Every Friday until Election Day, GOOD Morning Wilton publishes Letters to the Editor that we’ve received about the candidates and/or election-related issues. Letters are limited to 225 words and must be signed with a full name and verifiable address. GMW will publish up to 15 letters each week in the order in which they are received with a deadline of Thursday at noon; any letters received after we hit that 15-letter limit and/or deadline will be held for subsequent weeks. Election Letters to the Editor can be submitted through the “Submit a Story” link on the main menu before noon on Thursdays. Please click HERE to read our election coverage guidelines, policies and requirements about Letters before submitting one.
Ryan Fazio and the Issues that Matter to Connecticut Seniors
To the Editor:
As a senior citizen and Wilton resident, I care deeply about Connecticut’s future, particularly the growing financial pressures facing older residents and families.
Rising property taxes, electricity bills, and everyday expenses make it increasingly difficult for seniors on fixed incomes to remain in the communities they love.
I have personally met Ryan Fazio and have actively supported his campaign here in Wilton. That involvement has given me an opportunity to learn more about his approach to the challenges facing our state.
Fazio has emphasized reducing electricity costs, providing tax relief, encouraging economic growth, and bringing greater fiscal discipline to state government. These issues deserve serious attention, particularly from those of us concerned about preserving our financial independence during retirement.
Another important issue is local control. Decisions affecting Wilton’s neighborhoods, housing, and development have lasting consequences for residents of every generation.
As Connecticut voters consider their choices for Governor, I encourage them to examine the candidates’ proposals and their potential impact on seniors, families, and local communities.
Roberta Brill
Re-elect Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas
To the Editor:
Secretary Stephanie Thomas has made it her top priority to protect access to, and security of, voting in Connecticut. Voters deserve clear information, convenient options and confidence that our elections are run with integrity. When people trust the process, they participate. When they doubt it, democracy suffers.
Protecting voting also means standing firm against misinformation and intimidation, and backing the town clerks and poll workers who make our elections run. Many are our own neighbors, serving their communities.
Our democracy depends on officials who defend every eligible voter’s access to the ballot, regardless of party. Stephanie Thomas has shown that commitment, and I urge fellow residents to make sure their voices are heard this November.
Please check your registration, make a plan to vote and encourage your neighbors to do the same.
Leslie Holmes
Why I Support Ryan Fazio for Governor
To the Editor:
Connecticut faces serious challenges: a high cost of living, some of the nation’s highest electricity rates, heavy tax burdens and growing pressure from Hartford on decisions traditionally made by our local communities.
That is why I strongly support Ryan Fazio for Governor.
During his service in the state senate, Ryan has shown himself to be an energetic and thoughtful legislator who understands that Connecticut must become more affordable for families, seniors and businesses. He has focused on controlling government spending, reducing taxes and energy costs, strengthening our economy and making Connecticut a more attractive place to live, work and raise a family.
I also particularly appreciate Ryan’s commitment to preserving local decision-making. Connecticut’s towns are different from one another, and important decisions involving zoning, housing and development should include a strong local voice rather than relying on one-size-fits-all mandates from Hartford.
Ryan brings something else that Connecticut badly needs: a new generation of leadership. He combines youthful energy with a serious understanding of economics, government and the challenges facing our state.
I believe Ryan Fazio has the ideas, determination and leadership necessary to move Connecticut forward. I enthusiastically support him for Governor.
Jim McSweeney
CT is Lucky Jen Tooker is Running for Comptroller
To the Editor:
Jen Tooker would be fabulous representing voters in so many different roles — lucky for us here in Wilton she’s running for state comptroller this year. This is a contest that won’t get the notoriety of some other races this year, but is still extremely important for our state’s future. Our state comptroller is our CFO and chief accountability officer all in one, and Tooker’s background suits her extremely well for this. Most recently she was first selectman of Westport; before that she was second selectman, a member of Westport’s Board of Finance, and before that a member of that town’s Board of Education. Earlier in her career she was a manager for a reinsurance company.
In Westport, Tooker earned a reputation as an astute financial manager and a congenial executive, and was more than willing to work across party lines in a town where her party is a distinct minority. She is running on a platform of accountability, transparency and discipline — I recommend we send her to Hartford to have her carry this out on our behalf! Please vote for Jen Tooker on or before Nov. 3rd!
Jake Lubel
Reelect Stephanie Thomas for Secure, Trusted Elections
To the Editor:
Is your vote protected, and is it easy to cast? Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas has made sure the answer in Connecticut is yes.
She led the rollout of early voting, and in 2024, four in 10 voters used it. She supports absentee voting for those unable to vote in person. She secured $25 million to replace our aging tabulators, our first upgrade since 2006, and is implementing the Connecticut John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and automatic voter registration.
She is safeguarding our voter lists. Connecticut is rolling out TotalVote, its first major voter registration upgrade in nearly 25 years, which has already exposed district-assignment problems the old system hid.
Her work earns trust across party lines. The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State calls her a leader we can trust to protect our right to vote, and her fellow secretaries elected her to the executive board of the nonpartisan National Association of Secretaries of State.
She reaches voters where they are. Her office produces multilingual materials and holds events across the state, and she hosts sessions that help voters with disabilities know their rights at the polls.
Election Day is Nov. 3. Explore the wealth of voter information online, including early voting locations, then join me in reelecting Stephanie Thomas to keep our elections bipartisan, secure and trusted.
Patti Frisch
Vote Row A on Nov. 3
To the Editor:
On Nov. 3, protect our state and our progress, please vote straight across Row A, the Democratic line.
Democrats have delivered tangible benefits for Connecticut families. Paid family and medical leave let workers care for a newborn or ailing parent without losing a paycheck. The minimum wage has risen to $15. Insulin copays are capped at $25 a month for state-regulated plans. Historic budget reserves and pension debt paydowns have strengthened our finances while taxes were cut. Early voting now makes democracy more accessible.
Equally important are the protections. Our attorney general defends consumers, holds opioid manufacturers accountable and stands up to federal overreach. Connecticut has safeguarded reproductive health care and strengthened gun safety laws, protecting families and freedoms alike. Our treasurer and comptroller guard public dollars carefully. Congressman Jim Himes brings national security expertise and a record of delivering for Fairfield County.
Locally, our Democratic candidates for state senate and house share that commitment to strong schools, safe roads and affordable living and have worked hard to provide much needed services and infrastructure improvements.
Together, this team has shown that responsible budgeting and compassion go hand in hand. Their experience matters at a time when Connecticut families and the country needs stability and steady leadership.
Vote Row A on Nov. 3.
Jim Kapustka
In Support of Erick Russell
To the Editor:
Connecticut’s finances once made headlines for the wrong reasons. Today, they are a source of pride and on Nov. 3, I will vote to reelect Treasurer Erick Russell.
Treasurer Russell has been a steady advocate for the disciplined budgeting that keeps Connecticut’s books balanced. Under his watch, Moody’s and Fitch both upgraded the state’s credit rating in 2025, which lowers borrowing costs for taxpayers. His office retired transportation debt early, saving $1.04 billion, and he has overseen extra deposits into our pension funds that now total $10 billion, easing the burden we would otherwise leave our children.
His stewardship extends to the investments themselves. State pension funds returned 14% in 2025 and now hold nearly $73.7 billion in assets, protecting the retirements of teachers, firefighters and state employees.
Russell has also looked forward. CT Baby Bonds, the first program of its kind in the nation, invests $3,200 on behalf of every baby born into the state’s Medicaid program, helping build economic security for the next generation.
Wilton families want a state that spends wisely, pays its bills and plans ahead. Erick Russell is delivering exactly that. I urge my neighbors to join me in voting for him.
Tom Gunther
Vote Across Row A
To the Editor:
Wilton is a community where neighbors know each other, where we care about our schools, our open spaces and our budget, and where we expect our elected officials to get things done rather than score points. We are fortunate to have a slate of Democratic candidates statewide and locally who have done all of these things for us for many years. They are a deep and talented bench, with experience working together effectively in all kinds of environments.
From Gov. Ned Lamont and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz on down, these candidates have a track record of collaborating with each other and across party lines to solve problems. Whether it is passing a balanced budget, responding to a health crisis or pushing back on Federal overreach, the Democratic team has always put in the work, listened to residents and delivered results. That chemistry doesn’t come from a campaign slogan. It comes from years of showing up to the same meetings, tackling the same hard issues and trusting one another to follow through.
They answer emails, attend community events and take hard questions at the table rather than avoiding them. They treat residents as neighbors, not constituents to be managed.
This Democratic slate already works well together and will hit the ground running from day one. Please vote across Row A on Nov. 3.
Nicola Davies
Re-elect Sean Scanlon for Comptroller — Don’t Risk our Steady Progress with a Newcomer
To the Editor:
Accounting can be boring, but it matters tremendously as we know very well in Wilton. Without good, dependable accounting, financial planning and systems become confused, audits languish and even bond ratings are put in jeopardy.
We don’t have any of these concerns at the state level because Sean Scanlon is our comptroller. He has given dependable, detailed and daily attention to the use of our money with clear reporting for the last four years. He will do this for us going forward. That is, if we reelect him. That is why I am supporting Sean and encourage my fellow Wiltonians to do that as well. Let us not risk this job with a newcomer.
There is another important factor. Sean Scanlon does not operate in a vacuum. He is part of a very strong team in Hartford that has made sound financial management a fundamental tenet of their method of governing. With Gov. Ned Lamont at the helm, Sean Scanlon as Comptroller and Erick Russell as Treasurer, our money is in good hands and our financial position as a state is on an extremely positive trajectory.
We need to vote across Row A to return them all to office and let them finish the job.
Wendy Roseberry
William Tong — A Strong Advocate for Connecticut
To the Editor:
William Tong has been a strong advocate for Connecticut, and I want to see him reelected. He has represented our interests in all aspects of our lives — as consumers, voters, patients and families. I am particularly awed by his work in the area of health.
The opioid epidemic has devastated families in every corner of our state, including Wilton. William Tong has been at the forefront of holding drug makers and distributors accountable, helping secure settlements that bring resources to Connecticut for treatment and recovery. No amount of money can bring back those we’ve lost, but those funds can help save others.
That is the kind of results-driven work I want from an attorney general. I’m voting for William Tong, and I hope you will as well.
Tom Syrstad
Stephanie Thomas, An Able CT Secretary of the State
To the Editor:
Most of us think about the secretary of the state only every other November, yet few offices touch our lives more often. Stephanie Thomas has ably held the job since January 2023.
On elections, she led the launch of early voting and secured $25 million to replace the state’s aging voting tabulators, the first upgrade since 2006. She is also overseeing universal absentee voting this year and works with all 169 municipalities, where bipartisan local officials run our elections. Voters of every party deserve elections that are accessible and secure, and she has worked hard to deliver both. Secure machines and accurate rolls are how we know a result can be trusted.
But the job is bigger than the ballot box. Her office keeps the business filings, public records, and voter data Connecticut families and employers rely on, and safeguarding that personal information is a daily responsibility. She has also focused on helping Connecticut businesses start and grow.
Her peers have noticed, too. She has served on the executive board of the National Association of Secretaries of State and its cybersecurity committee.
Careful stewardship of our votes and our data isn’t glamorous, but it is essential to our democracy. Public trust is built quietly, one accurate record at a time. I’m truly grateful for it, and I will vote for Stephanie Thomas on Nov. 3.
Anthony Iorfino
Savet Constantine: Leading the Way, Putting Wilton First
To the Editor:
Wilton needs a state representative who listens carefully, stands by her principles, and finds practical ways to move us forward. That’s why I’m supporting Savet Constantine for reelection.
Savet brings fortitude and balance to the state’s finances. As vice chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, she has worked to invest in special education, lower child care costs and reduce electricity bills without raising taxes.
Keeping our fiscal house in order and protecting residents’ rights go hand in hand. Her commitment to reproductive freedom and seniors’ well-being reflects the thoughtful leadership I want representing our community. Responsible government means respecting taxpayer dollars while recognizing residents’ needs at every stage of life.
That same balance matters in addressing affordable housing. We need solutions that make meaningful progress while respecting local needs, infrastructure and the character that makes Wilton special. Supporting affordable housing and asking hard questions about proposed legislation are not contradictory positions. They are part of doing the job thoughtfully.
To me, Savet finds a way to lead the way: keeping our fiscal house in order, protecting our rights and finding practical solutions — all while putting Wilton and its residents first.
Please join me in voting to reelect Savet Constantine.
Katie McSporran
Support for Susan Bysiewicz
To the Editor:
The lieutenant governor is one step below the governor, which is why the record behind the name matters, and Susan Bysiewicz’s record is long.
As a legislator, she chose to fight for issues that were important to Connecticut residents. She wrote the law barring lobbyists from giving gifts to legislators, fought political patronage and banned “drive-through” mastectomies so women with breast cancer received proper care.
As secretary of the state from 1999 to 2011, she cut bureaucratic red tape, helped many businesses grow, registered thousands of voters and fought to keep elections fair. That essential work is what public trust rests on.
Today she presides over the state senate, chairs the Finance Advisory Committee, and leads councils on women and girls and on ending the achievement gap. She has also worked on opioid prevention, honored veterans and promoted Connecticut’s trade and exports.
The granddaughter of Polish and Greek immigrants who left factory work to buy a Middletown farm, she has built a career on reform and opportunity, and she has done it through decades of public scrutiny.
Susan Bysiewicz brings integrity, experience, and a lifelong commitment to Connecticut’s families. I’m proud to vote for her on Nov. 3, and I hope you will join me.
Alison Mark
Jim Himes: A Strong, Capable Leader for Dangerous Times
To the Editor:
Jim Himes is a strong, seasoned leader. Prior to government, he spent 12 years in finance and five years advocating for affordable housing. Connecticut has returned Jim Himes to Congress nine times since 2008. He is a strong, intelligent, pragmatic and highly experienced legislator, respected on both sides of the aisle.
Himes has been serving on two of the toughest and most complex congressional committees. He serves as ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), and sits on the House Financial Services Committee. The HPSCI monitors the activities of more than 15 federal intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, DIA and FBI, among others. It authorizes budgets, is notified of covert operations, conducts hearings and investigations of subject activities and proposes legislation. The job requires vigilance and an ability to understand extremely complex and intricate situations. During the years that Himes has served on the HPSCI, he has demonstrated the expertise, intellectual firepower and dynamism that the job requires. He is attentive to our safety and freedoms. He safeguards democracy and honors our commitments. He is morally upright. He stands by our allies such as Ukraine.
Jim Himes has the qualities that we need to safeguard our country. We need to return him to Congress for another term.
Most sincerely,
Kari S. Roberts
Reelect Our Lieutenant Governor
To the Editor:
Few people in state government bring as broad a résumé as our Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. A practicing attorney for eight years, her public service later began as a state representative from Middletown, followed by 12 years as secretary of the state. Since 2019, she has served as lieutenant governor, partnering with the governor and presiding over the state senate. That path, from local legislator to statewide administrator to executive partner, has given her a deep understanding of how Connecticut works and how to get things done.
As the mother of three children, she and her husband are familiar with the issues facing our families, taking that familiarity to Hartford as a crucial member of an administration focused on affordability. Most recently, a bipartisan 2025 law cut electric public benefits charges, and residential electric bills fell roughly 10% between June 2025 and June 2026. The administration enacted the largest middle-class income tax cut in state history, capped car taxes and directed $115 million to partly offset lost federal health insurance subsidies.
With a leadership style that is both practical and collaborative, she listens to residents, mayors and small business owners, building consensus to find solutions. Her experience and accomplishments have earned her another term. Please join me in voting to reelect Susan Bysiewicz.
Barli Nugent
