Hillside Strategies, LLC

Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday he is in no rush to decide if he will seek a third term in office, stating that he will wait until the end of the 2025 legislative session to decide… https://lnkd.in/eGXfnN7s

The presidency, a U.S. Senate seat, all five congressional seats, all 187 seats of the General Assembly and a constitutional amendment allowing the universal use of absentee ballots were on the ballot in Connecticut. More than 740,000 people were drawn by the novelty of the state’s first experience with early in-person voting. In total, Connecticut saw a voter turnout of roughly 74% of its residents! While we saw a red wave nationally, Connecticut stayed blue with democrats holding on to the US Senate, all five congressional seats, and their super majority in the state House and Senate! The House was able to pick up 4 seats bringing their majority to 102 democrats compared to 49 republicans. A similar victory was declared by the Senate Majority with the democrats able to gain one seat out of the 4 targeted races. This brings the makeup of the Senate to 25 democrats to 11 republicans..

Connecticut voters in the 2024 election will be deciding who will serve as their representatives for the state legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives and one of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats. There is also a ballot question which would give the state’s General Assembly to alter the state constitution’s requirements for absentee voting. Voters will also be deciding who will receive the state’s Electoral College votes for president and vice president. For a little history, Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump received 39.2% of the vote in 2020 when he ran against President Joe Biden, who received 59.3% of the state’s votes. Biden also won the national race. In 2016 when Trump won the national race, he received support from 40.9% of Connecticut voters compared to 54.6% of voters who picked Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.. https://lnkd.in/endj99XN

Half the time, the biennial elections for the Connecticut General Assembly are focused on local issues and legislative performance. But every four years, the noise of presidential politics inserts itself. Here are some legislative races that were so close two years ago that we will be watching them closely on Nov. 5, when voters decide on the membership of the General Assembly for 2025 and 2026. Current Democratic majorities stand at 24-12 in the Senate and 98-53 in the House of Representatives. https://lnkd.in/ekE-Sdmt

With only a month to go until the November 5th election,?our team at Hillside Strategies has prepared a breakdown of all the races happening throughout Connecticut at both the state and federal level.?This year is a presidential?election year which trends have shown to?drastically increase voter turnout, but which voters turn out is the real question. In Connecticut, we have a rematch and some are saying a coin flip in the 5th congressional district and a majority?of the state legislature looking to maintain their current elected position (only 12 vacancies out of 187 positions)...

State Sen. James Maroney, D-Milford, co-chairman of the legislative General Law Committee, has led efforts to put together a consortium of representatives from all states to discuss the issue and prevent a patchwork approach if the federal government won't take the lead on regulations. Maroney said the consortium of lawmakers is hopeful that over a dozen states will pass regulatory bills in their upcoming legislative sessions, adding to a federal consensus around consistent guidelines. Four states — California, Colorado, Minnesota and Illinois — passed laws that include some component of the regulations included in the 2024 Connecticut bill this year, he said. https://lnkd.in/enxnCSYC

NEW BRITAIN—Six-term Republican New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart announced Tuesday that she will not seek re-election, but said she does not know whether she'll run for governor. https://lnkd.in/eP7ADEGW

“Vineyard Offshore congratulates Governor Healey and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for their commitment to procure up to 800 megawatts from our 1,200-megawatt Vineyard Wind 2 project, which provides the opportunity to deliver New England’s next-generation offshore wind project,” said Vineyard Offshore CEO Alicia Barton “We look forward to Connecticut’s forthcoming decision on the remainder of the procurement so that we can begin to deliver important economic and climate benefits to the region.” Vineyard Wind 2 Highlights: Connecticut **$682 million in direct economic benefits **Nearly 400 job-years of union employment to install onshore and construct cables and transmission infrastructure **$20 million in directly funded initiatives to support wildlife, fisheries, and ecological resources, as well as the commercial fishing industry **The project also enjoys the support of elected leaders of involved onshore communities: New London, Montville, and Waterford. https://lnkd.in/e99fTNcj

There were 12 primaries in the House and five in the Senate on Tuesday. Two of the Democratic Party’s primaries were extremely close, requiring recounts. US Navy Veteran Matthew Corey captured about 54% of the vote to Beacon Falls First Selectman Gerry Smith’s 46%, earning the Glastonbury Republican a second chance at unseating Democratic US Sen. Chris Murphy.. In the 4th Congressional District, Michael Goldstein defeated Bob MacGuffie by about a 53% to 47% margin, according to unofficial results, to get a shot at Democratic incumbent Rep. Jim Himes. https://lnkd.in/erbEGyEJ