Senate District 34

Senate District 34 covers North Haven and Wallingford and parts of Durham, East Haven and North Branford. On Tuesday, November 3, voters choose between Brandi Mandato, a Democrat from North Haven, and the Republican incumbent, Paul Cicarella. Early voting runs every day through Sunday, November 1.

Who Brandi Mandato is

Brandi Mandato grew up in a working-class family, the oldest of eight kids. She lives in North Haven, where she serves as a town constable and as a member of the Economic Development Commission. She works as a senior director at Jobs for the Future, a national nonprofit focused on education and workforce development. She is running for State Senate because families in the 34th District are being squeezed by the cost of gas, groceries, child care and housing, and because the district's senator has voted against help on all four.
  • Brandi Mandato grew up in a family with eight kids and understands firsthand the impact of rising costs of gas and groceries. She will lead efforts to provide tax breaks for average families so we can afford everyday necessities.
  • Brandi Mandato will cut taxes for middle class families and make sure the ultra-wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share so we can properly fund our schools and prepare kids for the jobs of the future.
  • A working mom, Brandi Mandato understands firsthand the challenges families face. She will fight to create a new child care tax credit so parents can afford to work full time while their kids get the affordable care they need every day.
  • Brandi Mandato will stand up for the women of the 34th District and make sure they have access to quality, affordable reproductive care.
  • Learn more at mandatofor34.com.

How Paul Cicarella voted in the State Senate

Paul Cicarella has represented the 34th District since January 2021. These are his recorded votes on final passage in the State Senate. Each one links to the official roll call on the Connecticut General Assembly website.

  • Private equity in hospitals. Cicarella voted against requiring every Connecticut hospital to certify each year that no private equity firm controls it or interferes with doctors' medical decisions, and against banning hospitals from selling off their main campus in sale-leaseback deals. The bill passed 27 to 9 and became law. [Senate roll call, SB 196, April 22, 2026]

  • Investors buying up homes. Cicarella voted against making large investment firms wait 90 days before buying single-family and two-family homes, so local families get the first chance to buy. The Senate passed it 27 to 9. [Senate roll call, SB 256, April 30, 2026]

  • Protecting food, heat and health care from federal cuts. Cicarella voted against a $330.8 million state fund to protect SNAP, WIC, heating assistance, school meals and health coverage from federal cuts. It passed 28 to 8 and became law. [Senate roll call, SB 83, February 4, 2026]

  • Gun safety. Cicarella voted against banning pistols that can be converted into machine guns and tightening the rules on untraceable ghost gun parts. It passed 22 to 11 and became law. [Senate roll call, HB 5043, May 6, 2026]

  • Hidden junk fees. Cicarella voted against requiring businesses to show the true total price up front and giving consumers the right to cancel subscription traps. It passed 25 to 10 and became law. [Senate roll call, SB 3, May 15, 2025]

  • Emergency care for pregnant women. Cicarella voted against a health care bill that guaranteed emergency room care for pregnant women, required coverage for pancreatic cancer screening and created a medical debt help portal. The Senate passed it 25 to 10. [Senate roll call, SB 7, May 22, 2025]

  • Medical debt on credit reports. Cicarella voted against stopping hospitals from reporting medical debt to credit agencies. It passed 27 to 9 and became law. [Senate roll call, SB 395, April 18, 2024]

  • Paid sick days. Cicarella voted against extending paid sick days to nearly every private-sector worker in Connecticut. It passed 23 to 12 and became law. [Senate roll call, HB 5005, May 6, 2024]

  • Crypto ATM consumer protections. Cicarella voted against a $2,500 daily limit at cryptocurrency ATMs, required fraud warnings, and a 72-hour full refund on a customer's first transfer to an overseas wallet. It passed 24 to 12 and became law. [Senate roll call, HB 6752, June 5, 2023]

  • Truth in advertising at pregnancy centers. Cicarella voted against barring limited-service pregnancy centers from making deceptive claims about the services they offer. It passed 21 to 15 and became law. [Senate roll call, SB 835, May 5, 2021]

Paul Cicarella's pension and workers' compensation record

  • In June 2024, Cicarella called for "measures that promote and increase state accountability and transparency." [CT News Junkie, June 17, 2024]

  • A state board unanimously revoked his disability pension, which paid him $412,000 in 2022, mostly in one-time back payments, the largest state pension in Connecticut that year. [CT Insider investigation] · [CT Insider on the revocation]

  • While collecting workers' compensation, he did not report income from coaching wrestling, a private investigation business and rental property. [CT Insider, June 12, 2024]