Republican · Connecticut governor · 2026
Ryan Fazio
Fazio grew up in Greenwich and began his working life as a commodities trader after studying economics at Northwestern.
Biography
Ryan Fazio and his fiancée, Amy Orser, met by chance while vacationing in Nantucket and have a wedding planned shortly after the election.1 Born in Norwalk and raised in Greenwich, he attended the town's public schools and returned to Connecticut after studying economics at Northwestern University.2
Fazio's business career has included trading agricultural and energy commodities around the world, managing logistics and working with renewable energy and biorefineries.3 He now works at a firm that invests in growing businesses and advises their management teams.3 His volunteering has included seven years tutoring charter school students, along with Meals on Wheels and Greenwich United Way.3
His local public service has included Greenwich's Representative Town Meeting and its Energy Efficiency Committee.2 Elected to the Senate in August 2021 and reelected in 2022 and 2024, he represents Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan.3 He serves as Republican whip and the ranking Republican on the Finance and Energy committees.3
Against Democratic Governor Ned Lamont, Fazio proposes lower income tax rates, limits on property taxes and changes intended to cut electricity bills by 20 percent.45 He also favors expanding housing while retaining local control of zoning, making municipal authority part of his approach to affordability.4
Record and controversies
Financing complaint dismissed and grant delay
Connecticut's elections commission dismissed a 2026 complaint alleging improper fundraising and bad faith certification of Fazio's public financing application.6 It found that the law did not bar fundraising at the alleged stage and that there was no evidence of bad faith certification.6 Separately, October reporting described a grant delay caused by a complaint about an outside group's shared consultant; Fazio's spokeswoman said no wrongdoing was found and the grant was released in July.7 These accounts do not establish a continuing, proven campaign finance violation.6