Elections for the office of Connecticut State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 12, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008.
Qualifications
Article III, Section 3 of the Connecticut Constitution states: The senate shall consist of not less than thirty and not more than fifty members, each of whom shall be an elector residing in the senatorial district from which he is elected. Each senatorial district shall be contiguous as to territory and shall elect no more than one senator.
Campaign contributions
During the 2008 election, the total contributions to House candidates was $5,410,734. The top 10 contributors were:[1]
| 2008 Donors, Connecticut State Senate
|
| Donor
|
Amount
|
| Public Fund
|
$4,195,185
|
| Senate Democrats Victory PAC
|
$21,279
|
| Democrats for New Leadership
|
$18,647
|
| House Exploratory Cmte
|
$6,985
|
| Democratic Senate Majority
|
$6,937
|
| Bridgeport Democratic Town Cmte
|
$4,580
|
| Simsbury Democratic Town Cmte
|
$4,393
|
| Connecticut Education Association
|
$3,000
|
| Afscme Council 4
|
$3,000
|
| Michael Renzullo Senate Campaign
|
$2,543
|
List of candidates
District 1
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- John W. Fonfara: 2,511
a
- Ed Vargas: 1,661
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Barbara J. Ruhe
a
August 12 Green primary candidates:
- S. Michael DeRosa
a
November 4 General election candidates:
John W. Fonfara: 18,898 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Fonfara ran on the Working Families ticket.
Barbara J. Ruhe: 4,027
S. Michael DeRosa: 1,109
District 2
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Eric D. Coleman
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Veronica Airey-Wilson
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Eric D. Coleman: 27,321 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Coleman ran on the Working Families ticket.
Veronica Airey-Wilson: 8,123
District 3
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Gary D. LeBeau
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
Gary D. LeBeau: 32,912 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, LeBeau ran on the Working Families ticket.
District 4
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Mary Ann Handley
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- David H. Blackwell
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Mary Ann Handley: 28,573 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Handley ran on the Working Families ticket.
David H. Blackwell: 20,282
District 5
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Jonathan A. Harris
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Joseph Merritt
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Jonathan A. Harris: 36,040
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Harris ran on the Working Families ticket.
Joseph Merritt: 14,807
District 6
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Donald J. DeFronzo
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Thomas A. Bozek
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Donald J. DeFronzo: 22,079 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, DeFronzo ran on the Working Families ticket.
Thomas A. Bozek: 9,941
District 7
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- George Colli
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- John A. Kissel
a
November 4 General election candidates:
George Colli: 19,870
John A. Kissel: 24,206 
Note: In addition to running as a Republican, Kissel ran on the Working Families ticket.
District 8
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Arthur H. House
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Kevin D. Witkos: 2,154
a
- Moira Wertheimer: 760
November 4 General election candidates:
Arthur H. House: 23,627 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, House ran on the Working Families ticket.
Kevin D. Witkos: 26,853
District 9
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Paul R. Doyle
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Ralph Capenera
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Paul R. Doyle: 27,488 
Ralph Capenera: 20,089
District 10
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Toni N. Harp
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Melissa Papantones
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Toni N. Harp: 25,586 
Melissa Papantones: 2,836
District 11
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Martin M. Looney
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
Martin M. Looney: 29,426 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Looney ran on the Working Families ticket.
District 12
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Edward Meyer
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Ryan Suerth
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Edward Meyer: 30, 565
Ryan Suerth: 20,430
District 13
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Thomas P. Gaffey
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Tim Lenox
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Thomas P. Gaffey: 30,476 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Gaffey ran on the Working Families ticket.
Tim Lenox: 10,543
District 14
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Gayle Slossberg
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Vincent Marino
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Gayle Slossberg: 28,248 
Vincent Marino: 16,776
District 15
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Joan V. Hartley
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
August 12 Independent primary candidates:
- Cicero B. Booker Jr.
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Joan V. Hartley: 21,839 
Cicero B. Booker Jr.: 5,338
Note: In addition to running as an Independent, Booker, Jr., ran on the Working Families ticket.
District 16
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Sam S.F. Caligiuri
a
August 12 Independent primary candidates:
- Mark A. Orsini
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Sam S.F. Caligiuri: 25,362 
Mark A. Orsini: 7,784
District 17
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Joe Crisco
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Tamath K. Rossi
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Joe Crisco: 25,553 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Crisco ran on the Working Families ticket.
Tamath K. Rossi: 13,659
District 18
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Andrew M. Maynard
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Anne P. Hatfield
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Andrew M. Maynard: 27,389 
Anne P. Hatfield: 13,189
District 19
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Edith G. Prague
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
Edith G. Prague: 32,458 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Prague ran on the Working Families ticket.
Marianne M. Allard (Write-in): 0
Thomas Foley, Jr. (Write-in): 0
District 20
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Andrea L. Stillman
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Thomas C. Simones
a
August 12 Libertarian primary candidates:
- Marc L. Guttman
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Andrea L. Stillman: 29,808 
Thomas C. Simones: 13,547
Marc L. Guttman: 700
District 21
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Janice Andersen
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Dan Debicella
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Janice Andersen: 21,334
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Andersen ran on the Working Families ticket.
Dan Debicella: 24,925 
District 22
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Anthony J. Musto: 1,915
a
- Marilyn Moore: 1,656
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Robert D. Russo
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Anthony J. Musto: 21,747 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Musto ran on the Working Families ticket.
Robert D. Russo: 17,994
David N. Moore (Write-in): 0
District 23
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Edwin A. Gomes
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Milton Johnson
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Edwin A. Gomes: 21,213 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Gomes ran on the Working Families ticket.
Milton Johnson: 2,308
District 24
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Duane E. Perkins: 1,024
a
- Terry L. Tierney: 161
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Michael A. McLachlan
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Duane E. Perkins: 17,536
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Perkins ran on the Working Families ticket.
Michael A. McLachlan: 19,262 
Note: In addition to running as a Republican, McLachlan ran on the Independent ticket.
Manuel A. Bataguas (Petitioning): 516
District 25
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Bob Duff
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Steve Papadakos
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Bob Duff: 28,807 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Duff ran on the Working Families ticket.
Steve Papadakos: 12,473
District 26
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- John Hartwell
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Toni Boucher
a
November 4 General election candidates:
John Hartwell: 25,569
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Hartwell ran on the Working Families ticket.
Toni Boucher: 28,704 
District 27
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Andrew J. McDonald
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
Andrew J. McDonald: 25,946 
David Bedell (Write-in): 0
District 28
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Martin A. Goldberg
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- John McKinney
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Martin A. Goldberg: 19,802
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Goldberg ran on the Working Families ticket.
John McKinney: 31,627 
District 29
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Donald E. Williams
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Harry Carboni
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Donald E. Williams: 27,733 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Williams ran on the Working Families ticket.
Harry Carboni: 9,163
District 30
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Michael J. Renzullo
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Andrew Roraback
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Michael J. Renzullo: 17,183
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Renzullo ran on the Working Families ticket.
Andrew Roraback: 32,285 
District 31
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Thomas A. Colapietro
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
November 4 General election candidates:
Thomas A. Colapietro: 29,229 
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, Colapietro ran on the Working Families ticket.
District 32
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- John McCarthy
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Robert J. Kane
a
November 4 General election candidates:
John McCarthy: 22,432
Note: In addition to running as a Democrat, McCarthy ran on the Working Families ticket.
Robert J. Kane: 28,571 
District 33
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Eileen M. Daily
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Vincent A. Pacileo III
a
August 12 Green primary candidates:
- Colin D. Bennett
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Eileen M. Daily: 30,326 
Vincent A. Pacileo III: 17,624
Colin D. Bennett: 1,682
District 34
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Leonard A. Fasano
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Leonard A. Fasano: 31,122 
Note: In addition to running as a Republican, Fasano ran on the Working Families ticket.
District 35
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- Tony Guglielmo
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Tony Guglielmo: 34,822 
District 36
August 12 Democratic primary candidates:
- Mark Diamond
a
August 12 Republican primary candidates:
- L. Scott Frantz
a
August 12 Green primary candidates:
- Zachary A. Chaves
a
November 4 General election candidates:
Mark Diamond: 17,912
L. Scott Frantz: 26,308 
Zachary A. Chaves: 975
See also
External links
Leadership
Majority Leader:Bob Duff
Minority Leader:Stephen Harding
Senators
Democratic Party (25)
Republican Party (11)