The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
100th State House District
Amid heavy turnout, voters see Phipps, Gennaro rematch
The race for the 100th House District seat in Middletown was a replay of the 2018 election, with Democratic incumbent Quentin “Q” Phipps running for re-election against Republican Anthony Gennaro.
Both candidates are lifelong residents of the city. Gennaro is a police officer and is also is deputy minority leader of the Common Council.
The local races had not been called by deadline.
Speaking just after 8:30 p.m., Gennaro – who said, “I’m finally warming up” after spending the day outside rallying support – said he has seen preliminary numbers that are, in some cases, “really close.”
“I’m happy I did better – if I did do better,” he said. “Win, lose or draw, I’m happy I chose to do this again.”
For his part, Phipps said he spent the day hopscotching throughout the district, “stopping at all the polling locations.”
“It was great to see so many people out,” he said, explaining a large turn-out “is good news for Democrats.”
“It’s good to see people energized. The past four years have been exhausting,” he said.
“To see people fired up and ready to go to work is a good thing,” he added.
Gennaro is a fiscal conservative who has focused his attention on reviving the state’s economy, which had been emerging from the Great Recession when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
As he faced off against Phipps, Gennaro stressed his experience, based on the combination of his service on the police force and the council.
He also points to his support for and awareness of education issues based on sending his children and his wife’s role as an education professional. As he counted down the hours until Election Day, Phipps said, “I’m feeling confident.”
Alternately knocking on doors and working the phones, Phipps – who goes by “Q” – says he finds voters “fired up” and looking for a change on the national level.
Like those voters, Phipps said, “I’m excited!” His attention was focused on the twin issues of the pandemic and its impact on the economy, he said, adding, “I stand on my record.”
Nearly 600 voters passed through the doors of the polls at the Portland middle school in the first hour Tuesday, and then the river turned to a steady flow.
“We were able to get them all through in an hour and quarter,” Republican Registrar of Voters Pauline Neumann said of the first surge.
In the afternoon, Kristy Fuller, presiding over her first presidential election as moderator, said, “So far, I have had a single complaint about voting.”
As a steady stream of voters flowed passed her, Fuller said, “I don’t mind how many people we have as long as people are happy.”
Residents – who were required to wear masks and practice social distancing were directed to enter the lobby outside the cafeteria and were then directed to follow directions from poll worker Alison Harris.
For Republican Christie Carpino, that she ran unopposed for re-election as the representative of the 32nd House District — which encompasses Cromwell and Portland — did not cause her to let up in campaigning.
“It was wonderful to see so many people coming out to exercise their right to vote,” she said Tuesday during a hurried cell phone call as she loaded up her portable support squad for yet another cross-Connecticut River trek.
Voter turnout was heavy in both towns, Carpino said.
In addition to being a legislator, she is an attorney who serves as general counsel for a private corporation. Married to Joseph Artoli, she is the mother of a boy and a girl.
Since she first won election to the General Assembly, she has made bipartisan cooperation – especially at the local level - a hallmark of her approach to governing, according to Portland First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield, a Democrat.
Over the past 10 years, she and Carpino coordinated their efforts on a range of issues, whether it’s distributing food to residents in need or helping a resident resolve an issue with one or another state agency, Bransfield said.
Carpino and her staff are always available to assist her, Bransfield said.
Portland’s town clerk and fellow Republican Ryan J. Curley said, “Christie has spent countless hours as an advocate for Portland and Cromwell over the years.”