U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal easily won a second term Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Dan Carter, a state representative from Bethel.
The Connecticut Democratic Party Chairman Nick Balletto congratulated Blumenthal in a statement eight minutes after polls closed. Blumenthal took the stage in the ballroom at the Hartford Hilton at 9:20 p.m. to thank his supporters and reiterate his support for women’s rights and efforts to change this nation’s gun laws.
He vowed to work across the the aisle with his Republican colleagues.
“I am looking to the fights ahead for consumers who are ripped off, for women who deserve equal pay for equal work and for people who need healthcare,” Blumenthal said in his acceptance speech.
He also said he was reminded of his immigrant father today as he crisscrossed the state campaigning.
“We are the strongest nation in the world because we build bridges, not walls,” Blumenthal said.
During his speech, Connecticut was called for Hillary Clinton, his friend from the Yale Law School Class of 1973.
Blumenthal was introduced by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman also addressed the crowd and thanked Blumenthal for his work in the U.S. Senate.
“From the state legislature to the attorney general’s office to the United States Senate, he has never wavered in his commitment to taking on special interests and standing up for the core values of the Democratic Party,” Balletto said. “Tonight’s decisive victory is a testament to Senator Blumenthal’s lifelong commitment to the people of Connecticut.”
Carter was outspent by Blumenthal by a nearly 13 to 1 margin.
According to campaign filings, Blumenthal spent about $4.12 million of the $7.16 million he raised, and Carter spent about $317,794 of $344,634 raised through Oct. 19. The two had only one televised debate and Carter struggled to engage Connecticut’s former Attorney General.
Early reports indicated that the five Democratic incumbents in Congress — U.S. Reps. John Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes, and Elizabeth Esty — were on their way to defeating their underfunded and largely unknown Republican challengers.
Larson was challenged by Republican Matt Corey in the 1st Congressional District, along with S. Michael DeRosa of the Green Party. It’s the third time Corey has tried to unseat Larson.
Courtney reportedly held off a challenge from Republican Daria Novak in the 2nd Congressional District, along with Green Party candidate Jonathan Pelto and Libertarian Daniel Reale.
DeLauro reportedly defeated Republican Angel Cadena in the 3rd Congressional District to win her 14th term in Congress.
Himes faced a challenge from Republican State Rep. John Shaban in the 4th Congressional District.
In the 5th Congressional District, Esty held off Clay Cope, the Republican First Selectman of Sherman.
None of the Republican Congressional candidates received help from the National Republican Campaign Committee this year.
Below are screengrabs of the Secretary of the State’s results showing results of the Congressional and U.S. Senate races in Connecticut with 38 precincts still partially reported:
