Mark Davis, a trusted voice in Connecticut political journalism for more than three decades, has died at the age of 76. WTNH-TV, where Davis spent most of his career, announced his passing on Tuesday. The cause of death was not disclosed, though Davis had previously undergone surgery for bladder cancer.
Davis joined WTNH-TV in 1984 and served the station for 36 years, retiring in 2020 as chief Capitol correspondent. Known for his tenacity and sharp questions, he became a fixture at state news conferences and a reliable source of political reporting for generations of viewers.
He covered some of Connecticut’s biggest political events, including U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman’s 2000 run for vice president alongside Al Gore, and the 2004 resignation of Governor John Rowland amid a corruption scandal.
Davis once said what he loved most about the job was connecting with everyday people. “The thing I like the best about the job is … when someone walks up to me on the street and says, ‘I like you, Mark Davis. You’re a plain talker,’” he shared in a 2017 WTNH video celebrating his 50 years in broadcasting. “I mean, that’s our job — to be plain talkers.”
He began his career in radio, working at Boston stations during the 1970s before moving to Connecticut in 1980 for a Hartford radio job. Four years later, he transitioned to TV at WTNH and became a political reporter in 1989.
Davis retired in 2020, citing concerns about COVID-19 due to his age.
Tributes poured in following the news of his passing. Governor Ned Lamont said, “Mark Davis is a Connecticut icon, and his passing is a loss for our state.”
His death comes just months after the passing of another legendary Connecticut TV journalist, Tom Monahan of WVIT-TV, who died in February at age 84.
Mark Davis leaves behind a legacy of dedicated public service journalism and a deep impact on Connecticut’s political landscape.
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