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November 29, 2022

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin won’t seek a third term

Luke Bronin
By Greg Bordonaro

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who has led the city since 2016 through a fiscal crisis and the pandemic, announced Tuesday morning on social media that he will not seek a third term in office. 

"I’m so grateful for the chance to do work that I love for this city that I love for the last seven years," Bronin said in a social media post. "Together, we’ve made Hartford stronger. But today I’m announcing that I won’t be running for a third term next year. It’s time to pass the baton."

The decision will mean the city of Hartford, largely controlled by Democrats, will have a hotly contested mayoral race next year and new leadership in 2024. Former Democratic state Sen. and current Superior Court Judge Eric Coleman, who said earlier this year he was exploring a run for Hartford mayor, has a press conference scheduled for Wednesday to discuss his political plans. 

When asked about his future plans, Bronin said Tuesday: "I don't know, but I've got a year to figure it out." 

He said it was a tough decision not to run again but he wasn't prepared to commit to another full term. He also said he doesn't have plans to leave Hartford, adding the city is his home. He also didn't have a candidate in mind to become the next mayor. 

"I'm as optimistic about Hartford's future as I've ever been," he said. 

Bronin was first elected to office in 2015 when he defeated fellow Democrat and former Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra. 

He won reelection in 2019 by a wide margin, beating out former Mayor Eddie Perez and other challengers. 

His tenure as mayor has been marked by several significant issues including convincing the legislature to pass a massive $550-million-plus long-term bailout to help the city avert potential bankruptcy; firing and then hiring a new developer to complete Dunkin’ Donuts Park and surrounding development; and, of course, dealing with the pandemic in a city home to two large hospitals and a population hit hard by the health and economic impacts of COVID-19.

Bronin, who has been viewed favorably by the business community, saw a major economic development project recently come to fruition when the first 270 apartments of Randy Salvatore’s North Crossing development debuted. The residential units, in the shadow of Dunkin’ Donuts Park, have been years in the making, and Bronin played a key role in firing the project’s original developer and then bringing in Salvatore to take it over.

However, the legal case involving Dunkin’ Donuts Park is not over. The state Supreme Court in May ordered a new trial in a lawsuit filed by Centerplan Construction, the original developer of Dunkin’ Donuts Park, against the city of Hartford, concerning the company’s termination from the project following a dispute over alleged construction delays.

Bronin also helped with the $14 million redevelopment of Dillon Stadium.

Most of his last two years in office have been dominated by responding to the pandemic through the adoption of certain restrictions and recovery efforts, including helping launch a grant program to fill empty storefronts. 

The city, like others across the country, has also seen a spike in violent crime, including homicides.

Overall, Bronin — a Yale Law School graduate who previously served as general counsel to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and held senior posts in the U.S. Treasury Department — has been credited with stabilizing the city’s tenuous finances through budget cuts, renegotiated union contracts, and greater state funding. He is also a man of great political ambition.

He explored a run for governor in 2018.

Top Connecticut Democrats praised Bronin following his decision not to seek re-election.

“Luke Bronin has been one of Hartford’s most vocal advocates and a dedicated supporter of the revitalization of the city and its growth," said Gov. Ned Lamont. "He has been an important collaborator with our administration, including on issues concerning housing, public health, increased access to quality education, and public safety. Hartford has benefited from his public service as mayor and I wish him and his family the best in their next endeavors.”

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said: "Mayor Luke Bronin has been a superbly inspiring and effective leader — bringing vigor and vision to a truly tough job. He has governed with insight and humanity in combining fiscal responsibility with improved services. Mayor Bronin has stood strong for public health and education during the pandemic’s most severe challenges. His record of courage and wisdom in Hartford should lead to future opportunities for leadership,” Blumenthal said.

HBJ Staff Writer Skyler Frazer contributed to this report.

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