With final official vote tallies still outstanding in several communities, preliminary results seem to show Republicans maintaining a stronghold in mostly Democratic towns like Middletown and New Britain and picking up seats in several communities like Stamford, Stratford, and Trumbull.
Democratic candidates held onto seats in East Haven, New Haven, Waterbury, and Haddam, and won the First Selectman’s seat in Seymour.
Republican Party Chairman Chris Healy was tweeting results to let his followers know that Republican Michael Pavia won Stamford’s mayoral contest, Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano won re-election, and New Britain Mayor Timothy Stewart won a fourth term by less than a hundred votes.
In an email to supporters Healy said Pavia’s victory was the “biggest win.” Pavia will now serve a four-year term, managing Connecticut’s fourth largest city, Healy said.
Other change-over wins for the Republicans include Tim Herbst in Trumbull, David Campbell in Darien, State Rep. John Harkins in Stratford, Joe Mazza in Guilford, former State Rep. Peter Nystrom in Norwich, Fillmore McPherson in Madison and Anthony Candalora in North Branford.
Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said in a phone interview that she didn’t think there was any theme to the preliminary results, which seemed to show Republicans gaining ground in a Blue State.
“Each town has its own local issues,” DiNardo said. “In economic times people were looking for change.”
Healy wasn’t immediately available for comment Tuesday evening or he was too busy tweeting to return his calls, but it looks as if Republicans seemed to gain some ground. And while Democrats maintained a number of seats they also lost some, including Trumbull where DiNardo lives.
In Trumbull Herbst ousted Democratic incumbent Raymond Baldwin in the race for first selectman.
For official results in all the local races check out the Secretary of State’s web site on Wednesday.