Legendary CT TV News Political Reporter Dies

CONNECTICUT — Mark Davis, the legendary former Connecticut Chief Capitol Correspondent for WTNH-TV, died Monday at the age of 76, the station announced.

Davis was with News 8 for more than 35 years before his retirement in 2020, and he is being remembered for his integrity, professionalism and insight.

"For decades, Mark Davis provided the people of Connecticut with valuable news and information about what was going on in their state, giving them insight into their communities, their government, and their neighbors," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. "He became one of the most trusted and recognized people in journalism, entering the homes of so many Connecticut residents each day as they watched the evening news. He always acted with professionalism integrity, and I have no doubt that he inspired a whole new generation of reporters who are working in the field of journalism today. Mark Davis is a Connecticut icon, and his passing is a loss for our state. On behalf of the State of Connecticut, I send my condolences to Mark’s entire family, including his wife Betsy, as well as his friends and colleagues at WTNH, and I thank him for his service to our state."

Added U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal in a post on X, "Mark Davis was a world-class newsman & craftsman, with keen insight, incomparable drive & unimpeachable integrity. He was also a deeply caring, generous colleague & friend, with an unquenchable sense of humor. He treasured his ties to the people of CT. My thoughts are with Betsy & his family."

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy echoed those sentiments, stressing how fair and honest he was.

Davis joined WTNH in the 1980s following radio jobs in Massachusetts, and during his tenure at the New Haven-based station, he won multiple Emmy Awards.

He was treated for cancer in 2024, and underwent emergency surgery in early 2025 for an intestinal blockage.

Over his career, Davis had too many scoops to count, such as being the first to announce the resignation of former Gov. John Rowland in 2004, and an exclusive interview with the late President, Jimmy Carter, and his wife, Rosalyn Carter, in 1988.

He started at the station as a morning news anchor, but moved to covering Hartford full-time in 1989.

Davis covered every Connecticut governor starting with the late Bill O'Neill, and in the 2000 Presidential election, he traveled with the late former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who had been nominated for Vice President.

Attorney General William Tong said Davis was a true giant of the Capitol.

"As a new legislator now almost twenty years ago, it felt like giants roamed the Capitol halls," Tong said. "Mark Davis was a giant among giants. It was hard not to feel anxious when he came running over with his microphone and cameraman in tow. But he always put me right at ease, with his kind and breezy way, even if the questions were tough and searching. Journalism is a tough business these days, that is obvious to everyone, and the passing of Mark Davis is a huge loss to the news and the public’s access to information we all need for a functional and productive democracy. Thank you, Mark Davis, for your extraordinary service."

"In the halls of the State Capitol and throughout Connecticut, Mark Davis was highly respected for his journalistic integrity, his commitment to getting the story right, and his ability to connect with viewers over a multi-decade career," Harding said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark’s family and his former colleagues at WTNH."

Added state Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, "I started watching Mark with my grandparents, who always turned on Channel 8 for state news. When I first met Mark working on a gubernatorial campaign in 1994, I was starstruck. He was probably one of the first people I shook hands with who was actually on the television. Mark was so kind and easygoing, almost like he had known me for years. I immediately called my grandparents to tell them who I had a conversation with. Years later, when I was elected to the legislature and was interviewed by Mark, he was still the same kind and easygoing person but was always tough with his reporting yet fair. We lost one of the good ones today. I hope my grandparents and he have the same opportunity to shake hands and talk about the issues of the day."