Candidate Profile: Bob Ham, 83rd State House District

CHESHIRE, CT — The 2026 election is heating up in Connecticut, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Eyes are primarily focused on the Connecticut gubernatorial election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Bob Ham, 70, of Cheshire, is running for election to the House of Representatives in the 83rd District, representing Berlin, Cheshire, and Meriden.

Party:

Republican

Campaign website:

https://www.hamforstaterep.com

Occupation:

Retired

Family:

Wife & 2 adult children

Does anyone in your family work in government?

No

Previous public office:

RTC Cheshire

Why are you seeking this office?

Connecticut can attract many more companies that will create good, well-paying jobs if we improve the overall business environment. Reducing cost of energy by increasing supply of natural gas is achievable as just one of many possibilities.

The standard question of new retirees in CT is "where are you moving?" - on the assumption that costs for retirees are too high. By attracting commercial enterprises, we can expand the economy and reduce the overall costs. Most people want to stay in Connecticut to be close to friends, relatives and the lives they have built.

What do you believe is the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut, and how do you plan to address it?

Affordability is the number 1 issue in CT, and this has been a problem for many years. A major reason for the lack of affordability is the cumulative effect of more than 1,400 unfunded mandates created by the legislature. I will address these by working to repeal mandates that cost towns / cities money with little return for the time and money spent.

Energy costs have been soaring in Connecticut. What are your plans to help address this issue?

Eliminate the roadblocks to more natural gas coming to Connecticut and New England. This is important for those that use natural gas, as well as for the utilities that use gas turbine generators in our quest for less expensive electricity.

Not often discussed, reduced energy costs are important to the creation of manufacturing jobs in CT. Our defense contractors need reliable and reasonably priced energy in Connecticut. All of the major defense contractors have multiple sub-contractors in the region - and these employers, in turn, need reliable and reasonably priced energy.

Affordability has been a major topic across the country and here in Connecticut. How do you plan to address this issue?

The formula for cost sharing between state taxes and municipalities needs to be updated and revised to ensure that municipalities are not bearing the brunt of legislative group think.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a Naval officer, I received extensive leadership training, both formally and on the job.

I have run significant manufacturing operations. By continually evaluating the processes involved in production, we made manufacturing efficient and cost effective.

The electorate knows that our state government will benefit from the process of continuous improvement.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Connecticut can do better. Our representative form of government works when there is an active, direct dialog among lawmakers and between citizens and their representatives. Our government works best for the people when ideas compete. Too often legislative proposals are dismissed because they don't agree with those put forth by the majority. My goal is to ensure common sense ideas have a hearing in the legislature.