HARTFORD – Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont sat down on Thursday for a chance to talk one on one about his run for a third term, telling CT Examiner he welcomed a discussion of his record, and that he had “some unfinished business” to tackle in the next four years.
Lamont is being challenged from his party’s progressive wing by State Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden and from the right by State Sen. Ryan Fazio, R-Greenwich, former Republican New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart and former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey, also a Republican.
McCaughey and former Republican State Rep. Harry Arora, who is forming an exploratory committee for governor, both announced their intentions this week.
The 72-year-old Lamont, a former Greenwich businessman, said he’s proud of his record – especially when it comes to finances and the state’s large surplus – and said he encourages dialogue, debate and discussion.
“You know, we came in seven years ago looking at budget deficits as far as I could see. They’d been raising taxes,” Lamont told CT Examiner from the state’s Democratic Party headquarters in downtown Hartford Thursday. “We’re slowly getting our fiscal house in order. We’re able to cut taxes. We made some big investments. Our cities are growing again. I’ve got to keep that going and I’ve got to do everything I can to hold down costs and make life a little more affordable for people.”
Asked if he was confident of victory in November, Lamont added: “I run scared, but I think we have a pretty good track record. I think most people think the state’s in a better place today than it was.”
Answers have been edited for length and clarity
CT Examiner: There have been several protests across the state against federal immigration agents since the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis at the hands of an ICE agent. Also last week, two federal vehicles forced their way through a group of activists who had blocked their exit behind the downtown courthouse. What is your administration’s communication like with federal immigration and do you have a message for protesters opposing them in Connecticut?
Gov. Ned Lamont: I have a message for ICE. Yeah, we’re doing a pretty good job here in Connecticut of keeping the peace and [we have] one of the lowest crime rates in the country. I don’t need them coming up with their masks scaring the hell out of everybody. You know, when it comes to criminals on the street, we work with ICE, we work with DEA or the FBI. We get dangerous criminals off the street, but leave our kids alone. My message to people opposing them: Keep it peaceful. Don’t play into [President Donald] Trump’s hands. He’s looking to provoke a little violence.
CTEx: What is the one thing you are most proud of during your two terms as governor – whether a policy initiative or something else?
Lamont: Remember 10 years ago, GE had left, and the cool kids were all moving to New York and Boston, and there was just a sense of pessimism. I want people to believe in this state. If you believe in the state, you grow. People invest. They start businesses. Young people stay. I think we’re in a very different place than we were 10 years ago. So the pride of the state, that’s what I’m most proud of.
CTEx: If you’re reelected in November, what do you see as the biggest single challenge you’ll face regarding energy during a third term?
Lamont: We’ve had some of the highest electric prices in the country for the last 30, 50, 60 years. So we’re making progress. We doubled down on wind power. That was a little on and off, as you may know, with the Trump administration. But, that gives us additional capacity, especially during cold winter time. Doubling down on energy efficiency. I’m talking nuclear; a lot of states pulled the plug on nuclear power. We doubled down on nuclear power seven years ago. One of the first things I did [dealt with] carbon free power, about five cents a kilowatt hour. But, we have an old grid. We can’t generate our own oil or gas, so I’ve got to work with others in order to get that done.
CTEx: Back in April 2025, AFSCME Council 4 — which represents about 30,000 public employees in the state — posted a promise by you on social media that “Every year that I’ve been here you’ve gotten a raise, and every year I’m here, you’re going to get a raise.”
Is that a promise you plan to stick to? And, is there a plan to finesse budget caps, if necessary to get it done?
Lamont: Our state employees work hard to provide vital services throughout Connecticut. From working around the clock to keep our roads clear during storms to ensuring a safe daily commute and even maintaining our state buildings, we count on them and appreciate their service and dedication. Earlier this week, I was pleased to reach a tentative agreement with CEUI and appreciate their collaboration throughout the negotiating process and believe the equitable wage adjustments in this agreement reflect that appreciation. As we work to continue our negotiations with other state employee unions, I fully recognize the work they do, have a great deal of respect for their commitment and believe they deserve a raise.
CTEx: With high construction costs and relatively high interest rates, are market-driven solutions enough to ensure successful outcomes? Or do you expect that significant subsidies will be needed to ensure that towns and regions have a reasonable chance of fulfilling their obligations to build affordable housing under the new bill?
Lamont: Our housing bill is grounded in a clear principle: local communities should lead decisions about where and how to grow. Towns and cities know their needs best, and they should continue to guide housing development in ways that make sense for their communities. What the state is committed to providing is a partnership. When a town is ready to build more housing, we will be there to help make it feasible, whether that means investing in infrastructure such as water, sewer, or transportation, or helping fill financing gaps, so projects can move forward. This is collaboration, not a mandate. By aligning state resources with local leadership, we can address our housing shortage in a practical way, expand options for families, seniors, and young people, and keep Connecticut a place where people can afford to live and succeed.
CTEx: With a change to leadership of PURA, do you expect a significant change in how the state regulates Avangrid and Eversource?
Lamont: PURA exists to ensure that ratepayers get a fair deal, while overseeing an electric grid that is strong, reliable, and affordable. That balance is exactly why PURA’s independent oversight is so vital. The commissioners are charged with keeping the lights on and controlling costs for families and businesses, even as the system grows more complex. I have confidence in the expertise of our PURA commissioners to make tough, thoughtful decisions in the public interest. Their job is to follow the evidence, apply the law, and keep ratepayers front and center, and I believe they are carrying out that responsibility seriously and responsibly.
CTEx: Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it was recommending fewer vaccines for most American children, narrowing recommendations for vaccination against meningococcal disease, hepatitis B and hepatitis A, among others. Does your administration intend to change its approach to childhood vaccinations in response?
Lamont: I just ask HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]: stop confusing everybody. I know Bobby Kennedy [HHS Secretary], an old classmate of mine, is a bit of a vaccine skeptic, right? We, fortunately, here in Connecticut, have a higher percentage of our people vaccinated in just about any state in the country. You know, the vaccines work. They keep our people safe. Go do the right thing [referring to the federal government]. It’s just dysfunctional. Pick your battles, important battles.
CTEx: In an interview with CT Examiner last month, State Rep. Josh Elliott – who as you know is waging a primary campaign from the left against you – has taken aim at your efforts, he said, to “kill” the striking workers bill, free universal school meals, a child tax credit and the original housing bill. What is your response to Elliott? And, do you think with Democratic gains in state and local elections since you were first elected, that a third term might offer a chance to move the state in a more progressive direction?
Lamont: Well, I think I’m getting challenged from the left and the right. I kind of like where we are. I think people know who Ned Lamont is and what I stand for. Look, I tried to get free breakfast and reduce meals through the legislative session last time. So I think that attack is not fair. You’re in the legislature, Buddy [Elliott], why don’t you help us get over the finish line. On housing, they had a bill that they got through that didn’t have support of any mayors or first selectmen, Democrat or Republican. I thought, mayors and first selectmen are the ones who have to get housing built. It’s called Planning and Zoning. They got to do planning as well as zoning. So I worked with the mayors, and I got a lot of mayors on board to support our revised bill, Republicans as well as Democrats.
CTEx: You have had what appears to be a cordial working relationship with both State Sen. Fazio and former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, both who are running for governor as Republicans. What do you say to those who say it’s time for someone younger – they’re both in their 30s – with maybe fresh ideas on how to run a government?
Lamont: I know them both pretty well. They say, vote for me because I’m younger, or vote for me because I want something different, or vote for me, it’s time for a change. But I haven’t heard the constructive alternatives they want. You know, if Ryan says I’m going to cut taxes – every Republican says that – but I’m the governor and I actually did cut taxes. Yeah, and Erin, I worked with her very closely in New Britain.
CTEx: The state’s minimum wage rose to $16.94 per hour on Jan. 1 – lower only than Washington state and Washington D.C. for minimum wages in the country. You’ve often touted the minimum wage increases as among your accomplishments. What do you say to some critics in the business community who claim Connecticut is driving away small businesses with increases every year in the minimum wage?
Lamont: We’ve added more new small businesses in the last few years than probably ever before in this state. I heard all those naysayers say the minimum wage is going to crush the economy. Our unemployment rate is a lot less than the national average, and economic growth, GDP growth, has been pretty strong, stronger than the average bear over the last couple of years. Look, everybody talks about affordability. Even President Trump says pay more, cut costs. Well, I think the essential workers are doing the work every day, especially during COVID. I think they deserve that raise. And I might say to those who challenged from the left, we got the minimum wage done. People have been talking about the fight for 15 [dollars an hour], for five years and now it’s almost 17 dollars an hour. When it comes to affordability, I think that makes life a little easier for people.
CTEx: Does your administration have a plan or a set of priorities for helping the state’s often struggling cities? What are some key accomplishments that your administration can point to in ways that you’ve helped revitalize Hartford, Bridgeport or New Haven?
Lamont: First of all, our cities are growing again. They shrunk for 50 years. Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, were bigger 50 years ago, 70 years ago than they are today, right? No longer. They’re growing again. They’re growing again because a lot of small businesses are starting up there. They’re growing again because a lot of housing has been built there. I think you’re only as great as your cities. Our cities struggled for a long time. They’re on the up and up.
I think we got some pretty good mayors. I think we’re making, as a state, key investments in our cities, starting with housing. Did you see that Hartford is the hottest housing market [in the country].
CTEx: 8-30g, the state’s affordable housing statute, has been on the books for 35 years without the state making significant progress toward filling its need for affordable housing. What makes the new housing bill you signed in November different?
Lamont: I think we’re telling cities: Tell us where you want your housing to be. Don’t just say no, don’t just say, not in my backyard. Say, if I’m in Branford or Guilford or Hartford, where do you want it to be? What do you want your town to look like in 15 years? Maybe you want to turn that old parking lot into housing. Maybe you want to turn that old beat up mill into housing. We’ll be there as your partner to do it. And by the way, 8-30g is a little clumsy, I get it.