Herron Keyon Gaston

State Senator Herron Keyon Gaston, was elected to serve the 23rd state Senate district, representing parts of Bridgeport and Stratford, in the November 2022 election. Senator Gaston is also the Senior Pastor of Summerfield United Methodist Church in Bridgeport and serves as the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Bridgeport, with responsibilities covering the City’s strategic policy development and administrative operations. Prior to joining the City of Bridgeport, he served as the Associate Director of Admissions, Recruitment, and Financial Aid at Yale University Divinity School.

Senator Gaston has an extensive background in governmental relations, higher education administration, criminal justice, church leadership, and social justice advocacy.

Previously, Senator Gaston, served in the Governor’s Office in Florida as a Gubernatorial Fellow. He also served as a legislative analyst for the Florida Department of Corrections, assisting formally incarcerated persons reintegrate back into society. He has worked for several high-powered politicians at the local, state, and national level. He is a former lobbyist, and former congressional intern for the late Honorable John Lewis, where he helped to advance the cause for civil and voting rights.

Senator Gaston is the immediate past president of the Civil Service Commission in the City of Bridgeport, and currently serves as the chaplain for Bridgeport Police Department. Currently, he serves as the Vice-Chairman of the board of directors for the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, and board member for Children in Placement.

Senator Gaston is the founder and director of the Gaston Justice Coalition Group, LLC- a faith-based, non-profit organization comprised of pastors, ministers, churches, educators, and community leaders whose mission is to address critical issues and reduce violence and incarceration, particularly in inner-cities.

Senator Gaston has a passion for seeking justice. While achieving his master’s degree in Florida, Sen. Gaston worked at the Florida Capitol where he helped champion the cause of education (addressing the school-to-prison pipeline) and criminal justice reform.

Senator Gaston grew up in a small town in Florida, attended Florida A&M University and received a B.A. in Political Science/prelaw. He then pursued a master’s in public administration and political science. He later matriculated at Yale University, where he received a master of sacred theology, a master of divinity, and a doctorate from the Andover Newton Theological School at Yale Divinity School. Senator Gaston recently completed a Doctor of Law from Quinnipiac University School of Law, and a certification on Human Rights from the University of Oxford. He is the author of three books. Senator Gaston is the third of six children born to Moses and Mary Jasper-Gaston. Senator Gaston currently resides in Bridgeport, Connecticut.