Democrat Nick Simmons Earns Endorsement From Independent Party

GREENWICH, CT — Democrat Nick Simmons, who is challenging Republican Ryan Fazio in the 36th State Senate District, has been endorsed by the Independent Party.

"I am deeply honored to be the first Democrat in the history of Senate District 36 to receive a cross-endorsement from the Connecticut Independent Party," Simmons said in a news release. "This endorsement underlines our shared dedication to bipartisan leadership, fiscal responsibility, and a more prosperous future. I look forward to advocating on behalf of all residents of the 36th District, regardless of party."

Independent Party Treasurer John Fahan said Simmons' and the party's values align.

"Nick's dedication to lowering our cost of living, creating a business-friendly environment that grows our economy, and strengthening our democracy aligns perfectly with our party’s values," Fahan said in a news release. "His common sense approach to leadership makes him exceptionally suited to represent independent-minded voters in the State Senate."

With the endorsement, Simmons will appear on both the Democratic and Independent ballot lines in the Nov. 5 election.

The younger brother of Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, Nick left a career on Wall Street at age 23 to become a seventh-grade math teacher in Harlem, N.Y. He then went on to earn a master's in public policy and an MBA from Harvard and returned to Connecticut to join the Lamont Administration where he worked for three years, according to his bio.

In 2021, Nick Simmons was tapped to serve as a senior advisor in the Biden Administration, where he helped oversee the effort to reopen schools nationwide during COVID-19.

Fazio was first elected to office in a special election in 2021 and narrowly won re-election in 2022 over Democrat Trevor Crow.

Fazio is the ranking senator on the legislature’s Energy & Technology Committee and Planning & Development Committee. He also serves on the Transportation Committee and the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

He previously served on the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting, and works at a growth equity firm that invests in medium-sized businesses and advises their management to help them grow, according to his official bio.