New Britain, CT – Longtime New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart officially entered the race for governor, announcing her candidacy as a Republican challenger with a message centered on change, fiscal responsibility, and a break from what she called “decades of decline” under state leadership.
Stewart, who served 12 years as mayor, said she is running to bring new energy and accountability to Hartford. “The clowns in Hartford have run our state into the ground,” she said in her announcement. “We can demand better — let’s try something different, and that starts with a different kind of governor.”
Her campaign rollout, titled “It’s Time for Something Different,” positions Stewart as a reform-minded conservative with executive experience and a track record of turning around New Britain’s finances.
First elected at age 26 in 2013, Stewart became the youngest mayor in city history and went on to win six re-elections, serving as both New Britain’s longest-serving Republican and longest-serving female mayor.
A record of fiscal recovery and urban revitalization
During her first term, Stewart closed a $30 million budget deficit, grew the city’s rainy-day fund to $34 million, and oversaw a four-notch improvement to New Britain’s credit rating, from “BBB–” to “A+.”
She directed more than $600 million in school renovations and led downtown redevelopment efforts that attracted over $330 million in private investment. Her administration implemented the “Complete Streets” program, adding $45 million in infrastructure upgrades and encouraging a mix of housing options, from luxury apartments to affordable senior residences.
Stewart’s “New Britain Recovers” initiative consolidated citywide efforts to combat addiction, homelessness, and youth drug use, earning statewide recognition as a model for community recovery and support programs.
Focus on education, quality of life, and recovery
Stewart emphasized education reform during her tenure, overseeing the renovation of multiple elementary schools and pushing for policy changes within the city’s public school district. She also championed park revitalizations, including a $10 million overhaul of Osgood Park and improvements to Stanley Quarter, Chesley, and AW Stanley parks.
Her leadership drew national media attention, with profiles in The New York Times, Time Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Newsmax. She has been named to the Hartford Business Journal’s “Power 50” list and voted “Best Politician” and “Best Community Leader” in Hartford Magazine multiple times.
Balancing leadership and family life
Stewart, 37, is married to Domenic Stewart and is the mother of two young children. She holds degrees in public administration from Central Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven.
Her campaign said it will focus on “common-sense governance” and economic renewal while appealing to voters across party lines in a state where Democrats have held the governor’s office for more than a decade.
Key Points
- Erin Stewart, six-term New Britain mayor, announced her candidacy for Connecticut governor.
- Stewart cites fiscal recovery, urban revitalization, and education reform as core accomplishments.
- Her campaign message calls for breaking from “insider politics” and delivering new leadership to Hartford.