Legislature stays in hands of majority Dems
TRUMBULL — Connecticut’s state Senate and House of Representatives will remain in control of Democrats who claimed a mandate on Wednesday, and will set the agenda on budget priorities with Gov. Ned Lamont during a period when a surplus of as much as $2 billion is expected in the fiscal year ending next June 30.
But several races were still too-close-to-call on Wednesday, particularly the Vernon-centric 35th Senate District and the 36th Senate District where conservative Sen. Ryan Fazio, R-Greenwich, who won a special election in the summer of 2021 to fill a vacancy, was seeking victory for a full term, but Democratic challenger Trevor Crow was within about 100 votes Wednesday afternoon.
Democrat Ceci Maher of Wilton spoiled a political comeback of longtime General Assembly member Toni Boucher of Wilton for the 26th Senate District seat to be vacated by twoterm Sen. Will Haskell of Westport, who will go to law school.
In Litchfield County, where Republican Sen. Craig Miner is retiring after more than 20 years in the General Assembly, state
Rep. Stephen Harding of Brookfield won the seat by a more-than-3,000-vote margin over Democrat Eva Bermudez Zimmerman.
Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said that the actions of the Senate seem to have resonated with the electorate.
“While there are still some races too close to call, this election showed the people of Connecticut overwhelming support Democratic leadership of the state,” Duff and Looney said in a joint statement. “We look forward to working with the House and Governor Lamont with a clear mandate to continue our policies and deliver results for all of our communities.”
Duff won election to his tenth term in the Senate with 16,003 votes over Republican Daniel Miressi.
Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, won election to her fifth term, with 15,550 votes to Republican Wilfredo Martinez’s 3,815. In northeast Connecticut’s 29th Senate District, incumbent Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Willimantic, seeking her seventh term in the General Assembly held a small lead Wednesday morning with 14,414 votes to Republican
Susanne Witkowski’s 13,858 ballots.
The 36-member Senate and the 151 House members will convene again on Jan. 4, at the start of Lamont’s second term, to deal with literally thousands of bills through the winter and into the spring and the June 7 adjournment deadline.
“We ran on our fiscal record of balanced budgets, historic tax cuts and strong budget reserves as well as generational issues like
choice, mental health and education — and we had great candidates,” Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said Wednesday morning. “I look forward to working with the new House Democratic Caucus and the entire House membership as we prepare for the 2023 legislative session. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Democrats, who currently have 97-54 and 23-13 majorities in the House and Senate, respectively, were
expecting to at least retain their current memberships, depending on potential recounts. In the 151st House district of Greenwich, Democrat Hector Arzeno defeated Republican Peter Sherr, according to unofficial returns that indicate it’s the first time that a Democrat will claim that seat.
Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said Wednesday afternoon that all incumbent members of his caucus, except Fiorello, won reelection, so it seems to be another 97-54 split. “Republicans continue to pick up voters who take showers after they go to work, not before,” he said. He said that while wealthier people can afford to focus more on social and cultural issues, working-class are worried about the economy, inflation and jobs.
Republicans haven’t had complete control of a chamber since the Senate, during the 1995-1996 legislature following the election of Republican Gov. John Rowland, who resigned from office in June 2004 before pleading guilty to federal corruption charges and going to prison.
Lamont said Wednesday morning that he will work with the Democratic majorities, and Republicans too.
“I’m happy with our General Assembly, I’m happy with our state Senate,” he said. “I like people who are constructive, I like people who come up with solutions and I don’t have all the solutions, it’s a big table. I’m happy to have Republicans if they want to be constructive, please sit down and work through some of the challenges we face. That’s been my motto ever since day one.”