These news briefs are part of The Connecticut Mirror’s 2026 political coverage. For more news about the 2026 legislative session, campaigns, elections and more, sign up here for The Issue, the CT Mirror’s weekly politics newsletter. Murphy maps out vision of ‘economic populism’ U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has been vocally calling on his own party to figure out a path forward ever since President Donald Trump returned to office. He and three other Democratic senators are starting to sketch out what that could look like. They argue Democrats can’t “simply oppose Trump and his billionaire friends,” but that they also need to take on corporate interests in data centers, Social Security, housing, farming and youth sports. “If Democrats are going to be the party of working people, we have to prove that we can be trusted to unrig the system by confronting the elites who are doing the rigging,” the memo from the senators reads.  — Lisa Hagen, Federal Policy Reporter State tourism had a big year in 2025 Last year, visitors from outside Connecticut pumped some $12.3 billion in direct spending into the state economy according to an annual report. The state’s latest tourism and marketing report highlights that more than 72 million people visited the state last year, a 3.1% increase from 2024. In a press release, the governor’s office also noted that this means Connecticut more than doubled the 2025 national tourism growth rate, which was 1.5%. The success comes in the wake of the state’s Pizza Capital of the U.S campaign. The report notes tourism supported more than 125,000 jobs in the state.  — P.R. Lockhart, Economic Development Reporter Vandalism at historic site Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced that he would ask state agencies to find money to repair damage at the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry after “an apparent act of vandalism.” Police said a man broke in, stole cash and merchandise and damaged the property, including two of the barns. Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Coventry Police Department. The homestead is the family home of Nathan Hale, Connecticut’s official state hero and an American Revolutionary War spy who was executed at age 21. Nonprofit organization Connecticut Landmarks runs the site as a museum.  — Ginny Monk, Investigative Reporter ...read more read less