Partisan composition in Connecticut’s legislature remains unchanged after two special elections on Tuesday night. A Republican has been elected to replace a Republican in a Senate race in the Southwest part of the state, and a Democrat has been elected to replace a Democrat in a House race in Southeast CT, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of the State’s office.
Democrats have a 102-49 majority in the House, which they’ve controlled since 1986. The party has controlled the Senate since 1996 and currently has a 25-11 majority.
21st Senate District
Connecticut State Representative Jason Perillo (R) from Shelton is moving to the upper chamber.
The longtime Republican representative was elected to the State Senate in a special election on Tuesday night. He defeated Democrat Anthony Afryie, a Stratford Town Council Member and press staffer for U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro.
The seat represents Shelton, Monroe, Stratford, and parts of Seymour.
Perillo will replace former state senator Kevin Kelly, who was re-elected in November but did not take the oath of office. Kelly was instead appointed as a state Superior Court judge.
A special election to fill Perillo’s seat in the House will be announced.
40th House District
Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewski won a seat in the Connecticut State House of Representatives on Tuesday night.
He defeated Republican candidate Robert Boris, the chairman of Groton’s Economic Development Commission.
The seat represents parts of Groton and New London. It was previously held by state Rep. Christine Conley (D), who resigned to be appointed to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Conley had held the seat since 2017.
