Republicans To Endorse Pick For Governor After 1 Candidate Suspends Campaign Amid Controversy

Connecticut Republicans are meeting this weekend to endorse their candidates for governor and other key state positions.

The 2026 Republican Convention begins today and runs through Saturday at Mohegan Sun.

State Sen. Ryan Fazio and former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey are seeking to secure the Republican party’s nomination to run for Governor.

There would have been three candidates. However, on Thursday, Republican Erin Stewart announced she was suspending her gubernatorial campaign amid scrutiny about her credit card use while she served as mayor of New Britain.

Stewart said she is now supporting Fazio’s candidacy.

Fazio, elected in 2021, represents the 36th District, which includes Greenwich, Stamford, and New Canaan.

According to his campaign website, he has been focused on cutting electric rates and taxes. His top issues include expanding affordable natural gas supply and generation, and limiting any government contracts that force ratepayers to overpay for electricity, for example.

View Fazio’s campaign page and more information on his platform HERE.

McCaughey is the former lieutenant governor of New York, a role she had between 1995 and 1998.

She proposes eliminating the state income tax and putting a two percent cap on property tax hikes, for example. Her focus would be on attracting companies to the state, according to her campaign website.

View McCaughey’s campaign page and more information on her platform HERE.

If a candidate fails to secure the nomination, they can still try to win the governor’s seat. A candidate who doesn’t get the convention’s nomination, but gets 15 percent of the support, automatically qualifies for a primary on August 11. They can also circulate a petition to get on the ballot.

Several other nominations will also be handled at the convention, such as for lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, comptroller and secretary of state.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Read more:

Stewart Suspends Campaign For Governor Amid Probe Into Credit Card Use

CT Democrats To Endorse Pick For Governor, Underticket