Treasurer of Connecticut · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Connecticut treasurer race?
Erick Russell has the strongest record in the Connecticut treasurer race. Erick Russell scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Erick Russell's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Fred Wilms (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Erick Russell
61 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 63
Republican
Fred Wilms
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Erick Russell
- On the record2026-04-21
State auditors reported two findings for his office for fiscal 2023 and 2024, retroactive pay overpayments of $12,685 and an omitted software asset, with no repeats.
Source: Auditors of Public Accounts, Office of the Treasurer, FY2023 and 2024
- On the record2023
Pursued Baby Bonds over opposition from the Lamont administration and reached a funding compromise with the governor.
- Credit2025
Connecticut's pension fund performance ranked in the top 17 percent of public pension funds in 2025, after three years of double-digit returns under his tenure.
Source: CT Mirror, June 30, 2026
- Credit2025-09-10
Announced with Gov. Lamont upgrades from Moody's to Aa2 and Fitch to AA in September 2025.
Source: CT News Junkie, Sept. 12, 2025
- Credit2023 to 2026
Launched the Baby Bonds program, which invests $3,200 for each Medicaid-covered newborn; about 48,000 babies had been covered by August 2026, by his estimate.
Sources: New Haven Independent, Aug. 21, 2026, CT Mirror, June 30, 2026
Fred Wilms
- On the record2026-07-16
Proposed moving 50 to 75 percent of the pension fund's private equity, private credit and emerging market holdings into broad-based exchange-traded funds.
- On the record2026-07-16
Said he would not join Republican state treasurers' campaign against banks that decline fossil fuel lending, nor use ESG criteria.
- On the record2015 to 2019
Represented Norwalk's 142nd District in the Connecticut House for two terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Fred Wilms
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Erick Russell. Sworn in as treasurer Jan. 4, 2023. No ethics, campaign finance or court finding naming him was found.
Source: Wikipedia, Erick Russell
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Erick Russell. Pressed the Baby Bonds program through opposition from the administration of Gov. Ned Lamont, a fellow Democrat, before reaching a funding compromise.
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Erick Russell. No public record found.
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Erick Russell. Law firm partner, then state treasurer since 2023, with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Wikipedia, Erick Russell
Fred Wilms. Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation chair and state representative 2015 to 2019 with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Fred Wilms
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Erick Russell. Sworn state treasurer since Jan. 4, 2023 with no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Wikipedia, Erick Russell
Fred Wilms. Sworn state representative for the 142nd District 2015 to 2019 with no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Fred Wilms
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Erick Russell. State treasurer since January 2023, nearing the end of his first term; earlier a public finance lawyer and partner at Pullman & Comley.
Source: Wikipedia, Erick Russell
Fred Wilms. Two terms in the state House (2015 to 2019), chair of the Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation, 20 years on Wall Street and 23 years at Webster Bank, now a senior vice president.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Fred Wilms, New Haven Independent, July 17, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Erick Russell. Sitting treasurer overseeing about $73 billion in pension assets; describes a specific long-term asset allocation strategy, including private equity, with the Investment Advisory Committee.
Fred Wilms. Publishes specific plans: shift 50 to 75 percent of private equity, private credit and emerging market holdings to broad funds, and create an independent investment board.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Erick Russell. Two channels documented: campaign accomplishments pages and a 2026 radio interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Sources: Erick Russell for State Treasurer, Ballotpedia, Erick Russell
Fred Wilms. Two channels documented: campaign issue pages and a 2026 radio interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Sources: Fred Wilms for State Treasurer, Ballotpedia, Fred Wilms
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Erick Russell. Grew up in New Haven, where his parents owned a convenience store and deli; New Haven resident. In-state share of contributions not available.
Source: Wikipedia, Erick Russell
Fred Wilms. Norwalk resident who chaired the city's Board of Estimate and Taxation and represented Norwalk's 142nd District. In-state share of contributions not available.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Erick Russell. Heads the office that invests about $73 billion in state and municipal pensions; state auditors' FY2023 and 2024 review found two findings, none repeated, with no penalty.
Sources: New Haven Independent, Aug. 21, 2026, Auditors of Public Accounts, Office of the Treasurer, FY2023 and 2024
Fred Wilms. Senior vice president at Webster Bank and former chair of the Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation. No finding about his campaigns found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Erick Russell. Launched Baby Bonds, which invests $3,200 for each Medicaid-covered newborn (about 48,000 so far); pension returns ranked in the top 17% of public funds in 2025.
Sources: New Haven Independent, Aug. 21, 2026, CT Mirror, June 30, 2026
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Erick Russell. No public record found.
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Erick Russell. No public record found.
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Erick Russell. No public record found.
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Erick Russell. State auditors' FY2023 and 2024 review of his office reported two findings, $12,685 in July 2022 retroactive pay overpayments and an omitted software asset, with no repeat findings and no penalty.
Source: Auditors of Public Accounts, Office of the Treasurer, FY2023 and 2024
Fred Wilms. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Connecticut treasurer race?
Erick Russell has the strongest record in the Connecticut treasurer race. Erick Russell scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Erick Russell's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Fred Wilms (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Connecticut treasurer race in 2026?
Erick Russell (Democratic, incumbent), Fred Wilms (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Erick Russell a good candidate for Treasurer?
Erick Russell scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Fred Wilms a good candidate for Treasurer?
Fred Wilms has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Connecticut race scored, and the Connecticut 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.