The 2026 race for governor in Connecticut is already heating up. One of the most talked-about potential contenders is a familiar—but controversial—figure from neighboring New York politics.
Betsy McCaughey, a former lieutenant governor of New York and current Newsmax host, is weighing a Republican run against Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont. That sets up what could be one of the sharpest ideological clashes in recent Connecticut political history.
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Betsy McCaughey Eyes Connecticut’s Corner Office
McCaughey, now 77, is framing herself as a Connecticut insider with outsider grit. She’s widely known for her New York tenure and national TV presence, but she grew up in Connecticut and claims she’s lived here most of the last decade.
She says she’s been reconnecting with communities from Hartford to West Hartford and from New Haven to Stamford. Her target is clear: Gov. Ned Lamont.
McCaughey has launched sharp attacks on Lamont’s record, especially his housing policies. She claims the governor is “out of touch” with everyday issues facing families from Bridgeport to Waterbury and across the small towns that define much of Connecticut’s character.
A Populist, Trump-Style Approach
Her political style is blunt and unapologetically populist. People draw direct comparisons to former President Donald Trump—not just in rhetoric, but in her willingness to challenge established policy orthodoxy.
She served as an economic adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign. Now she’s trying to harness similar populist energy in Connecticut’s more moderate political climate.
Her pitch to Republican voters is straightforward: she’s ready for a fight. McCaughey wants to aggressively confront Lamont on taxes, regulation, and especially on housing and health care policy.
Clashing With Lamont Over Housing and Policy
At the center of McCaughey’s early messaging is her opposition to Lamont’s housing bill. She argues it undermines local control and fails to respect community character in suburbs such as Greenwich, Fairfield, and Glastonbury.
She contends that state-driven housing mandates are being forced onto towns without enough input from local officials or residents. McCaughey’s background in policy warfare goes back decades.
She first rose to national prominence in the 1990s by attacking the Clinton health care plan. Later, she became a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act.
She’s leaning on that history to claim she can go toe-to-toe with Lamont on complex policy issues. At the same time, she says she can speak plainly to voters.
From Health Care Fights to the Governor’s Race
Critics argue her brand of politics may be too polarizing for a state where unaffiliated voters often decide close races. Still, McCaughey’s supporters believe her history of influencing major national debates could resonate with Connecticut residents frustrated with rising costs and policy gridlock in Washington.
She is positioning her campaign as a referendum on what she views as heavy-handed government, from health mandates to statewide zoning reforms.
Seeking Public Financing, Not Self-Funding
One of the biggest differences between McCaughey and several recent Republican nominees is money. Past GOP candidates for governor in Connecticut have often been wealthy self-funders with limited political experience.
McCaughey is taking a different route. She says she will seek public financing through the state’s Citizens’ Election Program.
That decision means she must gather thousands of small-dollar contributions from residents in cities and towns across the state—from Norwalk and Danbury to smaller communities in eastern Connecticut. The timeframe to qualify is tight.
A Grassroots Test for a National Figure
Relying on small contributions will test whether her national profile as a Newsmax host can translate into real, local grassroots support. It’ll also show whether Republican primary voters see her as a credible challenger or as an outside commentator trying to move inside.
By rejecting self-funding, McCaughey is betting that a bottom-up fundraising effort will give her more legitimacy with voters and local party leaders.
Facing Strong GOP Rivals: Erin Stewart and Ryan Fazio
McCaughey’s path to the Republican nomination is far from clear. Two names already loom large in early GOP conversations: Erin Stewart, the long-time mayor of New Britain, and Ryan Fazio, a Republican state senator from the Greenwich area.
Both Stewart and Fazio have substantial local ties and established political resumes. They’ve got early fundraising advantages, too.
Party insiders from New London to Middletown describe them as strong, conventional candidates. These are the types likely to appeal to the center-right voters who often decide statewide primaries.
A Battle Over the Party’s Future
The contest is shaping up as a referendum on what kind of Republican Party Connecticut wants. Will it be a more traditional, pragmatic brand represented by Stewart and Fazio, or a more combative, populist style represented by McCaughey?
Some GOP leaders, while respectful of her experience, have quietly suggested McCaughey might be better suited for another office—maybe Congress or a statewide policy role—instead of the top job in Hartford.
Age, Experience, and Name Recognition
At 77, McCaughey knows her age will come up. She shrugs off concerns, stressing that her decades of policy battles and executive-level experience are an asset, not a liability.
In her view, voters in places like Manchester, East Hartford, and beyond care more about competence and backbone than age. The bigger question for many Connecticut Republicans is her name recognition inside the state.
National cable viewers may know her well, but party insiders worry that average voters from Meriden to Bristol may have only a vague idea of who she is—or none at all.
Will Voters Embrace a National Conservative Voice?
McCaughey’s rolling the dice on a bold, anti-Lamont message. She promises to shake up the status quo, hoping to fire up the Republican base and pull in unaffiliated voters who’ve had enough of slow-moving politics.
But will that gamble work? She needs to turn her TV fame into real support on Connecticut streets.
She has to show, in town halls and living rooms across the state, that she’s not just another talking head trying to leap from cable news to Hartford’s Capitol.
Here is the source article for this story: Dan Haar: Betsy McCaughey, an enigma for CT Republicans, eyeing a late entry for governor
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