CT Patch Candidate Profile: Seth Bronko For State Representative

NAUGATUCK, CT — Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026, is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot in Connecticut.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the state and town.

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Candidate's Name:

Seth Bronko

What office are you seeking?

State Representative

Age:

37

District:

70

Party:

Republican

Campaign website:

https://www.sethbronko.com

Occupation:

Real Estate

Family:

Wife-Caitlin, Son-Jonathan (7), Daughter-Julianne (2).

Does anyone in your family work in government?

Michael Bronko-Burgess

Adam Bronko-Town Treasurer

Eileen Bronko-Zoning Commission

Previous public office:

Finance Board, Naugatuck Valley Health District, Bailiff.

Why are you seeking this office?

I'm seeking another term as State Representative because I believe public service is about earning and keeping the trust of the people you represent.

Over the past four years, I've worked to make state government more accessible and transparent by pulling back the curtain on what happens in Hartford, explaining the decisions we make, and making sure the people of Naugatuck know they have someone they can reach when they need help.

There is also much more work to do. Connecticut families continue to face high costs for energy, housing, taxes, and everyday necessities. We need to limit government spending, protect our fiscal guardrails, create opportunities for our workforce, keep our communities safe, and demand greater accountability from state government.

Most of all, I want to continue representing my hometown with respect, dignity, and a willingness to work with anyone who wants to get something done. I'm seeking another term because I believe I can continue making a meaningful difference for Naugatuck and the people who call it home.

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

Affordability is, undoubtedly, the top issue facing Connecticut. I hear it constantly from families, seniors, young people, and small businesses: it simply costs too much to live here.

That problem cannot be solved with one bill. We need to look at the cumulative cost government places on residents, from taxes and energy costs to housing, healthcare, transportation, and the everyday expenses that continue to stretch household budgets.

My focus is on making Connecticut more affordable by reducing the tax burden on working families, addressing our extraordinarily high energy costs, removing unnecessary barriers that drive up the cost of housing and maintaining our fiscal guardrails.

Every major proposal that comes before the legislature should have to answer a simple question: will this make it easier or harder for people to afford to live, work, raise a family and retire in Connecticut? That affordability test will continue to guide my work at the Capitol.

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

Connecticut's energy costs have been unacceptable for far too long, and lowering them has to be a priority.

One of the most important steps we can take is removing the Public Benefits Charge from electric bills. Ratepayers should not be forced to fund expensive state-mandated energy and public policy programs through what amounts to a hidden tax on their electric bill. If lawmakers believe these programs are worthwhile, they should be placed in the state's General Fund, debated openly, and forced to compete with every other government program for taxpayer dollars based on their merit and effectiveness.

We also need a long-term, all-encompassing energy strategy focused on affordability and reliability that expands access to reliable, competitively priced energy, protecting sources of generation that help keep costs down, and holding utilities accountable for both rates and service.

Connecticut families should be paying for the electricity they use, not carrying state policy decisions disguised inside their electric bills.

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

Affordability touches nearly every aspect of life in Connecticut, and addressing it requires looking at the total cost of living here.

My approach is to look at every decision we make in Hartford through an affordability lens. We need to reduce the tax burden on working and middle-class families, lower energy costs, make it easier to build and maintain housing, support policies that create good-paying jobs, and eliminate unnecessary mandates and regulations that ultimately get passed along to consumers.

We also need greater discipline in state spending with strict adherence to our fiscal guardrails, not using budgeting gimmicks as a work around. Connecticut families have to make difficult decisions when their household budgets get tight, and state government has an obligation to prioritize spending, demonstrate that programs are producing results, and respect the taxpayers who are funding them.

There is no single piece of legislation that will suddenly make Connecticut affordable. It requires consistently asking whether the decisions we make are adding to the financial burden residents already face or helping relieve it.

My goal is simple: Connecticut should be a place where people can afford to build a life, raise a family, grow a business and eventually retire without feeling like they have to leave the state to make the numbers work.

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

The strongest evidence I can cite is my record of actually doing the job. Over four years in the legislature, I have maintained a 100% voting record—showing up for every floor vote and committee vote—making sure Naugatuck has a voice in every decision made at the Capitol.

I've also demonstrated that I can work across the aisle to turn ideas into results. Legislation I introduced or helped advance has become law, including measures expanding access to dual enrollment opportunities for high school students, strengthening pathways between education and our workforce, and increasing transparency and oversight of state spending.

I now serve as Ranking Member of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, where I have taken on a leadership role focused on higher education, workforce development and accountability.

But my experience goes well beyond Hartford. Before being elected, I built a small construction business with my father, served on Naugatuck's Board of Finance and Economic Development Corporation, and have spent my entire life involved in our community. Those experiences taught me how decisions made by government affect families and businesses in the real world.

Ultimately, I believe the best evidence that I can handle this job is simple. I show up, I do the work, I remain accessible to the people I represent, and I take the responsibility of representing my hometown seriously every single day.

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

I want voters to know that I genuinely love this job and consider it an incredible privilege to represent the community where I grew up and am now raising my own family.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me on every issue, and I don't believe good government requires us to. What I do believe is that people deserve a representative who will listen to them, explain where I stand and why, treat people with respect, and never forget who I work for.

One of my goals since taking office has been to pull back the curtain on state government. Too often, people feel disconnected from decisions being made in Hartford or only hear about them through partisan talking points. I've tried to communicate openly about what is happening, how the process actually works, and why I vote the way I do.

At the end of the day, this office belongs to the people of Naugatuck. Whether someone voted for me or not, my responsibility is to show up, be accessible, work hard on their behalf, and represent our community with respect, dignity and integrity. That is the standard I have tried to live up to for the past four years, and it is the standard I will continue to hold myself to if given the opportunity to serve another term.