealthiest residents pay an effective tax rate of less than 8% of their income in state and local taxes, while working residents pay over 20%. A retiree living on Social Security can suddenly be saddled with a huge tax bill they did not plan for because of our overreliance on the property tax. Seniors on fixed incomes pay more as a share of what they have than our billionaire governor who has spent $70 million on his own campaigns while blocking every initiative about fairness in our tax code.Property taxes continue to increase dramatically long after you stop taking a paycheck . Social Security checks do not go as far as they used to. Grandparents raising their grandchildren do not have a child tax credit to help them offset some of the costs of raising children. Gov. Lamont has called every one of these ideas “too expensive,” or , “too complicated.” He is the single, largest barrier our state has to a fairer tax code.As Governor I will support the following:&nbsp;<ul><li>Raise the Social Security exemption threshold to $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for joint filers. Going forward, instruct the Department of Revenue Services to recommend incremental adjustments to the exemption to keep pace with inflation.&nbsp;</li><li>Increase state funding for the Homeowners Elderly/Disabled Tax Relief Program, raise the income thresholds to reflect the actual cost of living in Connecticut, and push the maximum credit up significantly.&nbsp;</li><li>Create a permanent, fully refundable child tax credit of up to $600 per child that grandparents can take advantage of to help with the costs associated with raising children.</li></ul></li><li>Supporting Senior Housing Options and Making Downsizing a Cost-Effective RealityThree out of four American adults say they want to stay in their home or community as they age. Fewer than half believe they will be able to. Meanwhile Connecticut is losing its already limited housing stock to private equity and corporate landlords.. One of the most direct ways is to get more homes into the hands of Connecticut families without penalizing seniors who are ready to downsize. Year after year, good housing bills come up for debate that would solve these problems. But Gov. Lamont shows no leadership in getting them across the finish line. This past year a bill that would have created more housing options for seniors, with near-unanimous Senate support, backed by architects, housing advocates, and both parties, died in the last days of session.This is exactly the kind of failure a governor can fix. That is why as Governor I will support the following: <ul><li>Support legislation that would allow homeowners to rent up to three bedrooms in their own single-family home without needing local government approval.&nbsp;</li><li>Make ADU requirements mandatory for all cities and towns, creating more downsizing options for seniors.&nbsp;</li><li>Create a targeted tax incentive for seniors who sell their primary residence to a Connecticut family that will occupy it as their primary home, helping stop Connecticut’s limited housing stock from being purchased by corporations.</li></ul></li><li>Support for Connecticut’s Long-Term Care WorkforceSeniors in Connecticut rely on the support of long-term care workers to ensure they can age with dignity. But our state faces a staffing crisis. This crisis in Connecticut's long-term care sector is a direct result of wages that do not compete with other sectors, benefits that do not reflect the physical and emotional demands of the work, and a governor who has treated these workers as nothing other than a line item.Connecticut deserves a Governor that will raise reimbursement rates for facilities, tie Medicaid funding to a direct care spending floor to ensure the money reaches workers, and will build a workforce pipeline through our state universities and colleges. Governor Lamont has stood in the way of tangible support for long-term care workers by blocking raises and resisting SEIU 1199NE’s call for $25 an hour until threatened with an historic strike. That all changes after Election Day. As Governor I will support the following: <ul><li>SEIU 1199NE's push to $25 as a starting floor, with a clear path to $30, tied to Medicaid reimbursement increases that ensure the money actually reaches workers.&nbsp;</li><li>Establish a minimum staffing ratio for Connecticut nursing homes. The federal rule requiring minimum staffing has been under attack. Connecticut needs to&nbsp; set its own standard and hold facilities accountable&nbsp; regardless of what Washington does.</li><li>Create a long-term care workforce pipeline in partnership with community colleges and the state university system, including debt-free pathways into CNA, home health aide, and direct care roles.</li><li>Guarantee that Medicaid rate increases for long-term care facilities include a direct care spending floor.&nbsp;</li><li>Extend full collective bargaining rights and protections to all home care workers, including PCAs, across the system.&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li>Protect Connecticut Seniors from Donald Trump’s Cuts and Attacks&nbsp;Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have made their agenda clear. They are focused on slashing federal funding to blue states to pad the pockets of the billionaires that funded their campaigns. The time of “we’re looking into that,” is over. Advocates estimate that federal rule changes have pushed 30,000 or more Connecticut residents off SNAP already. Between 100,000 and 200,000 people on HUSKY could lose coverage over the next decade as work requirements kick in starting January 2027. This is an attack on seniors living on fixed incomes who rely on SNAP to supplement limited food budgets, and who depend on HUSKY to cover prescription costs and long-term care services that Medicare does not fully pay for. Connecticut has amassed a record Budget Reserve Fund, created a Federal Emergency Response Fund, and continues to enjoy record budget surpluses stemming from years of bull market gains. Sitting on this money is an abdication of responsibility. I will leverage what we have saved, and show other Governors across the country that Democrats at the state level can stop Trump’s attacks. Replacing the food assistance that Connecticut families have lost would have cost less than $50 million a year. On Medicaid, the fight to ensure coverage remains for everyone is winnable if we take steps now to do something about it, not Governor Lamont’s approach of waiting until people suffer. That is why as Governor I will support the following: </li></ul>

Every Connecticut resident deserves to be able to afford and live here, especially&nbsp; our seniors. Connecticut is one of the richest states in the richest country in the world. If you choose to retire and spend your golden years here, you should do so with dignity and pride.