CT Democrats Stick With Ritter, Rojas In Leadership Posts

by Donald Eng Bluesky

HARTFORD, CT — Connecticut House Democrats have endorsed Matt Ritter of Hartford and elected Jason Rojas of East Hartford for Speaker of the House of Representatives and House majority leader, respectively.

The full House of Representatives formally elects the speaker on the opening day of the legislative session. The Democratic caucus elects the majority leader, who is the second-ranking member of the House.

Ritter said he remained in awe of the institution and was proud of the work the House does.

“Jason and I work very hard to empower our members to fight for policies that benefit their constituents,” he said. “We have made incredible investments in childcare, healthcare, education, and our infrastructure. All while building a stronger fiscal foundation for Connecticut.”

Rojas said he was grateful for the trust the House Democrats placed in him.

“Leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility, one that requires a deep commitment to the work of policymaking, a willingness to put the priorities of others ahead of your own, and a dedication to helping colleagues succeed on behalf of the communities they represent,” he said. “I recognize that the trust of my colleagues must be earned every day, and I do not take that responsibility lightly.”

CT Democrats Grow Their House Majority

The vote comes after CT Democrats picked up 14 seats in the House in Tuesday’s election. The party is on track to hold a 116-35 majority when the new session begins in January. That would be its largest majority in the chamber since 1974, when Democrats held a 118-33 advantage. Democrats held a 102-49 edge during the 2026 session. The caucus will have 25 new members in January.

Overriding a governor’s veto takes a two-thirds vote in each chamber, or 101 votes in the 151-member House. With only one vote to spare, Democrats chose not to try to override any of Gov. Ned Lamont’s vetoes in the past two years.

Ritter could still step aside. The CT Mirror reported that he has been approached informally about serving as interim president of the University of Connecticut, and that Rojas would become speaker if Ritter leaves. Ritter asked the caucus for a couple of weeks to sort it out, according to the Mirror.

The 2027 legislative session convenes on Jan. 6, 2027.