Biography
Joe de la Cruz is the Democratic candidate for Connecticut State Senate District 18 in the November 3, 2026 general election, running against incumbent Heather Somers (R / Independent Party of Connecticut).[1][2] He previously served in the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing District 41 from 2017 to 2023.[2]
De la Cruz was born in Groton, Connecticut, completed an apprenticeship with the Connecticut Sheet Metal Workers program, and later became a general manager.[2] In 2014 he began serving as a counselor for the town of Groton.[2]
He first won the House District 41 seat in 2016 and was re-elected in 2018 and 2020, taking office in 2017.[2] In the 2021-2022 session he sat on the Housing, Aging, and Veterans' Affairs committees.[2] He did not run for re-election in 2022 and left office on January 4, 2023, and Aundré Bumgardner succeeded him.[2] Ballotpedia lists the Connecticut AFL-CIO among his 2026 endorsers.[2]
- 1.Connecticut State Senate elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Joe de la Cruz · Ballotpedia Reference
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Connecticut Senate District 18
Joe de la Cruz is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Connecticut Senate District 18 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.
