Ryan Fazio raises $157k in 49 days from more than 1,000 contributors. Greenwich Republican builds momentum in race to nomination.

More than 1,000 early supporters gave State Senator Ryan Fazio’s campaign for the Republican nomination for governor a boost by contributing $157,000 in small contributions since the third-term legislator announced his candidacy in August. The hefty total breaks all speed records in collecting contributions to a campaign for governor under the state’s generous public financing program, according to the Fazio campaign.

The Fazio campaign announced the impressive fundraising haul Tuesday morning. The total puts Fazio less than $100,000 from the $250,000 a candidate for governor has needed to qualify for millions in public funds for primary and general election campaigns. The Citizens Election Program qualifying amount may change In January but is not expected to increase substantially.

Mayor Erin Stewart has been raising funds with an exploratory committee for governor. She has reached the CEP $350,000 threshold in the less commonly used exploratory committee. Not all of Stewart’s contributions will qualify toward the $250,000 needed for a candidate for governor to ring the public funds bell. Still, reaching $350,000 is also an impressive and original achievement. The maximum contribution to an exploratory committee is $350, for a candidate committee for governor it’s $250.

Fazio said in a written statement that he is “humbled by the record-breaking outpouring of grassroots support our campaign has received from across Connecticut.” The Greenwich Republican set out his stall on the issues he will emphasize in a spring convention, summer primary and general election. “People are tired of the sky-high electric rates and taxes, sanctuary policies, and ideological agendas of the state leadership,” he declared,” that have made our great state less safe and unaffordable.”

Published October 7, 2025.