LEADERSHIP STAYS

Aresimowicz chosen to return as House speaker; GOP’s Klarides re-elected as minority leader

Aresimowicz still House speaker, Klarides still minority leader.

HARTFORD – The Democrats sharply increased their majorities in both chambers of the state legislature and many lawmakers retired, but the leadership in both parties will remain the same for 2019.

After a raucous caucus that included numerous cheers that could be heard outside the closed doors in Room 207A at the state Capitol, the Democrats unanimously voted to return their leaders to their top posts.

House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz was chosen to return as speaker, but that will not be finalized until the entire House of Representatives votes on opening day on Jan. 9.

Aresimowicz still faces a recount in his district, but Democrats said they were highly confident that he would be re-elected because he retains a 38-vote lead. Two other House races are also subject to recounts.

Democratic Majority Leader Matt Ritter of Hartford will return to his position, too. Ritter told reporters he is solidly behind Aresimowicz as Democrats stunned the political establishment by winning 92 seats in the House on Election Day. Prior to the election, Aresimowicz told The Courant he expected a low range of 77 to 80 seats and a best-case scenario of 86 to 88 seats if everything went right for the Democrats. He never expected to win a seat in Greenwich, where Republicans have

controlled all the House seats since 1912, but twoterm incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Bocchino was defeated.

Ritter said the increased Democratic majority marks a huge contrast from the days when the caucus remained gridlocked and couldn’t get a budget passed — but eventually ended up agreeing to a bipartisan budget that was signed on Halloween 2017.

“Our caucus is so unified behind Joe’s leadership,” Ritter said at the Capitol. “This is Joe’s moment. Look at where we were and where we are now.’’

On the Republican side, numerous party members had predicted during the campaign that leader Themis Klarides would become the next House speaker. At campaign events, enthusiastic Republicans often brought up the idea that Klarides would be speaker.

She was re-elected by her caucus members as the minority leader.

Senate Republican leader Len Fasano of North Haven, who had wide power when the Senate was tied 18-18 , was re-elected this week as the Republican leader.

The final Senate totals are still unclear as there will be a recount in the race between incumbent Republican Sen. George Logan of Ansonia and Democrat Jorge Cabrera. Democrats had declared victory when Cabrera was ahead — and even included his name on a list of new senators that was sent to reporters.

But Logan said he never conceded and never thought he lost the race. The recount is expected next week in seven towns, including Ansonia, where the vote totals changed after officials said there had been an error.