Connecticut Democrats appear to be keeping their state Senate majority 24-12 after Tuesday’s election, despite some close races and some votes still being counted Wednesday.
The 8th, 22nd, and 29th districts may see new state senators, while incumbents kept their seats in most other districts in the state.
File Photo: Sen. Mae Flexer Credit: File Photo / CTNewsJunkie
Republican challenger Chris Reddy appears to have unseated Democratic incumbent Mae Flexer in the 29th District, according to unofficial numbers from the Secretary of the State’s office, but votes were still being counted Wednesday afternoon.
In the 8th District, Democratic challenger Paul Honig is expected to beat incumbent Republican Lisa Seminara, although votes for that district were not fully tallied by midday Wednesday.
Democrat Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox declared victory in state 22nd District, a seat formerly held by Democrat Marilyn Moore, but the Associated Press and the New York Times had not yet called a winner in the race, and votes were still coming in.
In a tight race between Republican incumbent Tony Hwang and his Democratic challenger Rob Blanchard in the 34th District, Hwang was eventually able to declare a narrow victory Wednesday.
Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, at a press conference on Feb. 16, 2023 Credit: Hugh McQuaid / CTNewsJunkie
As of early Wednesday afternoon, 4 out of the 36 races had incomplete numbers and a winner was not yet clear. The Secretary of the State’s office showed not all votes in those districts had been counted yet.
Democrats have held control over the state Senate since the mid-1990s.
Five state senators – three Democrats and two Republicans – ran unopposed this year.
Here’s an update from each state Senate district, based on information from the Associated Press and the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s unofficial numbers:
- Democratic incumbent John Fonfara won re-election in the 1st district against Green Party challenger Luis Delgado.
- Democratic incumbent Douglas McCrory won re-election in the 2nd districtagainst Republican challenger Kristin Hoffman.
- Democratic incumbent Saud Anwar won re-election in the 3rd district over Republican challenger Matt Siracusa.
- Democratic incumbent MD Rahman won re-election in the 4th district over Republican challenger Stephen King.
- Democratic incumbent Derek Slap won re-election in the 5th district against Republican Kyla Zimmermann.
- Democratic incumbent Rick Lopes won re-election for the 6th district over Republican Tremell Collins.
- Republican incumbent John Kissel won re-election in the 7th district over Democratic challenger Cynthia Mangini.
- Democratic challenger Paul Honig is expected to beat incumbent Republican Lisa Seminara in the 8th district.
- Democratic incumbent Matt Lesser won re-election in the 9th district. He ran unopposed.
- Democratic incumbent Gary Winfield won re-election in the 10th district against Republican challenger Nyrell Moore.
- Democratic incumbent Martin Looney won re-election in the 11th district against Republican challenger Steven Orosco.
- Democratic incumbent Christine Cohen won re-election in the 12th districtagainst Republican challenger Paul Crisci.
- Democratic incumbent Jan Hochadel won re-election in the 13th district over Republican challenger Elain Cariati.
- Democratic incumbent James Maroney won re-election in the 14th district over Republican challenger Steven Johnstone.
- Democratic incumbent Joan Hartley won re-election to the 15th district. She ran unopposed.
- Republican incumbent Rob Sampson won re-election in the 16th district against Democratic challenger Christopher Robertson.
- Democratic incumbent Jorge Cabrera won re-election in the 17th district. He ran unopposed.
- Republican incumbent Heather Somers won re-election in the 18th district over Democratic challenger Andrew Parella.
- Democratic incumbent Catherine Osten won re-election in the 19th district over Republican challenger Jason Guidone.
- Democratic incumbent Martha Marx won re-election in the 20th district over Republican challenger Shaun Mastroianni.
- Republican incumbent Kevin Kelly won re-election in the 21st district. He ran unopposed.
- The 22nd district is still too close to call between Democrat Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox and Republican Chris Carrena, but Gadkar-Wilcox has declared victory.
- Democratic incumbent Herron Gaston won re-election in the 23rd district over Republican challenger Brian Banacowski.
- Democratic incumbent Julie Kushner won re-election in the 24th district over Republican challenger Michelle Coelho.
- Democratic incumbent Bob Duff won re-election in the 25th district against Republican challenger Martin Tagliaferro.
- Democratic incumbent Ceci Maher won re-election in the 26th district against Republican Kami Evans.
- Democratic incumbent Patricia Miller won re-election in the 27th district against Republican Nicole Tarzia.
- Republican incumbent Tony Hwang won re-election in the 28th district against Democratic challenger Rob Blanchard.
- Republican challenger Chris Reddy unseated Democratic incumbent Mae Flexer in the 29th district race.
- Republican incumbent Stephen Harding is leading the race for the 30th districtagainst Democratic challenger Justin Potter.
- Republican incumbent Henri Martin won re-election in the 31st district. He ran unopposed.
- Republican incumbent Eric Berthel won re-election in the 32nd district over Democratic challenger Jeff Desmarais.
- Democratic incumbent Norm Needleman won re-election in the 33rd districtover Republican Jeffery Duigou.
- Republican incumbent Paul Cicarella is leading the race for the 34th district against Democrat Brandi Mandato.
- Republican incumbent Jeff Gordon won re-election in the 35th district against Democratic challenger Merry Garrett.
- Republican incumbent Ryan Fazio won re-election in the 36th district against Democrat Nick Simmons.
Democratic incumbent Norm Needleman stops to chat with a reporter at East Hampton’s busy polling location. He won re-election in the 33rd District over Republican challenger Jeffery Duigou. Credit: Doug Hardy / CTNewsJunkie