Fairfield County voters will decide whether the 28th state Senate district, which includes the towns of Fairfield, Bethel, Easton and Newtown, will finally break a half‑century Republican streak. The seat has been held by Republicans since Democratic State Sen. Joseph Schwartz’s brief two‑year term in the mid‑1970s. Republican Sen. Tony Hwang, who served five terms after first winning in 2014, announced his retirement last March, creating the first open race in the district in more than a decade.
Democratic hopeful sees new opportunity
Former Senate candidate Rob Blanchard, who lost to Hwang in 2024, is running again and says the political climate is more favorable than it was a year ago. He points to the wave of Democratic victories in nearly 30 municipal races across Connecticut as evidence that voters are ready for change. “It certainly helps,” Blanchard told reporters. “The atmosphere has shown that the choices being made by the President and the federal government are impacting our everyday costs, and that’s undeniable.”
Cost‑of‑living becomes central issue
Both candidates are making affordability the centerpiece of their campaigns. A recent Quinnipiac University poll for the gubernatorial race found that 24 % of likely voters said cost of living was the most important issue they face, ahead of the economy, taxes, health care and immigration.
Blanchard proposes allowing municipalities to purchase electric power in bulk and strengthening regulation of utility providers. He also highlights Governor Ned Lamont’s recent income‑tax cuts and the Democratic‑controlled legislature’s child‑care legislation as steps toward easing household burdens.
Republican challenger offers alternative plan
Republican candidate Amybeth Laroche counters that Connecticut’s own policies, not federal actions, are to blame for high utility bills. “Washington does have an impact in Connecticut, I’m not going to pretend that otherwise,” Laroche said, but she added, “Hartford has its own responsibility to its taxpayers…we have the highest costs in the country for electricity.” Laroche wants to eliminate the state’s Public Benefits Charge on utility bills and to send quarterly questionnaires to constituents to gauge reactions to state spending.
She also criticized municipal car taxes, a topic that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny, and defended herself against a recent CT Insider report that alleged she had failed to pay car taxes. The article was later retracted, and an editor’s note indicated that two separate car‑tax checks had been received by Newtown shortly after the original publication.
Local experts weigh in
Fairfield University political‑science professor Gayle Alberda believes Blanchard is in a strong position. “If the election were held today, Blanchard would likely win because there is, in particular, this national sentiment that is really disadvantaging Republican candidates at large, not just candidates at the federal level, and we’re seeing that kind of trickle down into state and local races as well,” she said. Alberda also noted that she correctly predicted President Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.
What’s at stake
The 28th district’s next senator will help shape legislation on utility regulation, tax policy and other issues that directly affect Connecticut families. With the district’s historic Republican lean, the race will be closely watched as a bellwether for how cost‑of‑living concerns are influencing voter sentiment across the state.
Voters can expect both candidates to continue emphasizing affordability while contrasting their approaches to state and federal policy. The outcome will determine whether the district finally sees a Democratic representative after more than 50 years of Republican control.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
