By Valentina Toro
Features Editor
Interdisciplinary studies major Justin Farmer, a junior, was 23 years old when he was elected to public office for the first time. Now 31, Farmer balances coursework at the university with a campaign for Connecticut State Senate’s 17th District, framing his candidacy as a generational shift in politics.
Farmer, who is a democratic socialist, said his decision to run came from years of work and frustration with what he describes as missed opportunities in state leadership.
“I decided to run because to me, there’s a generational conversation that’s going on,” Farmer said. “It’s not so much an age conversation, but it is a generational conversation about where our politics are.”
Farmer previously served six years on Hamden’s Town Council. What began as a small grassroots effort, Farmer said, expanded into a campaign supported by hundreds of volunteers.
Now living in Westville, Farmer said he has intentionally moved closer to New Haven to deepen his ties to the community he hopes to represent.
He described his campaign as part of a broader effort to “build up the bench,” preparing younger leaders to step into office rather than waiting for vacancies to open unexpectedly.
“We might lose elections,” Farmer said. “But if we do it right, we will actually prepare a generation of people to lead rather than being in the situation where leaders leave, die, move or get defeated, and then we have no pipeline.”
Farmer points to housing affordability and environmental concerns as key issues in the 17th District.
He said rising rent and home prices are making it difficult for young residents to remain in the communities where they grew up.
He also mentioned environmental challenges, including the West River watershed and urban heat concerns in New Haven neighborhoods.
“The demographics of the district have changed,” Farmer said. “It’s blacker and browner, and with that comes complexity, certain issues that I am more apt to talk about and able to connect on in ways that others won’t.”
As a younger candidate, Farmer acknowledged facing skepticism about his experience level. At 31, he said he exists in what he calls a “sweet spot” viewed by some as too young and by others as part of an older political class.
“There are folks who say you haven’t paid your dues,” Farmer said. “But my age is not my wisdom. Those are two different things.”
Balancing a Senate campaign with academic work presents additional challenges. Farmer began college at 21 after managing health complications related to Tourette syndrome. He has taken semesters on and off while serving in office and organizing in the community.
Farmer hopes to shift how students view state politics. While national races often dominate headlines and social media feeds, he argues that local and state decisions more directly shape daily life.
“You don’t have to agree with someone on everything to be in community,” Farmer said. “It’s important to vote, but it’s important to vote with intention, and that means knowing what you want and paying attention locally.”
