Democratic state rep flips New Britain mayor’s office after Erin Stewart steps away

Hartford Courant – Tuesday, November 4, 2025
By Don Stacom

In a huge victory for Connecticut Democrats, state Rep. Bobby Sanchez flipped New Britain’s mayor’s office blue for the first time in 12 years, ending GOP control of the state’s eighth largest city.

Political observers were keeping a close watch on New Britain’s mayoral race because Tuesday was the first time since 2013 that Democrats had a chance to run a candidate against someone other than Erin Stewart, who proved wildly popular across six mayoral elections in her hometown.

Sanchez not only won with by wide margin, he appeared to bring in a 10-5 supermajority for Democrats on the common council.

“Tonight, New Britain chose progress,” Sanchez said. “I’m deeply honored by the faith this community has placed in me, and I will work every day to earn it. This campaign was never about one person, it was about bringing people together to make our city stronger, safer, and fairer for everyone.

“The message was clear: No more Republicans. Let’s bring in the Democrats,” Sanchez told about 90 wildly enthusiastic supporters at his victory party at 5CB on Arch Street.

His victory signals that Stewart’s remarkable dominance wasn’t a permanent change to the city’s political dynamics, which once was considered a Democratic stronghold.

“People are fed up,” Sanchez said. “I heard from a lot of voters about what they perceive as chaos coming from Washington.”

Sanchez, who becomes the city’s first mayor of Puerto Rican descent, said many immigrant and elderly residents are facing an affordability crisis in the city.

“In New Britain there’s a Foodshare distribution at the community health center. Two days ago when I went by there I could not believe the number of people, the line went all the way down Washington Street. There had to be at least 400 people. It’s heart-breaking.

“At a couple polling places, I’ve heard people talking about SNAP benefits, asking how the government can let people go hungry,” he said.

Republican opponent Sharon Beloin-Saavedra tried to focus her campaign on New Britain’s schools, parks, emergency services and taxes, and complained that Sanchez’s team mostly ignored local issues and tried to make the race a referendum on Trump’s tenure.

But Sanchez said Tuesday night said New Britain residents are tired of the local effects of Trump’s policies. He said his has a plan for his first months in office that begins with addressing the long-running flooding problem of homeowners on Allen Street, and also includes seeking substantial state aid for local school construction projects. He said residents simply can’t afford another tax increase, and pledged to work for affordable housing targeted at the lower end of the “affordable” income scale.

“We ran on the promise of change and now it’s time to deliver,” Sanchez said. “Starting tomorrow, we’ll begin forming a transition committee that includes community leaders, educators, small business owners, and residents from every part of the city. Together, we’ll get to work on a 100-day action plan to restore trust in city government, support law enforcement and social service partnerships, and make sure every resident has a voice in shaping our future.”

Sanchez was also endorsed by the Working Families Party, which was quick to herald his win.

“As New Britain comes off 12 years of Republican leadership, it’s no surprise voters are uniting behind leaders like Bobby Sanchez: someone who speaks to the basic needs of working people and is focused on lowering costs and ensuring people have good schools, good jobs, and healthcare when they need it,” Connecticut Working Families Party state Director Sarah Ganong said in a statement. “New Britain voters are tired of a status quo that isn’t working for them. They’re tired of leaders who are disconnected from the pressures that working people are facing every day, and who put corporate donors ahead of their needs.”

Ganong touted Sanchez’s work in the state legislature as a sign he will invest as mayor in the city’s schools, housing and infrastructure.

Both parties were busily working “get out the vote” drives during the day, trying to persuade more of their supporters to cast ballots before 8 p.m. Despite an extended early voting season, turnouts were on track to be in the usual range for municipal elections, with far fewer than half of eligible voters showing up.

Elections where only local offices are on the ballot typically draw way less voter interest than contests to choose state legislators, governors, Congressional representatives, senators or presidents.

In New Britain, early afternoon turnout was around 16%, where voters were filling an open seat in the mayoral race. Stewart first won in 2013 with a devastating victory over Democratic incumbent Tim O’Brien, and she easily won each of her five re-election bids since then.

Privately, some Democratic and Republican leaders alike have speculated that she’d have had no trouble winning a seventh term this year; however, she had announced last winter that she’d be leaving to pursue a campaign for governor in 2026.

Stewart’s 2013 victory was considered historic because she was the city’s youngest mayor and only the second woman to hold the office.

Politically, it was her long run of re-election victories that counted even more: She has built a reputation by being a Republican consistently polling strongly in a poor, diverse and heavily Democratic city. Even when Democrats fielded challengers with deep organized-labor credentials, the local police union, AFSCME’s Council 4 and others either backed her or made no endorsement.

This year, Beloin-Saavedra — Stewart’s political protege — was the GOP’s pick to try to keep city hall under Republican control.

Both candidates are known in the city: Beloin-Saavedra is a veteran alderwoman and former school board chair, and Sanchez built a name by bringing state aid for New Britain school construction projects when he was co-chair of the General Assembly’s education committee.

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