'Caucus of Three' Ready to Wield Power in State Senate

After years of watching liberals in the Connecticut Senate control the agenda, three fiscally moderate Democrats from different corners of the state are poised to wield new clout as the legislature seeks to slash spending and wrest concessions from unions.

Paul Doyle of Wethersfield, Joan Hartley of Waterbury and Gayle Slossberg of Milford have long been a caucus of three, frequently bucking party leaders who embraced one big progressive initiative after another, from a mandate on employers to provide paid sick leave to the legalization of medical marijuana to a 2015 budget that included more than $1 billion dollars in new taxes.

Now, in a recalibrated Senate, the three independent-minded Democrats are positioned as key swing votes. Following Republican gains on Election Day, the chamber is evenly split, with 17 Republicans and 17 Democrats (there are two vacancies). Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, a Democrat, is empowered by the state Constitution to break a tie, giving Democrats the edge. But if Doyle, Hartley and Slossberg break off, Wyman's vote won't matter.

"Historically, those three senators have been single-minded in their approach to policy," said Rep. Jeffrey Berger, a Waterbury Democrat who was formerly co-chairman of the legislature's powerful Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. "They are a more moderate-leaning group."

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