“Just Getting Started Making a Difference!” - East Haven State Representative Joe Zullo Announces Re-Election Bid for 99th Assembly District Seat

EAST HAVEN - East Haven State Representative Joe Zullo (R, 99) announced today that he has filed the official paperwork with the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission and intends to seek re-election to the 99th assembly district seat representing the majority of the Town of East Haven in the November 3, 2026 election.

Zullo announced, "I’m grateful that the residents of East Haven have entrusted me with the awesome responsibility of being their strong, passionate voice in Hartford and I’m enthusiastic about seeking re-election so that I can continue fighting for common sense solutions to help families and small businesses get head and to make our State more affordable.”

In a heartwarming launch video posted simultaneously with his campaign kickoff, Zullo reflected on the kind words offered in an email from a parent of a former East Haven High School student who, following intervention from Rep. Zullo, was able to mount an academic turnaround that landed him a merit scholarship to play baseball in college.  The parent wrote, “You told me you wanted to be a politician to make a difference. Well in my son's life, you truly made a difference.”  The video concludes with Zullo reflecting on his tenure since 2019 and boldly announcing, “I’m just getting started making a difference.”

Zullo added, “Although we’re considered a ‘part-time legislature,’ this isn’t something you pursue as a hobby, or a side hustle, or a post-retirement gig.  This is something you must throw your ‘all’ into.  Since 2019, I’ve fought hard in our state capitol to eliminate wasteful spending, reduce taxes, and create meaningful opportunities for all our state’s residents to thrive and get ahead. At the same time, I’ve worked tirelessly in-district to help residents address scores of quality-of-life problems, from navigating our State’s bloated bureaucracy to get unemployment benefits to helping constituents secure energy assistance or contest charges on their electric bills.  It’s a 24/7 job and I’m committed as ever to showing up, at home and in Hartford, for the community I love.”

In making his announcement, Zullo railed against the 2025 State budget and the State’s failure to meaningfully address skyrocketing electric rates.

Zullo continued, “Families are struggling.  Small businesses are struggling.  All the while, our bloated budget continues to grow, along with the totals on people’s monthly electric bills.  If I’m privileged to return for another term in Hartford, I’ll continue fighting not only for more efficient government, but for transparency and accountability at the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority so that we can start getting residents the relief they deserve from the staggering energy rate hikes we’ve all experienced these past few years.”

Zullo, who was elected in a special election in February of 2019, won re-election to his first full term in the 2020 election cycle, taking 58.5% of the vote by a margin of 6,775 to 4,795. He ran unopposed during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles, garnering 5,450 votes and 7,840 votes, respectively – leading all vote-getters in the 99th assembly district. 

Since his appointment in 2023 as "ranking member" on the State's “Planning and Development Committee,” Zullo has earned a reputation as a forceful advocate for the preservation and expansion of local control of housing and zoning matters. In repeated viral videos on social media, he’s chided the Hartford majority for its top-down, one-size fits all approach to zoning, which was codified into law during a special session last November in the face of stiff opposition from Zullo and his colleagues.

Zullo explained, “Mandates are not solutions.  A few months ago, despite years of opposition from my colleagues and I, Hartford’s majority trampled over towns’ local control and passed a series of housing mandates that will forever change small towns across the State.  I constantly field complaints from residents about developers cramming dense, poorly designed developments into places they don’t fit.  Sadly, residents are going to see a lot more of that moving forward if we don’t roll back some of the poorly-thought-out provisions of that bill.  If re-elected, East Haven’s residents can count on me to remain a fierce fighter for local control of housing and zoning decisions.”

Looking ahead to the 2026 session and beyond, Zullo identified several legislative priorities.

Zullo continued, “We need to rein in spending, period.  Over the past two years, I’ve joined my colleagues in opposing several budget gimmicks intended side-step the State’s statutory fiscal guardrails in favor of expanding spending.  We also need meaningful criminal justice reform.  The majority likes to cherry pick crime statistics that point to reduced crime, but residents across the State don’t feel safe.  Only a few weeks ago, in a brazen street takeover on Route 80 in East Haven, a police officer was taunted and attacked while in their vehicle.  We need to reform our criminal justice policies to better empower police to do their jobs so that we can hold those who break the law accountable.”

Zullo added, “Over the past two years alone, I’ve worked across the aisle to help secure a combined $1 million dollars in grant funding to fix long-standing traffic signalization problems and install new sidewalks on Messina Drive and also to provide necessary funds to the town’s “Family Resource Center” to help with capital improvements so it can expand programming for the thousands of residents it serves.  Looking ahead, I intend to propose revising funding formulas for school districts like ours where we have so many families constantly moving in and out each year.  We face challenges other districts don’t have to face.  Each year, our board of education struggles to find the funding to meet these challenges and I’m committed to working with our Mayor and Superintendent to lobby for more financial resources for districts like ours.”

Zullo, who was born and raised in East Haven, is married to his wife Danelle and is a nearly life-long resident.  He is a partner with his father Alfred Zullo in the law firm of "Zullo, Zullo and Jacks, LLC" where he has worked for the past fourteen years as a legal advocate for a diverse clientele.  He has been recognized for seven consecutive years, since 2019, as a “Rising Star” by “Super Lawyers, and as one of the top 2.5% of attorneys under age 40 in Connecticut in the field of real estate.  In 2022, he joined the ranks of the adjunct faculty at Quinnipiac University, where he has lectured on the topic of business law.  He currently serves as an ex officio member of the board of directors of the Town's Chamber of Commerce, as the treasurer for the East Haven Fall Festival Committee, and as a member of the Town's Community Classic 5K Road Race Committee. 

In conjunction with his re-election announcement, Zullo announced the launch of a full website at www.joezullo.com along with updated Facebook and Instagram accounts under the handle "@staterepzullo.”

Zullo concluded, “I’m enthusiastic about seeking re-election this year, knocking doors, and about earning the support of my fellow residents so I can head back to our State capitol for another term.  I’m hopeful supporters will head online and register for lawn signs and to volunteer and, ultimately, give me their support on November 3rd!”

For more information, visit www.joezullo.com 

On Facebook: @staterepzullo

On Instagram: @staterepzullo

E-Mail: zullo2026@joezullo.com