Governor Ned Lamont Leads Ryan Fazio in Connecticut Polls

Democratic Governor Ned Lamont holds a significant lead over Republican challenger State Senator Ryan Fazio in the race for a third term. A Sacred Heart University poll conducted in early September placed Lamont 14 percentage points ahead at 48% to 34%. A subsequent Quinnipiac University poll of 1,288 likely voters showed Lamont's lead widening to 17 percentage points, with 55% support compared to Fazio's 38%.

Fazio has dismissed these results, citing internal research from Cygnal that suggests the race is a single-digit contest among informed voters. He argued that the Sacred Heart poll overrepresented urban voters and failed to use a likely-voter model. While Lamont leads among women and unaffiliated voters, Fazio maintains an advantage among men and those prioritizing taxes and immigration. Analysts note that Fazio faces a name recognition handicap, as 45% of voters in the Quinnipiac survey reported not knowing enough about him to form an opinion.

Amid the polling disputes, Fazio challenged Lamont to participate in six debates instead of the two scheduled for October 22 and 27. Fazio argued that limiting debates before early voting begins on October 19 is a disservice to the public. The Lamont campaign rejected the request, stating the governor has already agreed to 10 public events, including eight forums and two debates, and accused the Fazio campaign of attempting to create noise.