Connecticut Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey will not seek reelection in November. Sharkey represents Hamden.
Multiple sources confirmed the development to NBC Connecticut Sunday night. A spokesman wouldn't confirm nor deny that he wouldn't run for a ninth term in the General Assembly. He had served since 2013 as Speaker, one of the most powerful positions in the General Assembly.
Multiple sources say a formal announcement could come as soon as tomorrow. It is likely that Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz from Berlin is expected to run for the open leadership position. Other names that have been mentioned as possible successors include Rep. Toni Walker from New Haven and Rep. Matt Ritter from Hartford.
Sharkey had difficulty in the last year mustering votes to pass largely unpopular budgets within his 87 member caucus. The House has been under Democrat control since 1986. Democrats hold an 87-64 majority in the House, though Republicans have been very vocal this year with their optimism that they could either close the gap with Democrats, and possibly even take back the chamber in November.
His cornerstone legislative accomplishment in recent years was passing car and property tax reform last year. That measure capped car taxes at 29 mills for every city and town in the state starting in 2017, reducing high payments for drivers in some of Connecticut's largest cities.
This story is still developing, and we will update it as more information is available.
