Gov. Ned Lamont’s mother was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He called Camille Buzby Lamont his “magic power” in connecting with Hispanics and Latinos in Connecticut.
“She used to travel with me a lot,” Lamont said, chuckling, “and helped introduce her son Neddy to the Hispanic community … I think folks know I stand with them.”
The Hispanic Democratic Caucus stands with Lamont. They recently endorsed the incumbent as he seeks re-election.
Across the state, Hispanics and Latinos are debating the best choice for the Democratic Party’s nominee for governor. Both Lamont and challenger Josh Elliott are looking to find ways to appeal to Connecticut’s Latino communities heading into Tuesday’s primary election. Early voting wraps up Sunday.
Both candidates have vocal supporters.
Hartford Council member Amilcar Hernandez, who backs the governor, said he is “confident” that Lamont will continue to enact policies that will positively impact Connecticut’s Latino communities.
“I do believe that [Lamont] does have his ear on the ground. He listens to us,” Hernandez said.
Juan Fonseca joined Elliott’s campaign as a community organizer, citing his strong support for Latinos and immigrants.
“One of the things that has been at the center for Josh Elliott has been economic justice,” Fonseca said. “Looking at ways to ensure that the rich, the extra wealthy, are paying their fair share … I think that that is something that we have to do as a state.”
What Latinos want Lamont to do
The Black and Puerto Rican Caucus cannot endorse a political candidate as a bipartisan group, but several of its members have shared their support for him, including Waterbury Democratic State Rep. Geraldo Reyes.
“I do applaud Ned’s effort,” Reyes said. “I think his heart’s in the right place.”
Reyes said Lamont has saved Waterbury Hospital, pushed for brownfield remediation in his district, and increased educational funding for the city.
Reyes said he wants Lamont to be more “aggressive” and “involved” with electric rates and PURA if he remains in office.
“I would love to see a major overhaul of that whole system because our electric rates, in my estimation, talking from my constituents, are ridiculously high,” Reyes said.
Reyes said he’s also looking for Lamont to address education and affordability, especially for Latinos, as well as the infrastructure issues facing Waterbury.
“Josh [Elliott] is a very capable young man,” Reyes said, “but I believe that the best person for the job right now is Ned Lamont.”
Hernandez, the Hartford council member, said he would like to see Lamont adjust the ECS (Education Cost Sharing) formula to ensure funding for schools.
“My priority is to make sure that the Latino community has a good, strong, solid multilingual learner education,” Hernandez said.
Increasing the ECS funding formula, he said, “includes a weight for multilingual learners … Gov. Lamont seems to be open to having those conversations for this coming biannual budget.”
Lamont cites a group he formed that’s tasked with overhauling public school funding.
“That’s what our K-12 Commission is all about,” Lamont said. “How you make sure [the money] makes a difference for English language learners and makes the money go into the classroom.”
Lamont said he also plans to continue the headway he has made in universal early childhood education, infrastructure improvements, and affordable healthcare.
“We got to keep up that positive momentum, no question about it,” Lamont said. “But there's some stuff that now we're able to do that we weren't in a financial position to do last time.”
Why Latinos support Elliott
Fonseca, the community organizer, said the news of the Hispanic Democratic Caucus’ Lamont endorsement shocked and confused him.
“When I think of Ned Lamont, Latinos and immigrants are the last thing that I would think of,” he said.
Fonseca believes Lamont has not prioritized issues that have a direct impact in the lives of Hispanics and immigrant Latinos.
“It's difficult for me to believe that a millionaire that lives in one of the wealthiest towns in the state will be able to relate and to understand the needs of me as an immigrant,” Fonseca said.
As a member of the Trust Act Coalition in 2025, Fonseca said Lamont initially shared he would not pass various amendments to the Trust Act, which protects immigrant residents. After revisions, Lamont did pass an expanded version of the law and other protections, but Fonseca said he has not implemented ways to enforce them.
Lamont said he is putting all the protections he can for immigrants within federal legal limits, citing the recent block a federal judge placed on New York’s ban of face coverings for ICE.
Fonseca also said Lamont has not expanded the state-funded HUSKY Health coverage for undocumented residents beyond the current age of 15 and under. Fonseca said he also sees no progress in English language learner resources or language accessibility in schools for Spanish-speaking parents.
John Lugo, the director of Unidad Latina en Acción in New Haven, said Lamont represents the economic interests of the wealthy.
“In truth, Lamont does not represent the aspirations of the state's most needy people,” Lugo said.
In Spanish, Lugo said Lamont has not supported the needs of immigrants during the pandemic or amid recent federal immigration enforcement, unless advocates push him.
“I do think it’s necessary for [Lamont] to leave and for someone new to step in,” Lugo said.
Elliott’s supporters applaud the challenger for pushing for additional taxes on those making more than $1 million, as well as his focus on lowering costs for working families.
“People are really excited about Josh Elliott,” Lugo said. “But I think they often forget that it’s the people — and the mobilization of the people — that drives change.”
The Latinos who seek change are the people Elliott said he wants to connect with.
“I can’t be passive,” Elliott said. “I have to proactively seek the guidance from people.”
Elliott, a Hamden state representative, said he aims to tackle the “regressive” property tax to make Connecticut more affordable. Tax reform is how the state can provide the services Latinos need, Elliott said, including housing affordability, educational resources, and healthcare.
“This is a deeply unaffordable state,” Elliott said. “We treat people differently based on their skin color, based on their socioeconomic status.”
Elliott has also announced a “Day One Agenda” for protecting Connecticut’s immigrant communities, which includes creating an oversight board for Trust Act enforcement and a state-funded $10 million legal defense fund to ensure legal representation to immigrants facing detention or deportation.
“We can do more to help more people in a way that will actually grow our economy,” Elliott said, “in a way that Ned Lamont simply cannot do because he just doesn't believe there's actually that problem that exists.”
Learn more
The primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 11. Early voting is underway and runs through Aug. 9.
You must be registered with a political party to vote in the primary, meaning if you are looking to vote between the two Democratic candidates, you must be a registered Democrat.
New and unaffiliated voters can register in person until noon on Monday, Aug. 10 with your local Registrar of Voters. If you are already affiliated with a political party, you cannot switch parties. There is no same-day registration for primary elections.
Visit the Secretary of the State website for more information, including Voter Registration Deadlines, Early Voting Locations, and Voter Registration Lookup to learn where and how you can vote.
