_
The race for Bridgeport’s two state Senate seats is heating up.
The 22nd district, currently represented by Marilyn Moore, had five Democrats garner enough support from delegates to appear on the ballot in August’s primary. In the 23rd district, currently represented by Herron Gaston, Bridgeport political veteran Ernie Newton missed qualifying for the primary by one delegate.
22nd district (Bridgeport, Trumbull, Monroe)
Five candidates are vying for the seat that will be left vacant by State Sen. Marilyn Moore. The Democratic Party won’t be endorsing a candidate for the race.
Delegate support was split between the five; Former Bridgeport City Councilman Tyler Mack (16), Quinnipiac professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox (13), former Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, who held the seat between 2001-2007 (11), Bridgeport Councilman Scott Burns (9) and state Housing Department Deputy Commissioner Shante Hanks (9).
Mack has been endorsed by Moore.
Finch left the position when he was elected mayor in 2007. He served until 2015, when current Mayor Joe Ganim won the seat back after a stint in prison.
Since each candidate received at least 15% of the delegates' support, they will all appear on the ballot in an open primary in August.
23rd district (Bridgeport, Stratford)
Incumbent State Sen. Herron Gaston (D-Bridgeport) clinched the Democratic nomination to keep his seat. Gaston, a pastor, has represented the district since 2022 and chairs the Public Safety Committee in the legislature.
He competed with Ernie Newton for the nomination, who held the seat between 2003 and 2005. Newton’s term ended when he was convicted of federal corruption charges and sentenced to prison.
Newton, who is currently serving on the City Council, also unsuccessfully ran for his old seat in 2012.
On Tuesday night, Newton was one vote short of clinching 15% of the vote— the percentage needed to appear on the primary ballot. Forty-nine delegates supported Gaston, and eight supported Newton.
He told NBC CT he'll collect signatures to petition his way onto the primary ballot in August.
