by Adam Walker The New Haven independent
Republicans can win in deep-blue New Haven — if they focus on lowering property taxes, electric bills, and crime.
Republican State Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich delivered that message Monday as he stopped by City Point to support Steve Orosco’s run for mayor, and promoted his own bid to become Connecticut’s next governor.
Fazio was a guest at a fundraiser held at the the Pequonnock Yacht Club for Orosco, a mixed-martial artist and frequent Republican candidate for office.
Orosco has secured the Republican and Independent Party endorsements to appear on the Nov. 4 general election ballot to challenge three-term incumbent Democrat Justin Elicker, who has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.
Fazio, meanwhile, has jumped to the front among Republicans looking to be their party’s nominee for governor in 2026. He recently secured two key endorsements from the state legislature’s top Republicans.
On the Democratic Party side, two-term incumbent Ned Lamont is strongly considering running for a third term, defending his record on stabilizing Connecticut government’s finances and boosting subsidies for childcare. He currently faces a challenge from Hamden progressive State Rep. Josh Elliott.
In an interview with the Independent Monday, Fazio said he has known Orosco for years. He described the New Haven Republican as a community-minded small business owner who understands the city’s struggles. He accused the current mayor of presiding over rising property taxes, a spike in crime, and declining public schools.
He said New Haven in particular and Connecticut as a whole need a change.
The challenge, Fazio conceded, is breaking through in a city where every elected official is a Democrat. (Every statewide and federal elected official in Connecticut is also a Democrat.)
Fazio’s answer: focus on the basics.
“Do most people in New Haven, regardless of their party, think property taxes are too high? I think so,” he said. “Do they think the city has gotten more dangerous? I think so. Do they think their kids deserve better schools? I think so.”
Fazio argued that Republicans should focus their campaigns on local reforms rather than national debates beyond their control. He also said that he voted for President Donald Trump in last year’s presidential election, and that he believes a “vast majority” of Connecticut Republicans voted for the president as well.
If elected governor, he promised to cut the state’s income tax by $1,500, reduce electric rates by 20 percent in part by eliminating the public benefits charge on utility bills, and help create “safety and opportunity for all.”
On housing, he responded to a question about Gov. Ned Lamont’s veto earlier this year of an omnibus housing reform bill by stressing the importance of local control, while supporting targeted reforms like accessory dwelling units and commercial-to-residential conversions. “I think we need local control of decision-making in our state,” he said. He rejected 8 – 30g and “fair share
as “one-size-fits-all” housing approaches that unduly encroach on local control.
“Connecticut is ready for a positive change,” Fazio said.
Watch the full interview with Fazio here.