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3 CT lawmakers on how to reach a bipartisan compromise in 2026

Connecticut Public Radio | By Frankie Graziano,
Chloe Wynne
Published May 27, 2026 at 7:15 AM EDT
Senate President Martin Looney speaks during a press conference where legislators and city leaders touted the addition of $23 million in state funding to the city’s budget at New Haven City Hall on May 13, 2026, which they say will help fill the school budget deficit and avoid a mill rate hike.
Ryan Caron King
/
Connecticut Public
Senate President Martin Looney speaks during a press conference where legislators and city leaders touted the addition of $23 million in state funding to the city’s budget at New Haven City Hall on May 13, 2026, which they say will help fill the school budget deficit and avoid a mill rate hike.

Connecticut Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney announced earlier this month he’s not seeking reelection after serving 23 terms as a state lawmaker.

People gather at a vigil in Hartford for victims of a deadly mass shooting that happened at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park, CA on January 24, 2023. Senator Tony Hwang gives a passionate speech.
Tony Spinelli
/
Connecticut Public
People gather at a vigil in Hartford for victims of a deadly mass shooting that happened at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park, CA on January 24, 2023. Senator Tony Hwang gives a passionate speech.

Looney’s departure follows news that Tony Hwang, a Republican state senator out of Fairfield, also won’t return to the Connecticut General Assembly in 2027.Both lawmakers, and their former Republican colleague Len Fasano, share more than 80 years of experience serving the people of Connecticut.

Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano speaks to the Senate before Governor Ned Lamont starts off the 2020 legislative session with his State of the State address at the State Capitol on February 5, 2020 in Hartford, Connecticut.
Joe Amon
/
Connecticut Public
Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano speaks to the Senate before Governor Ned Lamont starts off the 2020 legislative session with his State of the State address at the State Capitol on February 5, 2020 in Hartford, Connecticut.

Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll ask them all about public service and their efforts to reach across the aisle amid contentious political debate.

Guests:

The Wheelhouse is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Tags
elections
Frankie Graziano
Frankie Graziano is the host of 'The Wheelhouse,' focusing on how local and national politics impact the people of Connecticut.
See stories by Frankie Graziano
Chloe Wynne
Chloe is a producer for The Wheelhouse and Where We Live at Connecticut Public. She's also the host and a producer of the narrative podcast 'Generation Gilmore Girls.' Before that, she produced and reported for VPM and Story Mechanics on the investigative podcast 'Admissible: Shreds of Evidence.' She earned her master's degree from Columbia Journalism School in 2021. Reach her at cwynne@ctpublic.org.
See stories by Chloe Wynne

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

Donate

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