Vote 2026: Fazio, Lamont face-off in feisty first debate for governor
Both candidates clashed over electric rates, ICE agents in Connecticut and President Donald Trump in the first of two debates.
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After months of swiping at each other on the airwaves, Gov. Ned Lamont and Republican challenger Ryan Fazio finally faced off in a surprisingly feisty first debate on Thursday night.
The two candidates traded barbs over electric rates, federal immigration agents and President Donald Trump – but found common ground on controversial Flock cameras and data centers.
COST OF LIVING
Fazio hammered the two-term governor on Connecticut's high cost of living – and his relationship with Eversource CEO Joe Nolan.
“I think the viewers out there will be very surprised to hear that Gov. Lamont’s holding Eversource accountable when he has a texting relationship with the CEO,” Fazio said. “When the CEO says, ‘Don’t leave town until we have our billion-dollar deal finalized.’”
“I do have a relationship with the business leaders of this state. That does not mean I do not hold them accountable.” Lamont responded. “They sued us five different times.”
Both candidates clashed over tax cuts too.
Fazio pushed his proposed $2,500 per person middle-class tax cut; the governor dismissed the proposal as “fantasy land.”
“Tell me how you’re going to pay for it,” Lamont said. “Everybody talks about, you know, ‘I’m going to cut the income tax.’ I’ve heard it every time I've been running. Only one guy has cut the income tax; we cut that for the middle class.”
While Lamont signed the first income tax cut since the 1990s and a modest sales tax reduction, he also approved a new meals tax, a “highway use fee” for big-rig trucks and a 0.5% payroll deduction to fund the state’s Paid Family Medical Leave program.
“It’s like Gov. Lamont is living in an entirely different state than the people I talk to on the campaign trail,” Fazio said.
Lamont blamed high prices on the president's tariffs and his war in Iran. On that issue, Fazio broke ranks with Trump.
"I oppose the war in Iran. I've said it repeatedly," he said. "This election is about Connecticut."
ICE IN CT
The candidates also clashed over Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Connecticut.
Fazio cited the case of Liam Rivera, a 2-year-old boy beaten to death in Stamford. Rivera’s father, Edgar Ismalej-Gomez, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for child abuse, while his wife, Iris Rivera-Santos, received 20 years.
“Because of Gov. Lamont’s 2019 Trust Act, that man was let out on the streets instead of transferred to federal authorities,” Fazio said. “That boy might still be alive today if not for that policy.”
That drew an angry response from the governor.
“I can’t believe you’re exploiting that one story out of Stamford that has nothing to do with immigration,” Lamont said. “We get dangerous people off the street. We work with ICE and DEA and FBI. That’s one of the reasons we have one of the safest states in the United States of America.”
The Trust Act limits when Connecticut authorities can contact federal immigration authorities, requiring a judicial warrant instead of a civil detainer – unless suspects are convicted felons or on a terrorism watch list.
Earlier this year, Lamont signed a sweeping new law banning agents from wearing masks. A federal judge is now deciding whether to block the law after the Trump administration challenged it.
COMMON GROUND ON CAMERAS
Both sides did find common ground on controversial Flock and Condor cameras, which have popped up across Connecticut. Some communities are now pausing them.
“The fact that in a town like Milford – 50,000 people – there’s 90 or 100 [cameras] all around the town, I think that’s just not the American way,” Fazio said.
Lamont noted that he signed a new law limiting automated license plate readers. He also directed the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to craft strict new rules around their use.
“One, you cannot share that information with ICE or any other federal law enforcement authority. We made that very clear,” Lamont said. “Ryan says, ‘You had a bill; I had a better bill.’ Nobody supported your bill.”
Both also agreed on restrictions for massive data centers, which have also become controversial across the country.
WILL THE DEBATE MATTER?
With polls showing Lamont ahead by as much as 22 points, political analysts said his opponent needed to land some punches.
“Absolutely there’s more pressure on Ryan Fazio,” said Dr. Gayle Alberda, a former Republican consultant who now teaches at Fairfield University. “There are a couple of things you should be looking for. One will be whether or not Fazio is able to connect with undecided voters and increase his name recognition.”
As for Lamont?
“One of the big goals is not to do anything that would put him in political jeopardy while he's at the debate,” Alberda said.
The debate won’t even matter to the more than 140,000 voters who already cast ballots as of Wednesday.
Lamont and Fazio will debate one final time next Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun.
