Submitted by Joseph O’Leary, Office of State Sen. Norm Needleman
(January 12, 2026) — State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) has announced that he will run this November for a fifth term to represent the 33rd District of in the Connecticut State Senate. First elected in 2018, Sen. Needleman has held office in the 33rd District, which includes the towns of Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook, for nearly a decade.
“In uncertain times, we need common sense and strong leadership to guide us forward. For my career in the Senate, I have stood by those principles in supporting our communities and making steady progress in Hartford, and they are why I am again running to represent our region,” said Sen. Needleman. “There are a number of issues that continue to impact the residents of our great district as well as communities throughout our state. I am constantly working to resolve them, from collaboration alongside my colleagues on the Energy and Technology Committee and Planning and Development Committee regarding the state’s energy grid and individual town needs to working on the Commerce, Finance and Revenue and Transportation committees with an eye on budgets, roads and best investments. Our region deserves a leader who makes tough choices and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. That’s why I’m running again.”
Since he was sworn in as a State Senator, Needleman has served as Senate Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, where he has fought for residents and ratepayers. In 2020, he authored and led passage of the “Take Back Our Grid Act,” which strengthened regulations on state electric utilities. He further built on that progress in 2023 with Senate Bill 7, which supported ratepayers with legal representation to challenge proposed rate increases and created a stronger regulatory environment for state utilities, and in 2025, led passage of the Ratepayers First Act, which will lower Connecticut electric bills by $800 million over the next three years. Needleman has also achieved victories in energy and technology legislation that is consumer-friendly and dedicated to meeting the long-term needs of the state’s grid, including support for Connecticut’s transition to renewable and clean energy.
In 2025, he voted to support a new statewide endowment for early childhood education, helping families and benefitting workers. He additionally supported new reforms to special education, helping families, schools and municipalities, and health insurance overhauls that will help limit growing costs.
Previously, in 2023, Sen. Needleman championed the passage of a state budget that included the largest income tax reduction ever enacted in state history, an increase in a tax credit targeting lowest-income workers, and expanded exemptions on certain pension and annuity earnings benefitting seniors. He also fought for forward-thinking policies that have invested millions in education and children’s mental health. He has further advocated for debt-free community college in Connecticut, the advancement of early voting and the creation of a paid family and medical leave program that has benefitted more than 93,000 residents. His deep knowledge of government and business planning expertise helped him secure millions of dollars of bond funding to support his local communities.
In addition to his work as State Senator, Needleman also serves as First Selectman of Essex, currently in his seventh term in the role, with a focus on effective municipal management. Essex is a leader in municipal low property tax rates. He is also the founder and CEO of Tower Laboratories in Essex, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company he built from the ground up to be a leader in its field.
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