Hartford Buoyed By Democratic Statewide Wins

Securing Pro-City Support To Begin Right Away, Officials Say

HARTFORD — Democrats maintained control of Hartford's General Assembly seats on Tuesday, brushing aside challenges from a bevy of Republican and minorparty candidates.

Their victories were emblematic of a larger trend in Connecticut, where the state Senate, now split 18-18, tilted strongly toward the Democrats. And in the House, the party picked up several seats that had been red for generations.

Hartford supporters saw those wins, coupled with Gov.-elect Ned Lamont's triumph over Republican Bob Stefanowski, as a relief for a city that is trying to turn itself around.

“There really was an antiurban theme to that gubernatorial race coming from the Republican Party,” said John Kennelly, a former Hartford city councilman. “It was a lighter version of a theme you see on the national level.”

“A lot of good people have been working very hard to help insure a better future for Hartford, and Stefanowski … wanted to take a blade to all budgets,” he said. “Hartford would have suffered the most.”

The city, whose financial troubles have been welldocumented, narrowly avoided filing for bankruptcy last year. In March, the state agreed to pay off Hartford's $550 million in general obligation debt under a bailout deal that drew sharp rebukes from state Republicans. In exchange for the benefit, the city was placed under the watch of an oversight board.

Hartford backers worried that a Republican-controlled General Assembly would have attempted to dismantle the deal, or offset it by cutting aid to the city.

They also feared that a lack of support for Hartford could impede the progress the city has made in attracting new development. Advocates point to the new minor league ballpark, the redevelopment of a key gateway at the intersection of Park and Main streets and a spate of housing projects in Hartford's neighborhoods as signs that a revival is taking shape.

“It's easier to say that Hartford is a good investment, or at least a better investment now than it was in the beginning,” Kennelly said. “There has been some real progress and it would be smart to continue that.”

Lamont has said that he favors the Capital Region Development Authority's public-private approach to Hartford projects, and believes the state should prolong its investments there.

But he disagreed with the state's handling of the Hartford bailout, saying it mostly benefited the bondholders and insurance officials, and that he would not use it as a template for helping other cash-strapped cities.

Despite tagging along with Lamont and other Democrats at campaign events recently, Mayor Luke Bronin declined to comment broadly on the election victories.

“We're looking forward to working closely with Gov.elect Lamont and the new legislature to build on the momentum we're seeing right now in Hartford,” he said in a prepared statement Wednesday. “The economic future of our entire state depends on building vibrant cities ... and it's heartening to see that Connecticut has elected leaders up and down the ballot who get that.”

Hartford Democrats held on to the five legislative seats challenged by Republicans and minor-party contenders.

In the 4th House District, the most contested race, Democrat Julio Concepcion defeated opponents Bryan Nelson, a Republican; Kennard Ray, a Working Families Party candidate; and Mary Sanders, a Green Party hopeful. Concepcion, a former city council majority leader, had only served in the seat for about five months. He won a special election in June.

Longtime Incumbent John Fonfara beat Republican Barbara Ruhe and Green Party candidate Barbara Barry to reclaim the 2nd Senate District seat, and state Rep. Brandon McGee easily fended off GOP challenger Charles Jackson in the 5th House District. Edwin Vargas, a retired teachers union leader, trounced Republican Michael Barlowski to win a fourth term in the 6th House District.

State Rep. Joshua Hall, who was elected to his first full term in Hartford's 7th District on Tuesday, said convincing new state leaders to help the city is crucial.

“On the campaign trail, Lamont made his stops in Hartford. When he talked to voters, he indicated how important our cities are,” Hall said. “We're going to hold him to that.”