Submitted by Office of State Senator Christine Cohen
(January 24, 2026) — State Senator Christine Cohen has announced that she will be running for re-election and has met the qualifying thresholds for the Citizens Election Program (CEP). Senator Cohen will again be participating in the publicly funded CEP and is pleased that this program allows everyone the ability to run for office in Connecticut. Cohen was first elected in 2018 and is currently serving her fourth term as state senator, representing her hometown of Guilford, Branford, Killingworth, Madison, and parts of East Haven, Durham, Middlefield, North Branford and Rockfall. She is a small business owner with a corporate background, a mother of three and a fierce advocate for her constituents.
Now entering her third legislative session as the Senate Chair of the Transportation Committee, Senator Cohen has remained laser focused on making our roads safer. She led passage of legislation implementing wrong-way driving countermeasures, automated speed enforcement and work zone safety precautions, and voted to increase the pay and benefits of our State Troopers to address officer recruitment and retention.
A strong advocate for the environment and the agriculture industry, Cohen continues to advocate for policies that protect clean air and water, and ensures Connecticut acts as a strong partner for our local farmers. She led passage of the Connecticut Clean Air Act which aims to address carbon emissions from the transportation sector in the fight against climate change, led the fight to ban plastic bags and PFAS “forever chemicals” and voted to expand restrictions on harmful rodenticides and pesticides. In 2025, she worked with local farmers to create income and property tax credits for farmers, establish a crop loss reimbursement grant program and permit use of drone for precision agriculture.
Over the past year, Cohen has been a fierce defender against harmful policies coming from Washington D.C. Late last year, she voted to allocate $500 million to fill in federal cuts to food and home heating assistance programs, provide relief from astronomical increases in the Access Health CT marketplace due to federal cuts, and fund necessary healthcare servicers like HUSKY, local health centers and Planned Parenthood.
Senator Cohen has been focused on affordability for her constituents and last session voted for a no-tax-increase budget that protects the income tax cut she voted for in 2023. She voted to cut electric bills by $800 million over the next three years and establish a path to universal, affordable child care, where no family would pay more than 7% of their income. Tackling the high cost of healthcare, she voted to cap generic drug price hikes, allow Connecticut to pursue generic production of expensive GLP-1 medications, and explore importing safe, affordable prescriptions from Canada. All the while she helped maintain a robust Rainy Day Fund and make historic debt payments.
Throughout her tenure, Senator Cohen has been a defender of reproductive freedom, ensuring that when Roe fell, Connecticut residents would always have the ability to make their own health decisions. Cohen has also been a staunch advocate for common sense gun laws, voting to ban open carry and bulk firearm purchases, and advocating for Ethan’s Law, which closes a loophole in firearm storage provisions.
“Today, a strong state legislature is our best defense against the chaos stemming from Washington D.C.,” said Senator Cohen. “With much uncertainty ahead, I am eager to return to Hartford and continue working to deliver on the issues that our community cares about. Since I was first elected in 2018 I have worked to protect clean air and water, make our roads safer, provide tax relief for working families and seniors, protect our small businesses and defend the right to choose. Representing the 12th Senate District has been the honor of a lifetime and I am so grateful for the trust my neighbors have put in me to be their voice in Hartford. I look forward to again earning their vote to return to the Capitol and continue moving Connecticut forward.”
“East Haven joined the 12th Senate District in 2023, and from the moment Senator Christine Cohen became our representative, she stepped in and got to work. She took the time to learn our community, engage with residents, and address the real challenges facing our town and our shoreline,” said East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora. “Senator Cohen has been a strong and effective partner, helping secure state funding for education and infrastructure projects and advocating for East Haven at the state level. Our town is stronger with Christine Cohen as our state senator, and this state needs leaders like Christine. I am pleased to support her candidacy for re-election.”
“Senator Cohen has long amplified her district’s voice in Hartford and I am thrilled to hear she is running to continue her strong advocacy for Branford and all the towns she represents,” said Josh Brooks, Branford First Selectman. “She has built a reputation of fairness, she maintains a measured and bipartisan approach and has delivered real results for Branford. Senator Cohen takes the time to understand the challenges facing her individual communities and the state at large and her advocacy for our town has been invaluable. I strongly support her re-election to the state senate.”
“I am thrilled that Christine Cohen is running for re-election to the State Senate. Whether as a former colleague on the Guilford Board of Education, or as my current State Senator, I know Christine to be exceptionally thorough in her assessment of issues, engaged with her constituents, and committed to addressing concerns shared by Connecticut residents about our economy, the environment, gun safety, education, and transportation. We need someone with her expertise, work ethic, and dedication representing us, and she has my full support.” said Dr. Katie Balestracci, Chair of the Guilford Board of Education.
