Candidates: State Senate District 30
The Connecticut State Senate is the upper chamber of the Connecticut General Assembly. Alongside the CT House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Connecticut state government and works to create laws and establish a state budget.
CANDIDATE: Stephen Harding
OFFICE: State Senator (incumbent)
AGE AND PARTY: 39, Republican
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: 2 years as State Senate Minority Leader, 4 years as State Senator, 6 years as State Representative
Stephen Harding of Brookfield has been in the CT State Senate since 2022 and was named Senate Minority Leader in 2024. The Senate Minority Leader is elected by the minority party and serves as the minority party's leading spokesperson in floor debate. Harding was elected to the General Assembly in 2015 as a state representative.
He serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment Committee, as well as the Joint Committee on Legislative Management. He is also a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Executive & Legislative Nominations Committee.
After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Harding pursued his law degree at New York Law School in Manhattan. After graduating from New York Law, Harding was admitted to the Connecticut State Bar and currently operates his own law practice in Danbury, practicing criminal defense, divorce and separation, personal injury and other areas of law. He has been licensed for 14 years. He also served the town of Brookfield in various capacities. He has served on both the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Brookfield Board of Education, where he chaired the Board’s Policy Subcommittee. In addition, he is a member of Brookfield Cares, an organization that addresses substance abuse and other mental health issues facing the town and surrounding communities.
In 2024, Harding signaled his support for Nikki Haley over Donald Trump in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.
Harding was recently named an “Affordability Champion” by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. He earned a perfect 100% score for his pro-business voting record during the 2026 legislative session at the State Capitol.
Harding was part of a group of legislators, local leaders, and state delegation to help Sharon Hospital receive $13.12 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
One of the central themes of Harding’s political platform is the cost of living. Harding has made it a priority to address the financial challenges faced by his constituents, advocating for policies that aim to reduce expenses and improve economic conditions.
Harding supports Connecticut Republicans’ plans to return money to the taxpayers in the following ways: income tax reduction, eliminate the highway use tax, eliminate sales tax on meals sold at grocery stores, implement a one-year gas tax holiday, incentivize municipalities to offer Homestead Exemptions, implement Association Health Plans to reduce insurance premiums by 15% to 30%, and eliminate the Public Benefits Charge on electricity bills.
CANDIDATE: Aaron Zimmer
OFFICE: State Senator (challenger)
AGE AND PARTY: 48, Democrat
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Seeking first elected office
A Nebraska native, Zimmer moved to Brookfield from New York City about five years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic. He operates a vinyl-based music business from his home. After high school, he formed a band, toured for five years, then moved to New York in 2003, where he built and owned three music-related businesses.
Almost upon arriving, he joined the Democratic Town Committee and within a year he was chairman and oversaw securing a permanent headquarters and winning all local boards in the 2023 municipal elections. Zimmer, who is running as a Progressive, will be making his second bid for the General Assembly. Two years ago, he ran unsuccessfully for the 107th state House District, which includes all of Brookfield and parts of Bethel and Newtown.
Zimmer’s platform includes stopping Trump’s political agenda and its impact on the state, promoting economic fairness by taxing the ultrarich, implementing lower costs for families including reducing local property taxes, strengthening public education, and ensuring state government serves families. He supports a public option for healthcare, guaranteeing that every family can see a doctor, fill a prescription, and get the care they need. He proposes to make Connecticut more affordable by lowering costs for Connecticut families including housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, and education. He pledges to stand with working people in the fight for fair pay, strong benefits, safe workplaces, and the freedom to organize. He supports women’s right to choose and protections for abortion providers, opposing extradition of abortion providers to restrictive states.
