Patch Candidate Profile: Amybeth Laroche, 28th Senate District

FAIRFIELD, CT — Election Day is Nov. 3, and there are a number of key races on the ballot in Fairfield.

To help educate readers about the state's election, Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns, and about the issues that are facing the community and the state.

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Candidate's Name:

Amybeth Laroche

What office are you seeking?

Senate

Age:

39

District:

28th

Party:

Republican

Campaign website:

https://www.larocheforct.com

Occupation:

Contracts Manager and Negotiator

Family:

Daughter

Does anyone in your family work in government?

no

Previous public office:

Newtown Board of Finance

Why are you seeking this office?

I'm seeking this State Senate seat because I believe public service should be about the people you represent, not protecting a political system or building a political career.

I'm a working mom, a taxpayer, a professional who has spent my career managing complex contracts and holding organizations accountable, and now a member of the Newtown Board of Finance. I see firsthand how decisions made in Hartford eventually reach our kitchen tables, our schools, our businesses, and our town budgets.

I'm running because Connecticut families are working incredibly hard and they deserve a government that works just as hard for them. I want to bring greater fiscal discipline, transparency, accountability, and practical problem-solving to Hartford while protecting the ability of communities like Bethel, Easton, Fairfield, and Newtown to have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting them.

And ultimately, I'm running because when I see something that can be better, my instinct has never been to sit on the sidelines and complain about it. I step forward, do the work, ask the difficult questions, and try to solve the problem.

What do you believe is the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut, and how do you plan to address it?

I believe the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut is affordability. Whether I am talking to seniors, working families, young people trying to buy their first home, or small-business owners, I hear the same concern: it is becoming too expensive to live, raise a family, retire, or run a business here.

Affordability is not one issue. It is the combination of property taxes, energy bills, housing, childcare, insurance, groceries, and the overall cost of doing business.

My approach starts with fiscal discipline and accountability. Before asking taxpayers for more, state government should demonstrate that the money it already collects is being spent effectively. I would look closely at spending, duplication, inefficiencies, and whether programs are producing measurable results.

We also need long-term solutions to Connecticut's energy costs. Residential electric bills have declined during 2026 following changes to public-benefit costs and supply rates, but affordability and long-term energy policy remain important issues.

Finally, we need to grow our tax base instead of continually increasing the burden on the people already here. That means creating an environment where businesses want to invest, young families can afford to stay, seniors can remain in their homes, and municipalities can grow responsibly while maintaining local control.

Connecticut should be a place where people can afford not only to come here, but to stay here and build a future.

Energy costs have been soaring in Connecticut. What are your plans to help address this issue?

Energy costs remain a major burden for Connecticut families and businesses. I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy focused on affordability, reliability, and accountability. We need to review the state-mandated charges placed on electric bills, strengthen oversight of utility spending and rate increases, and make sure consumers clearly understand what they are paying for. Connecticut also needs a diverse energy supply, including nuclear, natural gas, renewables, and emerging technologies, so we are not overly dependent on any one source. My priority is simple: energy policy should lower costs, protect reliability, and put ratepayers first.

Affordability has been a major topic across the country and here in Connecticut. How do you plan to address this issue?

For me, addressing affordability means looking at the cumulative impact of every decision made in Hartford. Too often, a new fee, mandate, regulation, or program may seem manageable on its own, but together those costs add up for families, seniors, municipalities, and small businesses.

I would bring a cost-conscious approach to legislation by asking a basic question before supporting new policies: what will this ultimately cost the people of Connecticut?

We also need to focus on keeping people and businesses here. That means removing unnecessary barriers to economic growth, supporting job creation, and making sure Connecticut remains competitive with surrounding states.

Affordability cannot be solved with one program or one-time rebate. It requires changing the way state government evaluates the long-term financial impact of the decisions it makes.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I bring more than 13 years of professional experience in contracts, negotiations, program management, compliance, fiscal oversight, and problem-solving, including leadership experience with a Connecticut-based company. Throughout my career, I have managed complex, high-value portfolios, worked across multiple departments and organizations, and been responsible for identifying risk, improving processes, and ensuring accountability.

I have been brought into situations where processes were not working, created and/or helped fix them. I have built policies and procedures, resolved long-standing negotiations, identified inefficiencies, protected millions of dollars in funding, and developed systems that improved transparency, consistency, and performance.

I also serve on the Newtown Board of Finance, where I am directly involved in reviewing budgets, spending, and financial decisions that affect taxpayers.

That combination of professional leadership and public service has taught me how to analyze complex issues, ask difficult questions, negotiate, work with different stakeholders, and stay focused on results. Those are the same skills I would bring to the State Senate.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

One of the things I feel most strongly about is protecting local control. The communities in the 28th District are different, and decisions affecting zoning, housing, schools, development, and municipal priorities should not be dictated by a one-size-fits-all approach from Hartford.

I also believe good leadership means knowing when to listen and when to seek expertise. If I do not know the answer to something, I will dig into the issue, bring together professionals with years of experience in that field, and build a coalition around practical solutions. My goal is not just to address the immediate problem, but to look at the long-term consequences and work toward outcomes that will still make sense years from now.

I am also a children's author, writing inclusive stories for children with and without disabilities. That work has reinforced for me how important it is that every child and every family feels seen, heard, and included.

Too often, Hartford focuses on short-term fixes. I want to bring a more thoughtful, collaborative, and long-term approach to the decisions that affect our communities.