8:00PM : Welcome to the Live Blog for tonight. This is where we will follow the election results and provide some commentary about the races tonight. In Connecticut, election night results speed tends to be unpredictable, but we will see what happens.

There is one special election tonight in CT State House District 113. This Republican stronghold is centered on parts of the city of Shelton. The two candidates facing off tonight are Republican nominee Amy Romano and Democratic nominee Michael Duncan. This district voted for Donald Trump 54.66% to 43.90% for Kamala Harris (Trump +11.76). However, on the local level, the district is very republican with now State Sen. Jason Perillo never getting less than 64% of the vote since his victory in a 2007 special election.

If would like a more detailed discussion of the election taking place tonight, I wrote a previous article on March 13th discussing the district information and candidate bios.

8:05 PM – Hard to say when we would get the first results. There are only two precincts in this district. We got the first numbers at 8:38 in the Feb 21st election, but we did not get any numbers from the Shelton area until 9:40pm that day, so we will see!

8:40 PM – No results yet. But looking at the precinct data from the presidential election. The smaller of the two precincts, the Elizabeth Shelton School, voted for Trump by nearly 20 points (59-39). The larger precinct at the Shelton Intermediate School voted for Trump by a smaller 7.5 point margin (53-46).

Information found on the Secretary of State Website

9:15 PM – Both precincts have reported results and we have a winner.

As expected, Republican nominee Amy Romano is now state rep-elect. She wins a narrow 52.55 to 47.45 win against Democratic nominee Mike Duncan.

Despite the Democratic overperformances across the country, I expected a Republican overperformance in this district to the history of Republican dominance in the downballot offices of this section of Southwestern Connecticut. In addition to previous election results, favoring the Republican by nearly 30 points.

However, Duncan’s 5.1% margin of victory is a Democratic overperformance. Trump won here by 11.76 points, so that is a 6.6% Democratic overperformance in this Republican stronghold.

The streak of Democratic overperformances in special elections holds strong!

An illustration demonstrating colonists debating issues at an early New England Town Meeting. Credit to Panarizon Publishing Corp Story of America Card Series

Currently, it is March, and we are in an off-year election cycle. In Connecticut, there are not many elections that are not in November. We aren’t Wisconsin, we don’t have an important state supreme court election in April. In this quieter part of the election calendar, before campaigns start ramping up for local elections in November, it is a great time to go through different forms of town government throughout the state.

In this three-part article series, I will explore various forms of town government, including representative town meetings versus open town meetings, mayor-council versus council-manager systems, and the intricacies of select boards.

Types of Town Meeting Systems

In our first part, we will start with the Town Meeting system. There are a few different forms of this system

In larger towns that have this system, it is called a representative town meeting (RTM), where voters select members to participate in a town meeting. This is similar to a town council, but in some towns, there are far more members than in an average town council system.

In the purest form, a town meeting allows any registered voter in that town to vote on town affairs. This direct democracy system allows anyone to participate in the open system. An agenda is usually published before the meeting, listing items up for discussion. Only listed items are discussed unless voted upon based on a majority of attendees, though the rules for debate and placing items on the agenda depend on the individual town. Some towns have a financial town meeting, where registered voters have jurisdiction only on the annual town budget.

In most towns with this form of government, a formally elected select board takes control of other legislative duties.

History of the Town Meeting

The Town meeting is a style of government that originated from British colonists in the 17th century. New England’s Puritan settlements met in colonial meeting houses, allowing a place to discuss local and church affairs. The exact nature of these meetings is not well-known due to sparse record keeping, but one can imagine the people of a town showing up to discuss issues. In small settlements, it was simple enough.

The church and local governance were closely connected as settlers in colonial New England came here for religious freedom. In addition, towns had a large amount of autonomy as their home country’s monarch was an entire ocean away. 1600s transportation meant that a royal letter would take months, so colonies self-governed with the freedom to decide for themselves leading to the town meeting.

This isn’t to say the system was always fair. Towns had to reach unanimity somehow. This system allowed people to speak their minds to reach a common consensus. There weren’t always formally elected officials, and speaking up against the majority was viewed as socially unacceptable. It was more about keeping the peace than democratic ideals.

Adult men who owned a certain amount of property were allowed to participate in town meetings. But most adult men did not meet that requirement. Women and children under the age of 21 couldn’t vote. Qualifications varied greatly from town to town and were difficult to track. Some adult men who lived with their fathers were barred from voting in the 1700s. The progress over the centuries is evident through centuries of changes and town charters and the greater inclusion of all residents in towns.

The 230 Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Members of Greenwich

A town meeting system isn’t practical in large towns. The solution is to elect representatives akin to a town council. In some cases, much larger than a town council.

Greenwich, with a population of 63,518 as of the 2020 census, elects a staggering 230 elected representatives as a part of the RTM.

In Greenwich, the Board of Selectmen is a three-member committee. They are akin to an executive branch. They oversee daily operations, public safety and work, and town administration. This also includes town policies, appointments to committees, and administrative duties. They are elected at large by the entire town. The First Selectman is the equivalent of a mayor in other towns.

The RTM is in charge of town budgets and approves major decisions in the town, similar to a legislative branch. They are not paid and meet for eight meetings a year. The RTM in Greenwich is composed of 12 districts with between 11 to 26 members of each district.

In 2023, a whopping 345 candidates ran for 230 positions. This was historically more than in previous years. It is difficult to find many candidates for a position, as these elections are usually non-competitive as less people petition for the office than there are seats. The nature of these races also changed. A non-partisan elected position, this election involved multiple members running on slates to elect like-minded members to the RTM. Some candidates ran as a bipartisan slate in an attempt to as they describe an “extremist push” to take over the RTM. These bipartisan like-minded candidates kept voters informed through their website known as Sensible Greenwich.

During the 2023 election, there was a 50.82% turnout which is high for an off-year election. Some suggested it was due to residents being more engaged in local issues in Greenwich.

Representative Town Meetings in Other Towns

In addition to Greenwich, 6 other towns in the state have RTM governments. This includes Branford, Darien, Fairfield, Groton, Waterford, and Westport. The RTM is much smaller than Greenwich which has the largest RTM in the state. Branford has 30 members in 7 districts. Darien has 100 members in six districts. Fairfield has 40 members in 10 districts. Groton has 45 members in 7 districts. Waterford has 26 members in 4 districts. Westport has 36 members in 9 districts.

Similar to Greenwich, all of these towns have a select board (or Board of Selectman) that acts as an executive branch. Darien and Westport also elect their RTM as a non-partisan position. However, Branford, Fairfield, Groton, and Waterford are partisan positions with party identification appearing on ballots.

Town Meetings are Common in CT

Town Meeting is interestingly the most common form of government in the state of Connecticut. More than half of the state’s 169 municipalities still use this system. A town meeting has a select board which acts as the executive board handling the day-to-day operations.

Town Meetings in the Modern Era

A system built for small communities four centuries ago derived from English villages and Puritan church assemblies has struggled to adapt to the modern era, especially in smaller towns. Not too surprising.

The truth is though an interesting and unique system, it poses unique disadvantages. All towns that have a town meeting system have a population of less than 30,000 residents. The largest town with this form of government is Newtown (with a population of 27,173 as of the 2020 Census).

Some towns have opted to change this form of government, changing to professional town managers (council-managers), and town administrators, and giving more power to the board of selectmen. In the past decade, towns such as Simsbury, Clinton, and Cromwell have used town managers. Malborough increased the size of their board of selectmen from three to five, along with the addition of a town manager.

Another town, Chester has debated to change their form of government. Issues include high turnover and the fact that the first selectman does not have direct control over elected officials or boards. This leads to lack of accountability with less executive power.

In some smaller towns, there can be a lot of work with low pay, not attracting enough candidates. In addition, turnout for open town meetings tends to be very low with only the most vocal and passionate supporters turning out. Chester for example, between 2011 and 2021, only 127 votes for the regional school budget were cast out of more than 2500 eligible voters, leading to only a 5% participation rate.

The government has also grown more complex with more responsibilities for the individuals in charge of the town.

I will further explain the complexity of how select boards work with town meetings in Part 3. Part 2 will be published soon.

Thanks for reading!

Westport Selectwoman Jen Tooker is the first declared candidate in the Republican primary for Governor.

Overlook

We are more than 17 months away from the 2026 primary night in Connecticut. Despite this, one candidate has already entered the race, and many more have set up exploratory committees. Exploratory committees allow candidates to raise money and determine the viability of a campaign. Though not officially running, some candidates will eventually transition to a full campaign committee.

The Connecticut Republican Party

It has been a rough past election cycle for the Connecticut Republican Party. Though the Republican Party has made gains across the country thanks to the victory of President Donald Trump, the Connecticut Republican Party hasn’t made similar gains.

Republicans in 2016 came close to capturing the State Legislature. The State Senate came to a power-sharing agreement after an 18-18 tie occurred. The State House was narrowly held by Democrats 80-71. This is when Hillary Clinton won the state by 13.6 points in her 2016 Presidential Run. In 2024, despite Kamala Harris winning the state by a similar, but better 14.5 points, the Democrats enjoy a wide and large margin in both the State House and State Senate. The State House is currently 102D-51R, and the State Senate is 25D-11R. The Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers.

The GOP and the Governorship

The strongest office for the State GOP has historically been the governorship. Former Governor John Rowland (R) was governor from 1995 to his resignation in 2004 due to a corruption scandal that led to prison time. The party’s hold on the governorship was saved by the popular late Governor Jodi Rell who won a landslide victory in 2006 after succeeding Rowland to the governorship. Rell was popular thanks to her accomplishments with investments in the state’s railways, highways, and ports. She also restructured the state’s landmark campaign finance reforms and made a 100 million dollar investment into stem cell treatment. She did not run for re-election in 2010, leaving office in 2011.

Despite the Late Former Governor’s popularity and the 2010 GOP Wave, Democrats narrowly gained the governorship by less than 7,000 votes. This was two years after Former President Barack Obama carried the state in a 22-point landslide.

According to The Downballot, Republicans have not held any statewide office other than the governorship since former Treasurer Christopher Burnham won his position in 1994.

Official Candidates

Westport Selectwoman Jen Tooker announced her run for governor two weeks ago. Her campaign is planning to focus on issues such as fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and government accountability. In her announcement, Tooker said, “For too long, Connecticut families and businesses have been burdened by high taxes, rising costs, and a state government that lacks accountability”.

Tooker, a moderate, is focusing on fiscal issues and taxes. The Westport Selectwoman won her 2021 election by less than a point. This is also her first run for statewide office.

Tooker’s narrow but impressive win in her 2021 race for Selectwoman

This narrow win was impressive as Westport has voted solidly Democratic on the federal level, voting for Kamala Harris by an almost 50-point margin (71-27).

Candidates Who Have Set up Exploratory Committees

Erin Stewart

Erin Stewart announces her run at New Britain City Hall on Jan. 28th, 2024. Credit to CT Public Radio

Erin Stewart, the longtime Mayor of New Britain, announced she set up a committee in January after noting last year she would not run for another term as mayor. She is highly likely to enter the race. Stewart won the position in 2013 against Democratic Incumbent Tim O’Brien. She was one of the youngest mayors in the state when she won her mayorship.

Similar to Selectwoman Tooker, Stewart has been able to win seats in deep-blue towns despite their party affiliation. Due to this, they would likely run in similar lanes as candidates. Stewart has won more than 60% of the vote in her last two mayoral runs, despite New Britain being solidly blue at all other levels of government.

Stewart is running a more cautious and more prepared approach to her campaign compared to her previous statewide run. In 2018, Stewart announced a late run for governor. Unprepared and facing a very large competitive field, she opted to drop down to a run for Lieutenant Governor where she placed 2nd. Stewart has noted in interviews that she learned from that experience.

Peter Lumaj and Matthew Corey

Two other candidates have set up exploratory committees. Both are well-versed in Connecticut campaigns. Peter Lumaj, who was the 2014 nominee for Treasurer and lost the 2022 Republican primary for senate, formed an exploratory committee last month for a statewide office. Though Lumaj came close in what was a good year for Republicans in 2014, losing 47-51 for Secretary of State. His poor performance in 2022 and multiple other statewide runs have not established him as a likely nominee as of this posting.

Matthew Corey, a small business owner, and US Navy Veteran, recently lost a campaign for the Senate to Democratic Incumbent Chris Murphy. He also has formed an exploratory committee. Corey did do marginally better this time around compared to his 2018 senate run by the smallest of margins. He got 39.4% in his 2018 run (losing by 20.1%), and 39.6% in his 2024 run (losing by 19.9%).

Corey though also has not been a serious candidate for office. He benefited in the primary last year running in a low turnout primary and the state GOP did not target the Senate race at all last year placing all of their resources on the race in the 5th Congressional District. Though he and Lumaj are more conservative than Tooker and Stewart, which could benefit them in a primary, his also sub-par performance for two cycles likely does not make him either a likely nominee. However things could change over the following year.

It is important to note that just because a candidate has formed an exploratory committee, it does not mean the candidate will enter the race.

The Problem of Being Moderate or Conservative?

Other candidates could enter such as businessman Bob Stefanowski, who lost his previous two runs in 2018 and 2022, to Governor Ned Lamont. The field faces many questions and difficulties. Foremost, navigating the divide between the party’s more moderate establishment and its conservative base.

Candidates like Tooker and Stewart are better positioned to appeal to the general electorate, given their past success in winning local office in deep-blue areas. However, winning the Republican primary is a different challenge. Connecticut’s closed primary system means only registered Republicans can vote, and the party’s most engaged voters tend to be more conservative. In addition, this group of voters will be hesitant on candidates who are not only moderate but have to prove their Republican bonafide. This creates a balancing act: a candidate must embrace enough conservative positions to secure the nomination while maintaining a broad appeal for a statewide general election in a state where Trump lost by around 15 points.

Stewart seems to know that, considering she is comparing herself more to Trump and mentioning that she voted for him all three times. These are two things, she likely hasn’t been mentioning as much in her past mayoral runs in her deep blue city. But neither candidate will make the general election without talking about Trump. Trump is the Republican Party, and Republican Primary voters in Connecticut love Trump and expect the candidates will as well.

State Party Endorsement

Candidates like Tooker and Stewart also will compete for the state party’s endorsement. Candidates with their moderate establishment reputations are usually favored but the Connecticut GOP has not had a great track record in recent endorsements for statewide office.

In 2022, The State GOP gave their senate endorsement to State House Minority Leader Themis Klarides who was favored to win the primary to go up against Democratic Incumbent Richard Blumenthal. However, days before the primary, President Donald Trump gave his endorsement to the more conservative Businesswoman Leora Levy, who ended up beating Klarides 51-40. Klarides also made the mistake of mentioning she hadn’t voted for Trump in 2020, which might have caused President Trump to get involved in the first place.

Similarly, in 2024, Beacon Falls Selectman Gerry Smith decided to run against Democratic Incumbent Chris Murphy for his senate seat. He was the only notable candidate in the race until Murphy’s 2018 opponent Matthew Corey made the ballot at the GOP convention forcing a primary. Corey benefited from name recognition in a low-turnout Republican primary in August beating Smith 55-45, but lost by a similar margin to Murphy in 2018, losing by about 20 points.

Overview

This means the state GOP might not have as much pull in deciding who gets the nomination. It will be up to the Republican primary voters. Westport Selectwoman Jen Tooker is the only one in the race officially. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart and Businessmen Peter Lumaj and Matthew Corey have formed committees for plausible campaigns. Many more could plausibly enter. We still have 17 months to go, and a lot can change. Candidates we will have to figure out the balance between conservative positions to win the nomination, and the appearance of moderation to win the election. We will have to wait and see!

L to R: Amy Romano, Republican nominee, and Michael Duncan, Democratic nominee. Credit to CT Post

Brief Overview

Gov. Ned Lamont has called for another special election on April 22nd. This special election will fill the vacancy left by the winner of the Feb 25th special election for the 21st State Senate district won by former Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton).

113th State House Seat District Information

The 113th State House seat has long been centered around parts of Shelton. This Republican stronghold has not had many changes in redistricting, only minor changes within Shelton at times since the 70s. State Senator Jason Perillo has held the seat since his victory in a 2007 special election. He has never faced a difficult re-election, winning more than 64% in all his elections.

Before his 2007 special election, the seat was held by the late Richard Belden (R-Shelton), who held the seat for more than 32 years after winning it in the 1974 election. He also never faced a difficult re-election bid, with his lowest victory percentage being his first in 1974 at 54.8%. Belden and Perillo faced multiple re-election campaigns unopposed, with Perillo notably being unopposed in 2022 and 2024.

Analyzing CT Secretary of State Precinct Data, I assessed how the district would have voted in the 2024 Presidential Election. Donald Trump won the district, 54.66% to Kamala Harris’ 43.90%. Similar to the special election in the 21st state senate election last month, the GOP is much stronger downballot in this region of Connecticut. Though special elections around the country, notably in Iowa, have led to large Democratic overperformances, this region does not have a similar election history, with Republicans having held this area for decades, especially at the local level.

The district is likely to remain in Republican control.

Election breakdown at the presidential level for the 2024 election sorted by precinct in Shelton.

113th State House Candidates

In the 113th State House seat, the Republican nominee will be Shelton Board of Education Chairwoman Amy Romano, who will race off against Democratic nominee personal care manager Michael Duncan.

Amy Romano has six years of experience on the Shelton Board of Education. She is the chairwoman of the committee for the 2023-2025 term. She has worked in the real estate, business development, and construction industries for the past two decades. A longtime Shelton resident, her vision includes focusing on issues such as affordability, lower electric rates, investing in education, and standing up for seniors.

Michael Duncan is a senior manager at Edgewell Personal Care. Since March 2021, Duncan has been a commissioner of the Shelton Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA). Duncan lost a 2021 election bid for a position on the Shelton Alderboard in District 3, coming in 4th place. Duncan’s focuses in his run for state representative include lower taxes, affordable utility bills, and better job opportunities for his constituents

Governor Ned Lamont presented his State of the State Address to the CT Legislature on Jan 8th, 2025. Credit to CT Mirror

Ned Lamont faces a challenging decision in his future political career. Lamont and six other incumbent governors around the country could be seeking their third (or fourth) four-year terms leading their respective states. But what will Governor Lamont decide to do?

A Brief Look At Lamont’s Political History

Lamont, a long-time figure in Connecticut politics, started his career as Greenwich Selectman in 1987. He served for one term. In 1990, he lost an entertaining three-way race for a state senate seat won by then-State Rep. William Nickerson (R-Greenwich). Lamont served on various boards in Greenwich over the following decade.

Lamont gathered national attention after beating the late Senator Joe Liberman in a Democratic primary (52-48) in 2006. Running as an anti-Iraq war candidate, and against Liberman’s more conservative leanings, Lamont shocked the nation, leading Lieberman to be the only incumbent senator to lose renomination that year. As many know, Lieberman won the race as a third-party candidate, holding his seat for a fourth and final term.

After the loss, Lamont sought the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010. He lost to the eventual winner, Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, who upset Lamont 57-43.

In 2018, Governor Dannel Malloy announced he wouldn’t run for a third term, Lamont tried to secure the nomination for a second time. He was successful, easily defeating Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim 81-18. After a tight general election, Lamont overcame Malloy’s unpopularity while benefiting from the 2018 blue wave, defeating fellow businessman Bob Stefanowski 49-46. In a 2022 rematch, Governor Lamont beat Stefanowski more comfortably winning 56-43.

History of Running for a 3rd Term

Multiple governors around the country are debating running for a third or fourth term leading their state. Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas already announced he would run for a fourth term. His fellow Republicans, Kim Reynolds (IA) and Brad Little(ID), are eligible for a third term. Lamont’s Democratic colleagues, Tim Walz (MN), JB Pritzker (IL), and Tony Evers (WI), are also mulling third-term runs. Phil Scott (VT) is eligible for a sixth term as Governor, though term lengths are only two years in Vermont.

The phenomenon of governors in power for over a decade was uncommon in previous centuries. Dr. Eric Ostermeier at the University of Minnesota comments that factors such as “electoral laws, traditions, and, perhaps, voter weariness” meant fewer governors had the option to win three or more terms leading their state. Term lengths varied around the country for centuries. In Connecticut, a Governor’s term length was one year (if you didn’t think election season wasn’t stressful enough) before expanding to two years in 1876 and four years in 1950.

Connecticut, one of the 13 states with no term limits, is no stranger to third-term elected governors. Disgraced Former Governor John Rowland won his third term in 2002, winning by 12 points to Democratic nominee former Comptroller Bill Curry. Rowland did not finish his term after resigning due to corruption charges in 2004.

In the modern era, no governor of Connecticut has run for and completed a third four-year term. Over 200 years ago, Jonathan Trumbull led the state as governor for 14 years (though seven were as Colonial Governor) from 1769 to 1784. His son, Jonathan Trumbull Jr, has the official title of longest-serving Governor of Connecticut, from December 1st, 1797 to his death on August 7th, 1808. Luckily for Lamont, unlike the 1800s, he does not have to face voters every single year.

What Issues does Lamont Face?

Gov. Ned Lamont at the governor’s residence in Hartford in 2020. Credit to CT Mirror.

Lamont won’t likely decide to run until (at the earliest) the end of Connecticut’s legislative session in early June.

The biggest complaint among state legislators about Lamont is his fiscal guardrails on the budget. Lamont, a noted fiscal moderate, has been unwilling to spend the surplus budget on other needs. In addition, Lamont does not want to increase the spending cap, noting that ignorance of the cap led the state to a rough financial shape in the 2010s. Connecticut was in financial trouble throughout the 2010s, leading to the deep unpopularity of former Gov. Dan Malloy, whose approval rating was one of the lowest in the country.

Legislative leaders, on the other hand, noted the state will end the fiscal year with a 1.7 billion dollar surplus. Lamont does not want to touch that fund, despite the need for funds in public education.

Despite those arguments with the legislature, with a 65% approval rating, Lamont is the sixth most popular governor in the country (second among Democrats). Unlike his neighbor governors, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and Gov. Dan McKee (D-RI), he doesn’t face any substantial primary threats if he decides to run for a third term. Hochul and McKee face low approval ratings and likely Democratic challengers in 2026.

Lamont’s plausible successors, including Lieutenant Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Attorney General William Tong, and Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, have said they’ll defer to Lamont if he runs for a third term. Some, including Tong, Bronin, and State Comptroller Sean Scalon, have encouraged Lamont to seek a third term. Bysiewicz has made it no secret that she would run for governor if Lamont doesn’t run and has asked for commitments in support from many leaders around the state (just in case he doesn’t run).

Lamont’s approval rating was in the 30s before the COVID-19 pandemic. One of his priorities was bringing back tolls into the state. This did not help him with voters. His handling of the pandemic was generally seen as successful, allowing his approval rating to increase to the 60s. In addition, the state’s fiscal guardrails were successful in helping the state’s finances, one of Lamont’s biggest accomplishments as leader of the state.

In November, the governor picked Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves as the leader of the state Democratic party. The pick was seen as 1. Lamont is focused on bringing back the urban vote for the Democratic party, which has been declining in recent elections. 2. Lamont’s continued focus on success for the party is plausible evidence that he will run for a third term. Alves is also not close to any possible successors, giving Lamont more leeway on his decision.

Lamont has also chased higher office for over a decade, from his Senate loss in 2006 to his win as Governor in 2018. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down, despite turning 71 earlier this year.

Though post-2024 election of primary voters may be more weary of older politicians, as Lamont would be 73 in a second term, the governor doesn’t face any signs of a primary challenge. Primary challenges in Connecticut are also notoriously difficult due to ballot laws and are exceedingly rare. Lamont’s popularity and all his plausible competitors’ deference to him place him in a strong spot.

Final Prediction

I believe Lamont will run for a third term, but only Ned Lamont can make that decision, and we will find out soon enough.

8:17 PM: Welcome to the Live Blog for tonight. This is where we will follow the election results and provide some commentary about the races tonight. In Connecticut, election night results speed tends to be unpredictable, but we will see what happens.

As a reminder, there are two special elections in the state tonight. If you would like a more detailed understanding of the races tonight, we had a previous article published on Feb 12th breaking down the races for today.

In brief, In the 21st State Senate Seat, The Republican nominee is State Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) who will face off against the Democratic nominee Stratford Town Councilor Anthony Afriyie. President Trump carried the district in November with 49.6% to Harris’ 49.06%. However, the Republican party is a strong down-ballot in this region, holding the seat since 1966. In addition, Kevin Kelly was the only Republican State Senator unopposed in the 2024 Election Cycle. It should be an interesting race and a possible flip for the Democratic party.

In the 40th State House Seat, The Democratic nominee will be Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewski. He will face off against the Republican nominee Robert Boris, the Groton Economic Development Commission Chairman. Kamala Harris comfortably carried the district 60-38 during the November election meaning Gaiewski is favored.

The margins of these races will be closely watched to gauge if either side is experiencing higher than expected turnout. Polls closed at 8 pm so we will wait and see what happens.

8:38 PM – In the 40th State House District, one of the five precincts has reported.

Credit to CT Secretary of State Site

Democratic nominee Dan Gaiewski comfortably leads Republican Nominee Robert Boris 72-28

In the 21st State Senate Seat, results are coming in quickly. 16 of the 23 precincts have reported.

Democratic Nominee Tony Afriyie leads Republican Nominee Jason Perillo 58-42, but we need to confirm where the results in the district are coming from, and what precincts are left.

8:45 PM – After a closer look at the unofficial results on the Secretary of State’s Website. We can see that all the votes have come in from the Stratford part of the district.

This is an important context as Stratford is the more liberal part of the district.

Stratford voted 57-42 for Kamala Harris in the presidential Election. Democratic Nominee Afriyie is running slightly ahead 58-42, but he is from this part of the district. It will be a tight race.

8:54 PM – In the 21st State Senate Seat, the precinct in the Seymour part of the district came strongly for State Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton). Perillo won that part of the district 65-35.

He ran slightly ahead of Trump’s performance in this part of the district (62-37). Two towns yet to report, Shelton (which is fully in the 21st State Senate Seat), and Monroe (only part of the town in the seat). Perillo could run ahead in Shelton since he represents the area in the state house.

Tony Ayfrie currently leads 56-44, though the results in Shelton will make that margin much closer.

9:30 PM – Results have come in from Monroe. The two precincts have come in 50.8-49.2 for Republican nominee Jason Perillo. Afriyie still leads 55-45, it will come down to Shelton!

9:33 PM – Out of nowhere, results have fully come in for the 40th State House Seat. Democratic Nominee Dan Gaiewski defeats Republican nominee Robert Borris.

According to the unofficial results, Gaiewski wins 68.84%-31.14% over Borris. Harris won here 60-38. That is a 15-point overperformance here. (Gaiewski +37 vs Harris +22)

9:41 PM – And there it is. Shelton came strongly for State Rep. Jason Perillo, who is now State-Senator Elect. He won Shelton 65-35, whereas Trump only won here 55-44. He represented this part of the district since 2007 so that definitely helped him. Perillo wins 53.5-46.5.

9:55 PM – Though the races have been called. A quick look at past results in the 21st State Senate seat shows that Afriyie’s 46.52% of the vote is one of the best results for a Democrat in this district in a long time

In 2006, then State Senator Dan Debicella won 52.2-47.8 against his Democratic opponent. This is the closest result in the district since then. Kelly never faced a close challenge in his tenure.

In the end, though, Jason Perillo overperformed Trump in this district. He overperformed by about 6.5 points (Perillo +7 vs Trump 0.5).

Well, that will be it for the night. I will likely have another live blog in a few months, as there will be a special election for Jason Perillo’s state house seat.

Overall Results

Note – Numbers are unofficial at the moment

40th House Seat – Democrat Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewski beats Republican Robert Boris, the Groton Economic Development Commission Chairman, 68.84%-31.14%.

21st State Senate Seat – Republican State Rep. Jason Perillo beats Democrat Stratford Town Councilor Anthony Afriyie 53.47%-47.52%.

Thanks for following our live blog!

Derby Mayor Joseph DiMartino on Left. Credit to Ethan Fry – Connecticut Hearst Media/CT Post

Incumbent Mayor Democrat Joseph DeMartino faces a competitive race in November. The 2023 Election in Derby grabbed national news attention due to his Republican opponent.

In our previous article, I noted many competitive elections that will take place in November. The circumstances of the Derby Mayoral Election in 2023 warrant its own article.

The Rollercoaster 2023 Mayoral Race: The Republican Primary

Derby, a city 8 miles northwest of New Haven, received national news attention on September 12, 2023, when Republican challenger Gino DiGiovanni Jr. beat incumbent Republican mayor Richard Dziekan. DiGiovanni Jr., a local board of alderman was charged with trespassing during the Jan. 6 Capital riot.

State Senate majority leader Bob Duff explained the danger of voters not paying attention to local elections. Duff said, “Too many people focus entirely on the federal level. Duff’s comments came due to the low turnout of the Republican primary.

Connecticut is a closed primary state, meaning only registered voters of a party can vote. Derby is a city with over 12,000 residents, with 6,667 registered voters during the November 2023 elections. During the Republican Primary, Derby only had over 1264 registered Republicans, of which 394 voted in the primary. DiGiovanni Jr emerged victorious with 202 votes, to Incumbent Mayor Dzeikan’s 192 votes. The votes were finalized after a recount 3 days after the primary. Voter turnout on the Republican side was a bit over 31%.

Credit to Connecticut Secretary of State Website

National Attention

Publications including the NYTimes, Politico, and the AP News covered the Republican primary bringing attention to the small city. Democratic operative Roy Occhiogrosso told reporters “It’s not like Derby is some town in the Deep South where there’s an overwhelming amount of support for Trump,” and that “It’s not a hotbed of MAGA activity”. The New York Times noted, that DiGiovanni was one of the few elected officals to be charged in connection with the Capital riot. He won his seat on the alderboard in 2021, 10 months after the Capitol riots.

DiGiovanni said after his primary win “I didn’t go down there to overthrow the government”, and that he recognized Joe Biden as president. Interestingly many people in the town, including his opponents gave him a pass or avoided harsh criticism of his actions. The Derby Board of Education Chair Jim Gildea said people gave Gino a pass because he is a nice guy. Incumbent Mayor Dzeikan said DiGiovanni’s judgement was off, but he’s a great guy. DiMartino said it wasn’t a great move, but he wasn’t trying to bash him.

Even more surprisingly, Dzeikan’s tenure as mayor likely faced more scrutiny than DiGiovanni’s. State officials placed the city’s finances under strict oversight after a projected surplus turned into a significant deficit.

The General Election

Races in the city of Derby are usually competitive at the town and federal level. In 2020, Biden won the city (51-48). In 2024, Trump won the city (51-48). During the 2021 mayoral election, incumbent Republican mayor Richard Dziekan beat Democratic nominee Joseph DiMartino by a narrow 48-vote margin (50.85-49.15). Democrats won the other city offices such as City Clerk, Treasurer, and Constable. These results note the competitive nature of City elections

Joseph DiMartino emerged victorious on his second attempt for mayor winning the general election in November 2023. Incumbent Republican Mayor Richard Dziekan was on the ballot as a petitioning candidate. Dziekan and DiGiovanni Jr. split the Republican vote leading to DiMartino winning a plurality of the vote (44-25-23). Democrats carried other all offices in the city winning majorities in all of them.

DiMartino Announces Re-Election Bid

Two weeks ago, Incumbent mayor Joseph DiMartino announced his re-election bid for a second term as mayor of Derby.

In his announcement, he noted the city already has eliminated the deficit and says the process has started in turning the city around. He noted in his announcement he is focused on the economic development of the city.

DiMartino is a 33-year veteran of the Derby Public Works Department and has coached girls’ softball and boys’ wrestling. As an official, he served as a member and board of alderman.

The competitive nature of the city will mean this is one election people should have on their radars. It is unknown at this time which Republican will seek the seat, but we will update readers on new developments when the time comes.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker (left) in 2024 at a ribbon cutting. Credit to New Haven Independent

Connecticut local leaders have announced their re-elections and retirements for the upcoming 2025 cycle since the 2024 elections.

Candidates have also announced challenges and entries into races for open seats. These will continue at a quick pace in the next couple of months. We will update readers as often as possible as we expect new candidates and challenges in many Connecticut towns and cities.

New Haven

In December, Democratic incumbent Justin Elicker announced his re-election campaign for a 4th term leading Connecticut’s third-largest city. Elicker comfortably won his last re-election in 2023 by an 80-18 margin.

New Britain

As mentioned in our previous article, Republican incumbent Erin Stewart announced her retirement last September. She is preparing for a likely run for Governor.

On Friday, Republican Sharon Beloin-Saavedra announced her entry into the race for mayor. Beloin-Saavedra serves as the deputy minority leader and was a former school board chairwoman. Notably, she was a former Democrat but party-flipped after losing a brutal three-way primary in 2011 for a state house seat. In her announcement, she slammed city Democrats due to their “small-tent mentality”.

This is an interesting strategy in a city where Republicans are outnumbered. Despite Stewart’s wins for mayor, the area is Democratic at the federal level voting comfortably for Kamala Harris by a large margin (61-37). The last Democratic mayor in the city was Tim O’Brien, who served for one term before losing to Stewart in 2013. Stewart also posed a strong advantage in 2013, as her father Tim Stewart served as mayor from 2003 to 2011. Beloin-Saavedra will need strong cross-voting in this diverse Connecticut city to win a mayoral race as a Republican with a similar coalition to Stewart.

Hamden

Lauren Garrett campaigned on election day in 2021. Credit to HQNN

Last month, Lauren Garrett filed papers to run for re-election for her third term. Democratic primary voters in Hamden will feel some deja vu in an expected Democratic primary. Former Board of Ed. member Walter L. Morton IV announced he would run in the primary. Morton ran in 2023 against Garrett losing 44-56. In a phone interview with the New Haven Register, he noted Hamden’s “lack of economic development and true grand list growth ” under the current mayor. Garrett has been applauded for her leadership in managing the town’s finances after years of neglect including a tax cut in the 2024-25 year in the mill rate.

Bristol

In Late January, Republican incumbent Jeff Caggiano announced he would run for a 3rd term for mayor. Surprisingly, Caggiano told the local press that if he won, it would be his final term as mayor. He is focused on completing the Centre Square Village project in a 3rd term for mayor. Under his tenure, the Wheeler Family Health & Wellness Center was built and completed. Caggiano comfortably won 61-39 in 2023, despite the town’s near 50-50 split on the federal level.

Milford

On Friday, Democrat and former Mayor Rich Smith announced his challenge to Republican incumbent mayor Tony Giannattasio. Smith announced his challenge at the Milford Tax Office, citing the yearly tax increases under Giannattasio’s tenure. Smith promised lower taxes during his speech. Giannattasio responded saying that Smith was promoting misinformation and fear along with his consultants. He noted the tax increase was only 1% last year, and will only be 4% next year. Giannattasio had a narrow three-point win last year (51.5-48.5) and is the first Republican mayor of the city in over a decade. The race in November is expected to be competitive.

Wallingford

In mid-January, Republican incumbent Vincent Cervoni announced his re-election bid for a second term. In another race that is expected to be competitive. Cervoni won his first term in 2023, becoming the first new mayor in 40 years after longtime incumbent William Dickinson retired. In another town, that is also closely divided at the federal level (Harris 50-48), Cervoni expects another competitive election after his 7-point win in 2023.

Danbury

On February 7th, Roberto Alves formally launched his bid for a second term leading Connecticut’s 7th largest city. In another competitive town, Alves won a narrow 51-49 win in an upset over Republican incumbent Dean Esposito. Interstingly, last month Esposito announced on social media that he would not have a rematch with Alves. The two also battled it out in 2021, with Esposito emerging victorious, meaning a different Republican candidate will be on the ticket in November. Alves, the now Connecticut Democratic Party Chair, has to defend a seat that the GOP held for 22 years before his upset win. This race like many of the others mentioned today, will be competitive in November.

L to R: Tony Afriyie, Democratic nominee, and Jason Perillo, Republican nominee. Source: Contributed photos / Tony for State Senate & Jason Perillo’s LinkedIn page/ CTNewsJunkie

As briefly mentioned in our previous post on Feb 8th, two special elections will occur on February 25th.

Brief Overview

On January 10th, Governor Ned Lamont announced two special elections for 21st State Senate Seat vacated by former State Senator Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford). Governor Lamont nominated Kelly to a Superior Court judgeship. The additional vacancy is in the 40th State House Seat, vacated by former State Rep. Christine Conley (D-Groton). She will advance for a nomination to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission.

21st State Senate Seat District Information

The 21st State Senate Seat has been a long-time Republican stronghold. It has remained in GOP hands since 1966. It was held by Republican George “Doc” Gunther of Stratford for 50 years from 1967 to his retirement in 2007. He is the longest-serving state legislator in Connecticut history. Dan Debicella served the district from 2007 to 2011, leaving for an unsuccessful run for Congress where he lost to Connecticut 4th District Rep. Jim Himes 47-53, despite the GOP wave in 2010. Kelly held the district from 2011 till his resignation earlier this year. The district covers most of Stratford, all of Shelton, plus parts of Seymour and Monroe.

Analyzing CT Secretary of State Precinct Data, I assessed how the district would have voted in the 2024 Presidential Election. Despite the GOP dominance of the district in the State Senate, The results show a nearly even split, with Trump narrowly carrying the district 49.6% to Harris’ 49.06%.

Kevin Kelly was the only state senator in Connecticut unopposed in the 2024 election. In 2022, Kelly won comfortably 57-41 against his Democratic opponent Christopher Green. The district is expected to remain in Republican control.

The 50-50 split of the district, a low-turnout election, and if the district’s Democratic base is motivated by the first few weeks of the Trump administration could lead to the Democratic nominee winning the seat. However, the Republican down-ballot dominance of this region should not be underestimated.

21st State Senate Candidates

In the 21st State Senate Seat, The Republican nominee will be State Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) who will face off against the Democratic nominee Stratford Town Councilor Anthony Afriyie.

State Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) has represented the 113th State House District since 2007. Since 2020, he has served as the Deputy House Republican Leader. He has held previous positions as an Assistant House Republican Leader and as House Republican Whip. Perillo, a lifelong Shelton resident, has served on various local boards and committees. He is a former chief of Echo Hose Ambulance, an emergency ambulance provider for Shelton, and has been volunteering since 1999. Perillo holds a bachelor’s from Georgetown, an MBA from Boston College, and an MPA from Harvard.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Afriyie, has served as Stratford Town Councilor in Stratford’s 5th District since 2023. He was born and raised in the Bronx, New York where he lived with his parents who immigrated to the United States from Ghana in 1997. The 26-year-old has lived in Stratford since 2006, where he attended local schools graduating from Stratford High in 2015. He works as a staffer for longtime 3rd District Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and has just completed his Masters in Public Administration, from Western Connecticut in 2024. Afriyie recently had an interview with the Stamford Crier which can be found here. He has noted the need for community development and the importance of early childhood education.

40th State House Seat District Information

State Rep. Christine Conley has served the 40th State House district since 2017, before resigning earlier this year. Unlike the 21st State Senate, the district does not enjoy a 50-year Democratic dominance, as during the 2014 Republican Midterm Wave, former State Rep. John F Scott won the seat against the then 6-term Democratic incumbent Edward Moukawsher. Scott would only hold the seat for one term before being beaten by Conley. The district is comprised of parts of both Groton and New London.

Analyzing CT Secretary of State Precinct Data, I assessed how the district would have voted in the 2024 Presidential Election. It is solidly Democratic voting for Kamala Harris by a 60-38 margin. The seat is widely expected to remain in Democratic hands.

Conley won in 2024 by a wider 66-34 spread against her Republican opponent Susan Deane-Shinbrot. She won by an even wider 82-18 victory against Independent Lauren Gauthier in 2022.

40th State House Seat Candidates

L to R: Republican candidate Robert Boris and Democratic candidate Dan Gaiewski. Source: Contributed photos / Campaign Facebook Pages/ CTNewsJunkie

In the 40th State House Seat, The Democratic nominee will be Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewski. He will face off against the Republican nominee Robert Boris, the Groton Economic Development Commission Chairman.

Dan Gaiewski was appointed to Groton Town Council in August 2023 and won re-election later that year during the state’s municipal elections. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in 2023 with a BA in American Studies and Government. He has interned for 2nd District House Rep. Joe Courtney and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. Gaiewski notes the importance of bringing more money back to the district, delivering more housing for the district, and lowering costs for families. His current position is in constituent services for the state Legislature. Two weeks ago, Gaiewki was interviewed on the show Born Political hosted by Joe de la Cruz, which can be found here.

Robert “Bob” Boris holds positions as Groton SEAT Representative, Vice Chairman of the City Planning and Zoning Board, Chairman of the Mystic Chamber Foundation, and President of Groton Rotary. He has decades of experience as tech entrepreneur leading his family’s information database company, Command Technology Inc. Boris notes the importance of affordability, economic development, and advocating for responsible oversight. Last Week, Boris was interviewed on the show CITY FOCUS hosted by Marty Olsen, which can be found here.

Source: Connecticut State Capitol, Hartford, CT – Photo by Craig Fildes, 2016

The 2024 Presidential Race was long, divisive, and full of surprises. Yet we don’t have to wait long for the next elections in the state.

These are some of the notable elections that residents of Connecticut can expect in 2025.

Special Elections

In just over 2 weeks, two special elections will kick off the 2025 elections in Connecticut. On January 10th, Governor Ned Lamont announced two special elections for 21st State Senate Seat vacated by former State Senator Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford). Governor Lamont nominated Kelly to a Superior Court judgeship. The additional vacancy is in the 40th State House Seat, vacated by former State Rep. Christine Conley (D-Groton). She will advance for a nomination to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission.

In the 21st State Senate Seat, The Republican nominee will be State Rep. Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) who will face off against the Democratic nominee Stratford Town Councilor Anthony Afriyie.

In the 40th State House Seat, The Democratic nominee will be Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewski. He will face off against the Republican nominee Robert Boris who is the Groton Economic Development Commission Chairman.

Aside from any other special elections, and the May election in the small town of Union, CT. The next elections on the ballot will only be in November. Though it sounds like a long time from now, before you know it campaign signs will be everywhere.

November Municipality Elections

During off-year election cycles in Connecticut, each municipality will hold elections for elected offices in that town, which vary from mayor to town councilor to various boards.

Here at the CT Election Guide, we have started to go through the top elected positions in every town. So far, we have a list of the mayors/selectmen of the 30 largest towns/cities. We have noted when the election will be for that municipality.

This can be confusing in Connecticut, as municipalities decide their form of government meaning titles, election systems, and term length can vary considerably. Municipalities can have systems varying from Mayor-Council to Council-Manager to Representative Town Meeting.

Not every town holds a mayor/selectman race in 2025. This includes the large cities of Bridgeport, Hartford, and Waterbury elected their mayors to a 4-year term in 2023. Large City incumbents such as Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker will face mayoral elections in November. Most towns in the state hold elections for boards and mayor every 2 years including Norwalk, Danbury, and New Britain.

Notable Retirements

We can already note two notable retirements for mayor/selectman for the 2025 election cycle. In New Britain, longtime Mayor Erin Stewart announced in September 2024 that she would not seek a seventh term. More recently, she has officially launched her anticipated exploratory campaign for the Republican nomination in Connecticut’s 2026 gubernatorial race. Another expected retirement is in Norwich, where Mayor Peter Nystrom noted in March 2021 that he would run for a final term that November which he won.

Elections to Watch

In the 2023 elections (2021 Election in Stamford), four of Connecticut’s 30 largest municipalities had contests decided by margins of less than five percentage points. These closely contested races are up for election again in 2025. In Stamford, Democrat Mayor Caroline Simmons won her first term in 2021 with a 52.5-47.5 victory over Independent and former MLB Player Bobby Valentine. While she is expected to seek a second term in November, the level of opposition she may face remains uncertain.

The next three elections is expected to be competitive due to the politically-swingy nature of these communities. In Danbury, Democrat Roberto Alves won a rematch against Republican Dean Esposito in 2023, after losing his first outing to Esposito in 2021. Both races were decided by less than two points and is expected to be competitive in a City where Kamala Harris won 53-46 against Donald Trump in the recent 2024 Presidential Election. Alves announced on January 27th that he would run for re-election.

In Milford and Trumbull, both incumbent mayors won narrowly contested races, with margins of victory under five points. Democrat Vicki Tesoro secured her fourth term in 2023, while Republican Tony Giannattasio won his first term, becoming Milford’s first Republican mayor in 12 years. Given the partisan divide in these communities—where Kamala Harris narrowly won Milford (47.3%-46.7%) and carried Trumbull (52%-47%) in 2024—both races are expected to be competitive in the upcoming election.

What to Expect

Since it is early in the cycle, numerous expected retirements and developments will occur and we will keep readers updated as announcements occur.

If you have any other notable elections to note, please don’t be afraid to contact us at contact@ctelectionguide.com

Notes: Election results numbers were slightly rounded and found on CT Secretary of State’s Website.