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Notable Connecticut races, 2016

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Notable Connecticut Races
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PrimaryAugust 9, 2016
GeneralNovember 8, 2016
2016 Notable Races
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Ballotpedia identified seven notable Connecticut state legislative races in 2016.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Democrats held a state government trifecta heading into the election.
  • Two legislative races in swing districts featured candidate rematches.
  • Democratic challengers targeted three vulnerable Republican freshmen.

    • Overview

    Main articles: Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2016 and Connecticut State Senate elections, 2016

    All 151 state House seats and all 36 state Senate seats were up for election in 2016.

    Partisan breakdown of the Connecticut Legislature
    Party Republicans Democrats Vacancies
    Connecticut House 64 seats 86 seats 1 seat
    Connecticut Senate 15 seats 21 seats 0 seats

    Democrats had held a state government trifecta since 2011, meaning they controlled the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature. They aimed to keep total control of the state government following the November election. Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) was not up for election in 2016, and Republicans would have had to gain 12 seats to win a majority in the House and four seats to win a majority in the Senate.

    Republicans targeted Democratic incumbents in three swing districts in their bid for control of the Senate: Senate District 13, Senate District 17, and Senate District 29.[1][2] Two of those races—in Senate District 13 and Senate District 29—were reruns of previous candidate matchups.[1][2][3] The open race in swing Senate District 18 attracted a competitive field.[1][2] Democratic challengers targeted vulnerable Republican freshmen in House District 38, House District 41, and House District 117.[1][2]

    What makes a race notable?

    Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable races:

    • Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
    • Rematches between candidates
    • Races that receive considerable media attention
    • Races that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
    • Competitive races involving party leaders
    • Open, competitive races with Republican and Democratic primaries
    • Races that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements

    Know of an interesting race we should include here? Email us!

    Notable general elections

    House District 38 - General election

    A Democratic candidate and a Green Party candidate targeted the freshman Republican incumbent.

    Incumbent Kathleen M. McCarty (R) defeated Sharon Palmer (D) and Lauren Shaw (Green Party) in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 38 general election.[4] McCarty, who won the District 38 seat in 2014, received support for her 2016 bid from the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.[2][3] Palmer was endorsed by the Connecticut AFL-CIO, and Green Party candidate Lauren Shaw had the backing of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.[5][6] McCarty and Palmer both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]


    House District 41 - General election

    A Democratic candidate targeted the freshman Republican incumbent.

    Democratic candidate Joe de la Cruz defeated Rep. Aundré Bumgardner (R) in the general election for House District 41.[7] Bumgardner, who won the District 41 seat in 2014, received support for his 2016 bid from the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.[2][3][6] De la Cruz had the backing of the Connecticut AFL-CIO.[5] Bumgardner and de la Cruz both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]

    House District 110 - General election

    A Republican candidate targeted the Democratic incumbent.

    Rep. Bob Godfrey (D) defeated challenger Emanuela Palmares (R) in the general election for House District 110.[8][3] Palmares and Godfrey both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]

    This district was included in the Republican State Leadership Committee's list of "16 in '16: Races to Watch." Read more »

    House District 117 - General election

    A Democratic candidate targeted the freshman Republican incumbent.

    Rep. Charles Ferraro (R) defeated challenger Sean Ronan in the general election for House District 117.[9] Ferraro, who won the District 117 seat in 2014, received support for his 2016 bid from the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.[2][3] Ferraro and Ronan both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]


    Senate District 13 - General election

    A Republican candidate challenged the Democratic incumbent in a swing district to a rematch.

    Former Sen. Len Suzio (R) challenged Sen. Danté Bartolomeo (D) to a second rematch in swing Senate District 13.[1][2][3][10] Suzio won the District 13 seat in a 2011 special election, but lost it to Bartolomeo in 2012.[10][11] He also lost a repeat matchup against Bartolomeo in 2014.[3] Bartolomeo had the backing of the Connecticut AFL-CIO and the Connecticut Education Association in her 2016 bid.[2][12] Suzio received support from the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.[2][6] Bartolomeo and Suzio both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]


    Senate District 17 - General election

    A Republican candidate challenged the Democratic incumbent in a swing district.

    Republican candidate George Logan challenged Sen. Joseph Crisco (D) in swing Senate District 17.[1][2] Crisco had the backing of the Connecticut Education Association in his 2016 bid.[12] Crisco and Logan both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]

    This district was included in the Republican State Leadership Committee's list of "16 in '16: Races to Watch." Read more »

    Senate District 18 - General election

    A Republican candidate and a Democratic candidate competed for the open seat vacated by a Democratic incumbent.

    Heather Somers (R) defeated Former Rep. Timothy Bowles (D) after Sen. Andrew Maynard (D), who suffered severe brain damage in a fall in 2014 and a concussion in a car accident in 2016, did not run for re-election to his Senate District 18 seat in 2016.[13][14] Bowles had the backing of the Connecticut AFL-CIO in his 2016 bid.[5] Somers received support from the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.[2][6] Bowles and Somers both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]


    Senate District 29 - General election

    A Republican candidate challenged the Democratic incumbent in a swing district to a rematch.

    Sen. Mae Flexer (D) defeated Republican challenger John French in the general election for Senate District 29.[15] The race represented a rematch between Flexer and French.[2][3] In 2014, then-Rep. Flexer defeated French in the open race for the District 29 seat.[3] Flexer had the backing of the Connecticut Education Association in her 2016 bid.[12] French received support from the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.[2][6] Flexer and French both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.[1]

    Freshman legislators

    The following is a list of challengers who won election on November 8.

    1. Adam Dunsby (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 135
    2. Alphonse Paolillo (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 97
    3. Anne Dauphinais (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 44
    4. Brian Ohler (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 64
    5. Carol Hall (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 59
    6. Chris Soto (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 39
    7. Christine Conley (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 40
    8. Christopher Ziogas (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 79
    9. Craig Fishbein (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 90
    10. Craig Miner (Republican), .Connecticut State Senate, District 30
    11. David Wilson (Connecticut) (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 66
    12. Derek Slap (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 19
    13. George Logan (Connecticut) (Republican), .Connecticut State Senate, District 17
    14. Greg Stokes (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 58
    15. Heather Somers (Republican), .Connecticut State Senate, District 18
    16. Holly Cheeseman (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 37
    17. Joe de la Cruz (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 41
    18. John Fusco (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 81
    19. Joshua Elliott (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 88
    20. Kevin Skulczyck (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 45
    21. Len Suzio (Republican), .Connecticut State Senate, District 13
    22. Liz Linehan (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 103
    23. Michael DiMassa (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 116
    24. Michael Ferguson (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 138
    25. Michael Winkler (Connecticut) (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 56
    26. Nicole Klarides-Ditria (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 105
    27. Pat Boyd (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 50
    28. Robert Siegrist (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 36
    29. Robin Green (Connecticut) (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 55
    30. Scott Storms (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 60
    31. Stephanie Cummings (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 74
    32. Tom Delnicki (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 14
    33. William Buckbee (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 67
    34. William Duff (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 2
    35. William Petit (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 22

    Defeated incumbents

    The following is a list of incumbents who were defeated on November 8.

    1. Aundre Bumgardner (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 41
    2. Christine Rosati Randall (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 44
    3. Dante Bartolomeo (Democratic), .Connecticut State Senate District 13
    4. David Alexander, Connecticut (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 58
    5. David Zoni (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 81
    6. Elizabeth A. Boukus (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 22
    7. John F. Scott (Republican), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 40
    8. Joseph Crisco (Democratic), .Connecticut State Senate District 17
    9. Phil Miller (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 36
    10. Theresa Conroy (Democratic), .Connecticut House of Representatives, District 105

    See also

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission, "Candidate Registration List for Election Year 2016," accessed August 4, 2016
    2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 The Connecticut Mirror, "CBIA Targets Swing Districts, Tries to Tilt CT Senate to GOP," August 3, 2016
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Connecticut Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote, General Election, November 4, 2014
    4. ↑ New York Times, "Connecticut 38th District," accessed November 11, 2016
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Connecticut AFL-CIO, "Full Endorsement List from Connecticut AFL-CIO Convention," June 10, 2016
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Connecticut Citizens Defense League, "2016 Candidate Endorsements," June 29, 2016
    7. ↑ New York Times, "Connecticut 41st District," accessed November 11, 2016
    8. ↑ New York Times, "Connecticut 110th District," accessed November 11, 2016
    9. ↑ New York Times, "Connecticut 117th District," accessed November 11, 2016
    10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Connecticut Secretary of State, "11/06/2012-General, Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016
    11. ↑ The Connecticut Mirror, "Democrats Hold 7 of 9 Legislative Seats in Special Elections," February 22, 2011
    12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Connecticut Education Association, "Endorsed Candidates for the Upcoming 2016 Election," accessed August 4, 2016
    13. ↑ New York Times, "Connecticut 18th District," accessed November 11, 2016
    14. ↑ Hartford Courant, "Injured CT Sen. Maynard Will Leave Senate After Earning Medical Coverage," February 23, 2016
    15. ↑ New York Times, "Connecticut 29th District," accessed November 11, 2016
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