The Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut serves as the President of the Connecticut State Senate, but only casts a vote if required to break a tie. When the lieutenant governor is absent, the President Pro Tempore of the Connecticut Senate presides. The President pro tempore is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the entire Senate through a Senate Resolution. The President pro tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The Senate majority and minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.
The current President pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate is Martin M. Looney, a Democrat who has served since 2015.
List of presidents pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate
Name Town and political party Term of service Aaron N. Skinner New Haven, (W) 1845 Samuel Ingham Saybrook, (D) 1846 Thomas C. Perkins Hartford, (W) 1847 Thomas B. Butler Norwalk, (W) 1848 Henry Dutton New Haven, (W) 1849 Samuel Ingham Saybrook, (D) 1850 Henry E. Peck New Haven, (W) 1851 James T. Pratt Rocky Hill, (D) 1852 Daniel B. Warner East Haddam, (D) 1853 John Boyd West Winsted, (Free Soil Dem) 1854 James F. Babcock New Haven, (W) 1855 Leman W. Cutler Watertown, (AR) 1856 Ammi Giddings Plymouth, (U) 1857 Elisha Carpenter Killingly, (R) 1858 Thaddeus Welles Glastonbury, (R) 1859 Joseph G. Lamb Norwich, (AR) 1860 Andrew B. Mygatt New Milford, (R) 1861 Hiram Goodwin Hitchcockville, (R) (U) 1862 Gilbert W. Phillips Putnam, (R) (U) 1863 John T. Adams Norwich, (U) 1864 Orlando J. Hodge Robertsville, (U) 1865 John T. Wait Norwich, (U) 1866 Amos J. Gallup Sterling, (R) 1867 Edwin H. Bugbec Killingly, (R) 1868 David Gallup Plainfield, (R) 1869 Edward Harland Norwich, (R) 1870 Ezra Hall Marlborough, (R) 1871 S. Storrs Cotton Pomfret, (R) 1872 Allen Tenny Norwich, (R) 1873 Luzon B. Morris New Haven, (D) 1874 Caleb B. Bowers New Haven, (D) 1875 Ephraim H. Hyde Stafford, (D) 1876 Oliver Hoyt Stamford, (R) 1877,78 Gilbert W. Phillips Putnam, (R) 1879 Lyman W. Coe Torrington, (R) 1880,81 Robert Coit New London, (R) 1882,83 Lorrin A. Cooke Winsted, (R) 1884 Stiles T. Stanton Stonington, (R) 1885,86 Robert J. Walsh Greenwich, (R) 1887,88 John Manning Hall Willimantic, (R) 1889,90 David M. Read Bridgeport, (D) 1891,92 Frederick W. Holden Ansonia, (D) 1893,94 John Ferris South Norwalk, (R) 1895,96 William Marigold Bridgeport, (R) 1897,98 Edwin O. Keeler Norwalk, (R) 1899,1900 Henry Roberts Hartford, (R) 1901,02 Rollin S. Woodruff New Haven, (R) 1903,04 Samuel Fessenden Stamford, (R) 1905,06 Stiles Judson Stratford, (R) 1907,08 Isaac W. Brooks Torrington, (R) 1909,10 Frank C. Woodruff Orange, (R) 1911,12 George Landers New Britain, (D) 1913,14 Frederic A. Bartlett Bridgeport, (R) 1915,16 Henry H. Lyman Middlefield, (R) 1917,18 William H. Heald Stafford Springs, (R) 1919,20 William H. Hall South Willington, (R) 1921,22 John H. Trumbull Plainville, (R) 1923,24 Edwin Brainard Branford, (R) 1925,26 Frederic C. Walcott Norfolk, (R) 1927,28 Roy C. Wilcox Meriden, (R) 1929,30 Albert E. Lavery Fairfield, (R) 1931,32 David Goldstein Bridgeport, (D) 1933,34 John F. Lynch West Haven, (R) 1935,36 Joseph H. Lawlor Waterbury, (D) 1937,38 Charles J. Arrigoni Durham, (R) 1939,40 Joseph B. Downes Norwich, (D) 1941,42 Frank H. Peet Kent, (R) 1943,44 Samuel H. Malkan New Haven, (D) 1945,46 Robert E. Parsons Farmington, (R) 1947,48 Cornelius Mulvihill, Jr. Bridgeport, (D) 1949,50 William Perry Barber Putnam, (D) 1951,52 Oscar Peterson, Jr. Stratford, (R) 1953,54 Patrick J. Ward Hartford, (D) 1955,56 Theodore S. Ryan Sharon, (R) 1957,58 Anthony Armentano Hartford, (D) 1959–62 Fred J. Doocy1 Wapping, (D) 1963–1/16/66 Paul J. Falsey2 New Haven, (D) 1/26/66–1966 Charles T. Alfano Suffield, (D) 1967–72 Peter L. Cashman3 Lyme, (R) 1973–6/7/73 Florence Finney4 Cos Cob, (R) 7/10/73–1974 Joseph J. Fauliso5 Hartford, (D) 1975–80 James J. Murphy, Jr. Franklin, (D) 1981–84 Philip S. Robertson Cheshire, (R) 1985–86 John B. Larson East Hartford, (D) 1987–94 M. Adela Eads Kent, (R) 1995–97 Kevin B. Sullivan6 West Hartford, (D) 1997–7/1/2004 Donald E. Williams, Jr. 7 Brooklyn, (D) 7/1/2004–2014 Martin M. Looney New Haven, (D) 2015–
1 Succeeded to the office of Lieutenant Governor. Took oath of office January 17, 1966. 2 Became President Pro Tempore when Fred Doocy became Lieutenant Governor. 3 Succeeded to the office of Lieutenant Governor. Took oath of office June 7, 1973. 4 Became President Pro Tempore when Peter L. Cashman became Lieutenant Governor. 5 Succeeded to the office of Lieutenant Governor. Took oath of office December 31, 1980. 6 Succeeded to the office of Lieutenant Governor. Took oath of office July 1, 2004. 7 Became President Pro Tempore when Kevin B. Sullivan became Lieutenant Governor.
Notes
External links Presidents pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate