August 9 Connecticut Primary Election Results

Party slates for Connecticut’s general election are close to being completed.

While voters took to the polls in low numbers on August 9, there were a few close races.

A recount will decide the 127th District Democratic primary candidate.

Congressional Primary Results

Connecticut Republicans nominated National Committeewoman Leora Levy for U.S. Senate. 

Recently endorsed by former President Donald Trump, she defeated former state house of representatives minority leader and GOP nominee Themis Klarides and Fairfield attorney Peter Lumaj. 

Levy will challenge Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal in November. 

Former Darien first selectman Jayme Stevenson defeated Michael Goldstein in the 4th U.S. House District Republican primary. 

She will face seven-term Democratic incumbent Congressman Jim Himes in the general election. 

Congressional Seat	Democratic Candidate	Republican Candidate
U.S. Senate		Themis Klarides* 40% Leora R. Levy 51% Peter Lumaj 9%
4th U.S. House		Jayme Stevenson* 60% Michael Goldstein 40%

*party endorsed candidate, +incumbent

Statewide Primary Results

Democratic state representative Stephanie Thomas and Republican Apple executive Dominic Rapini will face off to be Connecticut’s next secretary of the state. 

Thomas, a freshman legislator, defeated New Haven director of health Maritza Bond for the Democratic party seat. 

Rapini clinched the Republican primary race over state representative Terrie Wood. 

In a three-way race for the Democratic state treasurer nomination, Erick Russell was the victor in the primary, defeating Dita Bhargava and Karen DuBois-Walton.

He will face Republican state representative Harry Arora in the general election.

Statewide Office	Democratic Candidate	Republican Candidate
Secretary of the State	Stephanie Thomas* 76% Maritza Bond 24%	Dominic Rapini* 58% Terrie Wood 42%
Treasurer	Erick Russell* 58% Dita Bhargava 23% Karen DuBois-Walton 20%

*Party endorsed candidate

State Senate Primary Elections

Herron Gaston, a local Methodist Church leader and political activist, won the 23rd Senate District primary, defeating second-term incumbent Dennis Bradley in a close race.

The Democratic Senate leadership recently stripped Bradley of his committee leadership assignments last spring after he was federally indicted. 

Senate District	Democratic Candidate	Republican Candidate
23rd (Bridgeport, Stratford)	Herron Gaston* 52% Dennis Bradley+ 48%

*party endorsed candidate, +incumbent

State House Primaries

There were a number of close primary races for party seats in the state house of representatives.

Attorney Melissa Osborne upset party-endorsed candidate Eric Wellman in the 16th House District Democratic primary in a tight race. 

John Olin easily won the 34th House District Democratic primary over Kurt Comisky.

In a close race for the 69th House District Republican primary, first-term incumbent state representative Cindy Harrison (R-Southbury) defeated Southbury selectman Jason Buchsbaum. 

Active GOP operative Joe Hoxha won the Republican primary for the 78th House District over small business banker Aileen Abrams. 

Vice chair of the Guilford board of education Moira Rader will be on the 98th House District Democratic ballot after defeating human rights activist Andy Gottlieb.

In New Haven, incumbent state representative Treneé McGee defeated supply chain and IT consultant Joseph Miller in the 116th House District Democratic primary. 

Nine-term state representative Jack Hennessy (D-Bridgeport) and city councilman Marcus Brown await a recount to see who will claim the primary win with just a handful of votes separating the two. 

House District	Democratic Candidate	Republican Candidate
16th (Simsbury)	Eric Wellman* 49% Melissa Osborne 51%
34th (East Haddam, East Hampton, Colchester)	Kurt Comisky 18% John Olin 82%
69th (Bridgewater, Roxbury, Washington, Southbury)		Jason Buchsbaum* 49% Cindy Harrison 51%
78th (Plymouth, Bristol)		Joe Hoxha* 75% Aileen Abrams 25%
98th (Guilford, Branford)	Moira Rader* 70% Andy Gottlieb 30%
116th (New Haven, West Haven)	Treneé McGee*+ 64% Joseph Miller 36%
127th (Bridgeport)	Marcus Brown* 50.2% Jack Hennessy+ 49.8%

*party endorsed candidate, +incumbent