There weren’t many upsets in local races Tuesday, but at least some were still too close to call.
In West Haven, incumbent Mayor Nancy Rossi was only ahead by 24 votes, according to unofficial results. Republican challenger City Councillor Barry Lee Cohen refused to concede after Rossi claimed victory.
The race in that city tightened when Rossi was left to answer for the arrest last month of Michael DiMassa, a city hall worker and Democratic state representative, who allegedly stole federal pandemic relief funding. There’s expected to be a recount.
In Stamford, Democratic state Rep. Caroline Simmons was locked in a battle with former baseball manager Bobby Valentine, who ran as an unaffiliated candidate. The race came down to about 6,000 absentee ballots.
Simmons pulled off a victory and Valentine conceded early Wednesday morning.
In Danbury, Republican Dean Esposito defeated first-term Democratic Councilman Roberto Alves Tuesday. Esposito’s victory means Republicans were able to hold onto the seat for an 11th term. It was an open seat because Republican Mark Boughton stepped down to take a job with Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration.
New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart held off a challenge from Democratic state Rep. Bobby Sanchez. Unofficial results show Stewart was up at least 2,000 votes over Sanchez who conceded around 9 p.m.
In New Haven, Democratic Mayor Justin rolled to a second term Tuesday, defeating Republican Town Chairman John Carlson in all 30 of the city’s wards.
Elicker defeated Carlson — the first Republican mayoral candidate in 14 years — by 9,936 to 1,638 votes, or 84 to 13 percent based on tallies from all the city’s voting precincts.
Hamden continued its progression to a deep-blue town as Democrat Lauren Garrett won election as mayor. Republican Ron Gambardella, along with two write-in candidates: Al Lotto, who actively sought votes, and incumbent Mayor Curt Leng, who didn’t.
In Guilford, Republicans who promised to keep critical race theory out of the schools lost their bid for seats on the board of education, according to unofficial results.
Educators say critical race theory is not being taught in Connecticut’s K-12 schools.
