Long-time Harwinton First Selectman Mike Criss is hoping to take back the 8th District Senate seat for Republicans and oust first-term incumbent Democrat Paul Honig.
Criss said he is committed to lowering taxes, lowering energy bills and “getting government out of your life.”
The 8th Senate District includes Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Granby, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Simsbury and Torrington.
State Sen. Paul Honig of Harwinton was the first Democrat in 57 years to win the district seat after a recount in 2024. Honig unseated first-term Republican Sen. Lisa Seminara by 319 votes.
Two years prior, Seminara won the seat in a close race with Honig with a margin of just 125 votes.
Prior to Honig, the last time the 8th District seat was held by a Democrat was in 1967, when Paul J. Falsey served as state senator. The longest-serving person in the role was Republican Kevin Witkos, who held the seat for 14 years, from 2009-23. Republican Thomas Herlihy served for 10 years prior, from 1999-2009.
Criss, who has served as first selectman since 2011, said he has worked hard to lead with common sense, fiscal responsibility and a commitment to protecting the people who live and work in his community. He vows to fight unfunded mandates from state government and continue to be a strong advocate for making Connecticut more affordable for small businesses.
“We need strong voices in Hartford who are willing to stand up and fight for the middle class,” Criss said when he launched his campaign in March.
When he was elected, Honig said the district has been trending more Democratic in the past few years and that residents want someone representing them who shares the same values. He also campaigned on affordability issues: housing, health care, electricity costs and child care. He serves as deputy majority leader, chairs the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and is the vice chair of the Banking and Government, Administration & Elections committees.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished in my first year,” Honig said when he launched his reelection campaign in January. “I look forward to another productive legislative session and to continuing to connect with residents throughout the district in the months to come.”
Another Republican candidate – Andrew Ziemba, a former Canton Board of Finance member and small business owner – initially launched a campaign for the seat but later withdrew, endorsed Criss and decided to seek the 17th District House seat instead, which covers Avon and Canton.
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