Twelve key election results in the Connecticut state Senate and House

CT Insider – Thursday, November 7, 2024
By Ken Dixon

General Assembly elections are important for the candidates, of course, but they also underscore the historical memory of the state Senate and House of Representatives. When a veteran lawmaker loses reelection, they become part of the legacy of the legislature, but their affiliated caucuses are also diminished – for a little while at least – affecting strategy and the membership of committees.

For those lawmakers who survive close elections, it gives them another two years to promote their legislative agendas.

Here are a dozen key election outcomes in Connecticut:

Cheeseman loses

Republican Rep. Holly Cheeseman, from the Niantic section of East Lyme was first elected in 2016 for the 37th House District that includes Montville and Salem. She rose in recent years to become an outspoken ranking Republican on the tax-writing Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee. As a member of the Democrat-dominated State Bond Commission, she built a reputation for asking tough questions on long-term spending. She is also an assistant minority leader in the caucus. She lost reelection to Democrat Nick Menapace by 7,732 votes to 7,629, according to unofficial totals.

Cook race still undecided

Democratic Rep. Michelle Cook of Torrington, deputy speaker pro tempore of the House, was first elected to serve the 65th District in 2008. By mid-afternoon on Thursday, she was still involved in a close race with Republican newcomer Joe Canino, a former local high school athletic standout. Democrats on Thursday said Cook was behind in the totals, but official sites indicated a tiny portion of votes cast.

McCarty beaten

Republican Kathleen McCarty was first elected to serve the 38th House District, including Montville and Waterford, in 2014 and has been a ranking member of the legislative Education Committee. An assistant minority leader, McCarty lost to Democrat Nick Gauthier, who received 7,274 votes to the incumbent’s 6,100.

Fazio wins

Republican Sen. Ryan Fazio of the Riverside section of Greenwich, held on to defeat an aggressive campaign from Democrat Nick Simmons, the brother of Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, to continue representing the 36th District including Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan. With almost all the votes counted on Thursday, Fazio had 26,978 ballots to Simmons’ 23,768.

Hwang gains sixth Senate term

State Democrats also hoped to channel the energy of newcomer Rob Blanchard of Fairfield against incumbent Sen. Tony Hwang, who first won a House race in 2008, then moved to the Senate in the 2014 election for the 28th District that includes Bethel, Easton, Fairfield, Newtown and Weston. Hwang, ranking Republican on both the Transportation Committee and the Insurance Committee, ended up winning by almost 10 percentage points, with 32,895 votes to Blanchard’s 27,407 ballots.

Seminara loss ceases GOP control

First-term Republican Sen. Lisa Seminara was another target for Senate Democrats who were looking to break through and finally gain the Farmington Valley’s 8th District, including the towns of Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Granby, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Simsbury and Torrington, The district has been a Republican Senate stronghold since 1967, but showed some signs of becoming more blue in 2022, when Seminara won by only 124 votes over Democrat Paul Honig to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Kevin Witkos. Honig, a retired financial executive on Harwinton’s Board of Selectmen, was cross-endorsed by the Working Families Party and defeated Seminara, with the latest unofficial result posted at 23,927 votes to Seminara’s 22,067.

Cooley gone after one term

First-term Republican House member Francis Cooley of Plainville, a former educator, lost reelection to Democrat Rebecca Martinez, vice chairwoman of the Plainville school board, whom he narrow defeated in 2022 by 5,046 votes to 4,993. This year Martinez was cross-endorsed by the Independent Party and the Working Families Party for the 22nd District, including the towns of Farmington, Plainville and Southington. She defeated Cooley by 6,551 votes to 6,108, according to unofficial totals.

Aniskovich pulls out win

Republicans were concerned that first-term Republican House member Chris Aniskovich of Clinton would lose to Democrat Cinzia Lettieri, a member of the Clinton Planning and Zoning Commission who teaches third grade in Hamden. Aniskovich apparently pulled out a victory with 7,252 votes to 7,102 for Lettieri for the 35th District, including Killingworth and Westbrook, according to the latest unofficial returns posted Thursday mid-afternoon.

Foster cruises

House Democrats were concerned that second-term Rep. Jaime Foster, D-Ellington might be vulnerable in the 57th House District that includes East Windsor and Vernon. Foster, a dietician who is vice chairwoman of the legislative Energy & Technology Committee and an assistant majority leader, narrowly won her two previous races and this election, her challenger was Republican Jennifer Dzen, the chairwoman of the Ellington school board. Unofficial vote totals on Thursday had Foster with 6,996 votes to Dzen’s 6,121.

Poulos does better

State Rep. Chris Poulos of the Plantsville section of Southington won his first election by one vote in 2022 for the 81st House District. The high school Spanish teacher was likely in for another close race in 2022. This time his Republican opponent was James Morelli, a retired sales manager for a pump manufacturer whom Poulos defeated handily by 7,758 votes to 6,098.

Danbury shuffle continues

The 138th House District of Danbury had two terms of Democratic Rep. Kenneth Gucker, a small business owner, before he lost in 2022 to conservative Republican Rachel Chaleski, a former local school board member. Gucker, with a cross endorsement from the Working Families Party, on Tuesday defeated Chaleski with 4,466 votes to 4,379, according to unofficial tallies.

Flexer prevails in east

As eastern Connecticut has grown more-conservative, veteran Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, co-chairwoman of the legislative Government Administration & Elections Committee, has become more-vulnerable, winning her 2022 race by only 3 percentage points. She served in the House of Representatives from 2009 to 2014, when Flexer was elected to the Senate. On Tuesday night, Democrats were concerned that she might lose to Republican Chris Reddy, a paramedic from the town of Scotland, in the sprawling 29th District, including Brooklyn, Canterbury, Killingly, Mansfield, Pomfret, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson and Windham. By Wednesday night, Flexer claimed victory. Unofficial totals on Thursday had Flexer with 21,385 votes to 20,794 for Reddy.

Access this article at its original source.