Whit Betts
Whit Betts (Republican Party) was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing District 78. He assumed office in 2011. He left office on January 4, 2023.
Betts (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Connecticut House of Representatives to represent District 78. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Biography
Whit Betts earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Eisenhower College. His professional experience includes working as director of sales at Green Acres Farm based in Bristol, Connecticut.
Betts was first elected to represent District 78 of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2010. In the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions, Betts was appointed by House Republican Leader Themis Klarides to serve as House Republican Whip. Betts also served as a member on the Appropriations Committee, the Public Health Committee, and the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021-2022
Betts was assigned to the following committees:
- Appropriations Committee, Member
- Public Health Committee, Member
- Environment Committee, Member
2019-2020
Betts was assigned to the following committees:
- Internship Committee (Decommissioned)
- Higher Education and Employment Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- Public Health Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Higher Education and Employment Advancement |
| • Public Health |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Betts served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Higher Education and Employment Advancement, Ranking Member |
| • Program Review and Investigations |
| • Public Health |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Betts served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Children, Ranking Member |
| • Public Health |
| • Transportation |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Betts served on these committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Aging |
| • Appropriations |
| • Children |
| • Public Health |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
Whit Betts did not file to run for re-election.
2020
See also: Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 78
Incumbent Whit Betts defeated Aileen Abrams in the general election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 78 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Whit Betts (R) | 74.9 | 8,376 | |
 | Aileen Abrams (Independent Party)  | 25.1 | 2,801 | |
| Total votes: 11,177 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Whit Betts advanced from the Republican primary for Connecticut House of Representatives District 78.
2018
In addition to running as a Republican Party candidate, Betts cross-filed to also run with the Independent Party in 2018.[2]
General election
General election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 78
Incumbent Whit Betts defeated Allen Marko in the general election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 78 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Whit Betts (R) | 67.7 | 6,086 | |
| Allen Marko (D) | 32.3 | 2,900 | ||
| Total votes: 8,986 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
Elections for the Connecticut House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.
Incumbent Whit Betts defeated Krystal Myers in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 78 general election.[3]
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 78 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Whit Betts Incumbent |
62.98% | 7,018 | |
| Democratic | Krystal Myers | 37.02% | 4,125 | |
| Total Votes | 11,143 | |||
| Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State | ||||
Krystal Myers ran unopposed in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 78 Democratic primary.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 78 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Krystal Myers (unopposed) | |
Incumbent Whit Betts ran unopposed in the Connecticut House of Representatives District 78 Republican primary.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 78 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Whit Betts Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Connecticut House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 12, 2014, and a general election on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 10, 2014. Dan Santorso was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Whit Betts was unopposed in the Republican primary. Betts defeated Santorso in the general election.[4][5]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Whit Betts Incumbent |
61.6% | 4,754 | |
| Democratic | Dan Santorso | 31% | 2,393 | |
| Independent | Whit Betts Incumbent |
4.2% | 327 | |
| Working Families | Dan Santorso | 3.1% | 242 | |
| Total Votes | 7,716 | |||
2012
Betts ran in the 2012 election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 78. Betts ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012. He defeated Daniel Santorso (D) and George Langer (WF) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[6][7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Whit Betts Incumbent |
60% | 5,908 | |
| Democratic | Daniel Santorso | 36.4% | 3,582 | |
| Working Families | George Langer | 3.7% | 360 | |
| Total Votes | 9,850 | |||
2010
Betts was uncontested in the August 10 primary. He defeated Democrat Richard G. Covello in the November 2 general election.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 78 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Whit Betts (R)
|
4,685 | |||
| Richard G. Covello (D) | 2,750 | |||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Whit Betts did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
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Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Connecticut scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Connecticut State Legislature was in session from February 9 to May 4.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to labor policy.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Connecticut State Legislature was in session from January 6 to June 9.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Connecticut State Legislature was in session from February 5 to May 6. The legislature held a special session from July 21 to July 27.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 9 through June 5.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 7 to May 9.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 4 through June 7. The legislature held a veto session on July 24. The legislature held its first special session on July 31. The legislature held its second special session from September 14 to September 16. The legislature held another special session on October 3. State lawmakers held their fourth special session from October 25 to October 26. The legislature met again in special session from November 14 to November 15.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 3 through May 4. The Legislature held a special session from May 12-13 to pass the state budget.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 7 through June 3.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 5 to May 7.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 9 to June 5. Ballotpedia staff did not find any state legislative scorecards published for this state in 2013. If you are aware of one, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org to let us know. |
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 8 to May 9.
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See also
2020 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, “Representative Whit Betts” accessed October 14, 2019
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "2018 List of Candidates," accessed October 29, 2018
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Election Night Reporting, 2016 General Election," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official primary and general election results," accessed November 26, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Candidate list," accessed June 19, 2012
- ↑ CBS Connecticut, "2012 Primary Results," August 14, 2012
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Election Results 2012," accessed November 21, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Connecticut House of Representatives District 78 2011-2023 |
Succeeded by Joe Hoxha (R) |
