Incumbent Dem Endorsed For 8th Senate Against GOP Challenger

CANTON, CT — State Sen. Paul Honig, D-Harwinton, secured the Democratic Party’s nomination Monday night in Canton to seek a second term representing Connecticut’s 8th Senate District.

He is being challenged by Harwinton First Selectman Mike Criss, who has secured the Republican endorsement.

The 8th Senate includes Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Hartland, Norfolk, New Hartford, and Simsbury, along with portions of Granby, Harwinton, and Torrington.

Delegates gathered at the Canton Community Center for the district convention, where Honig accepted the nomination and highlighted legislative efforts focused on reducing costs for residents and increasing aid to municipalities.

“Whether I am at a town fair, a veterans' event, or knocking on doors, the message I hear from constituents is the same: costs are too high and they need a senator who shows up and fights to bring them down,” Honig said.

He pointed to increased road funding, veterans’ benefits and education funding as accomplishments during his first term.

“In two years, we delivered a 33 percent increase in road funding for all our towns, dental care our veterans have been seeking for years, and more than $4.6 million in new education funding in this year's budget adjustments alone,” Honig said.

Honig was nominated by Tucker Salls, chairman of the Simsbury Democratic Town Committee.

“Paul wins because he has adopted a simple strategy: be everywhere, do everything, talk to everyone. Work harder,” Salls said.

Honig became the first Democrat elected to represent the district since its creation in the 1960s when he won the seat in 2024.