By Elizabeth Barhydt
State Senator Ryan Fazio’s campaign for governor has moved with unusual speed through the early stages of the 2026 race, pairing record-setting fundraising with endorsements from New Canaan’s senior elected officials and party leaders who have worked with him closely on issues ranging from zoning to energy costs.
On Jan. 12, the Fazio for Governor campaign filed its second quarterly finance report with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, showing $272,069 raised in qualifying small-dollar contributions over 141 days. The filing confirms that Fazio crossed the $250,000 threshold required to participate in Connecticut’s Citizens’ Election Program faster than any gubernatorial campaign.
Erin Stewart, who is also running for Governor as a Republican, officially qualified for the CEP grant earlier this year after 11 months of fundraising. Governor Lamont, who is running for a third term is expected to self-fund once again.
The most recent reporting period showed $114,300 raised in the final weeks of 2025. That followed a previous quarter in which the campaign raised $157,233 in just 49 days, setting a record for any non-incumbent statewide candidate in Connecticut. By comparison, the only other declared candidate for governor reported $221,772 in qualifying contributions over two quarters and 160 days of fundraising.
The timing of Fazio’s filing was also consequential. His campaign submitted its application before the Jan. 13 inflation adjustment that raised qualifying thresholds for all subsequent applicants, allowing it to qualify under the earlier standards.
For New Canaan officials, the campaign’s early success reflects long-standing working relationships and policy alignment rather than novelty. Fazio represents New Canaan in the state senate and has been involved directly in debates that have resonated deeply in the town, particularly around zoning authority, utility costs, and local decision-making.
In interviews with the Sentinel, New Canaan officials who have endorsed Fazio explained why.
“As First Selectman, I’m endorsing Ryan Fazio for Governor because he understands that strong communities start with local control,” said New Canaan First Selectwoman Dionna Carlson. “Ryan has consistently stood up for towns on zoning, pushed for lower-cost energy solutions for Connecticut families, and demanded transparency around the public benefits charges on consumers’ energy bills. He also opposed the sale of Aquarion to the RWA because he knows decisions about critical resources like water must put ratepayers and local accountability first. Ryan Fazio is a smart, common-sense leader who asks the right questions and delivers practical solutions for our state.”
State Representative Tom O’Dea echoed that assessment, pointing to years of collaboration in Hartford. “Ryan has been a good friend and colleague with whom I’ve had the privilege of working in the legislature for a number of years,” O’Dea said. “He is a thoughtful, energetic, and highly effective lawmaker who has championed important legislation that has made a real difference for our state. I have no doubt that his leadership, integrity, and vision would make him an outstanding governor.”
Party leaders who have worked with Fazio at the state level emphasized similar traits. Republican State Central Committee member Joe Kelly whose district includes Greenwich, Stamford, and New Canaan said, “Over the past seven years, I have had the pleasure of working with Ryan, and I have consistently observed his exceptional honesty and unwavering willingness to lend an attentive ear. He possesses a deep understanding of the challenges facing his constituents and, more importantly, possesses the ability to address these issues effectively. While finding solutions can be a daunting task, Ryan consistently demonstrates a proactive approach to problem-solving. He is exactly what we need to right the State of Connecticut and return us to prosperity.”
In an interview with the Sentinel, Fazio described the campaign’s progress in measured terms. “Our campaign is building momentum very steadily,” he said. “We have gained grassroots endorsements from every corner of the state at a faster pace than any other campaign. We have raised money from small dollar donors at a record breaking pace. And we’re listening and focusing on the issues that matter most of voters. But there is much more work to do and we will continue to crisscross the state for the next 10 months to listen to people, bring people together and focus on what matters.”
Asked about qualifying for public financing, Fazio said the milestone came quickly but did not mark an endpoint. “In less than 150 days, we reached a key fundraising milestone faster than any other statewide campaign in either party,” he said. “We qualified for the first state campaign finance grant at the beginning of the year. We are waiting now on the CEP to confirm we have met the necessary requirements. There may be more fundraising for us to do in order to cross the final threshold, and we will likely know that next week.”
Fazio said his statewide travel has challenged assumptions about regional differences. “At the beginning of this campaign, I was told by many people how surprised I would be about the differences between Connecticut residents from all over the state,” he said. “However, my experience over the past five months has been quite different. People have the same concerns and feelings about our state government in every part of our state.”
Those concerns, he said, are consistent with what he hears in New Canaan. “They are primarily concerned about our state economy, the high taxes, and the sky-high electric rates,” Fazio said. “Whereas most people in our area thought that local control of zoning was primarily a Fairfield County concern, it turns out that people all across Connecticut are deeply offended by the efforts of the governor and the state legislature to take away more local control of decision-making from our towns and cities.”
For New Canaan, where debates over zoning authority, infrastructure, and state mandates have been central in recent years, the campaign’s early arc reflects a familiar argument carried onto a larger stage. Whether that argument sustains itself through a full gubernatorial race remains to be seen.
