The 2026 Connecticut gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Connecticut. Incumbent Democratic Governor Ned Lamont is eligible for re-election to a third term in office. As of January 2025, Lamont has publicly expressed interest in running but has not declared a re-election bid.
Incumbent Ned Lamont is one of the most popular governors in the United States, with a 62% approval rating as of April 2025, according to Morning Consult. However, 44% of Connecticut voters believe he should not run for a third term, according to a University of New Hampshire poll from May 2025.[1] Despite this, Lamont expressed interest in running for re-election in 2026 during a press conference on June 5, 2025, influenced by the actions of the current administration of PresidentDonald Trump.[2] However, Lamont is susceptible to a challenger from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party after he vetoed two pieces of legislation passed by the General Assembly: H.B. 5002 and S.B. 8, concerning YIMBY housing reforms and jobless benefits for striking workers, respectively.[3] Additionally, Zohran Mamdani's victory in the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary may influence Connecticut progressives to challenge Lamont, who endorsed Mamdani's opponent, Andrew Cuomo.[4]State RepresentativeJosh Elliott, who would go on to launch a gubernatorial bid,[5] initially told CT Insider that Lamont "will not run uncontested."[6]
