Your Guide to Connecticut’s August 14 Primaries
Registered Democratic and Republican voters head to the polls August 14 to determine party candidates for statewide offices—including governor—a number of state House and Senate races, and two U.S. congressional seats.
Polling places across the state will be open from 6 am to 8 pm. To be eligible to vote in party primary elections, you must be registered as a Democrat or Republican voter.
There is a three month waiting period to switch party affiliation. Unaffiliated voters are not eligible to vote in party primaries, but can enroll with either party at any time to vote in the primaries.
Connecticut has seen an unprecedented surge in voter registration—over 275,000 residents—since the 2016 elections.
As of June this year, there were 760,672 registered Democratic voters in Connecticut and 446,265 registered Republicans.
Independent or unaffiliated voters represent the largest voting bloc in the state—more than 143,000 people registered as unaffiliated since the 2016 elections, bringing the total number of independent voters to 857,111.
Governor’s Race
No contest will be more closely watched this year than the race to succeed Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy, who is not seeking reelection after two terms in office.
The August 14 primaries will determine which of two Democrat and five Republican hopefuls move on to the November 7 general election as their party’s candidate.
Greenwich business executive Ned Lamont and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim are on the Democratic Party primary ballot.
Lamont was endorsed at the party’s May convention, while Ganim successfully collected the 15,000-plus signatures needed to win a spot on the ballot.
Danbury mayor Mark Boughton is the endorsed Republican candidate, while former Trumbull first selectman Tim Herbst and Westport tech entrepreneur Steve Obsitnik both earned enough convention support to qualify for the primary.
Former Greenwich hedge fund manager David Stemerman and Madison business executive Bob Stefanowski petitioned their way onto the primary ballot after skipping the Republican convention in May.
“Most folks on both sides don’t think Connecticut is working,” says one candidate for the state's highest office. Says another: “It’s puzzling as to how and why and where we lost our way, but we lost our way.” https://t.co/qgRJEmCf4C #Election2018 #ctpolitics
— CBIA (@CBIANews) July 23, 2018
Other Statewide Races
Two Democrats and three Republicans are on the primary ballots for lieutenant governor, with Democratic incumbent Nancy Wyman not seeking reelection.
Former state legislator and secretary of state Susan Bysiewicz is the Democratic endorsed candidate. She faces Newtown community organizer Eva Bermudez Zimmerman.
State Senator Joe Markley won the GOP endorsement for lieutenant governor and faces Darien first selectman Jayme Stevenson and New Britain mayor Erin Stewart in the primary.
Democrat George Jepsen’s decision not to run again for attorney general set up a three-way Democratic primary between state senator Paul Doyle, former federal prosecutor Chris Mattei, and state representative William Tong, the endorsed candidate.
Former state prosecutor Sue Hatfield is the Republican’s endorsed candidate for attorney general and faces former state representative John Shaban.
Litchfield business executive Mark Greenberg faces Seymour first selectman Kurt Miller, who won the GOP endorsement, in the race to challenge Democrat incumbent Kevin Lembo for state comptroller.
The August 14 primaries will also decide party candidates to replace incumbent Democrat Denise Nappier, who is not seeking reelection as state treasurer.
Former Hartford City Council president Shawn Wooden and one-time Wall Street financier Dita Bhargava are the Democratic challengers, while retired Lakeville investment banker Thad Gray and state senator Art Linares (Westbrook) are on the Republican primary ballot.
| Statewide Office | Democratic Candidates | Republican Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| Governor | Joe Ganim Ned Lamont* | Mark Boughton* Tim Herbst Steve Obsitnik Bob Stefanowski David Stemerman |
| Lieutenant Governor | Susan Bysiewicz* Eva Bermudez Zimmerman | Joe Markley* Jayme Stevenson Erin Stewart |
| Attorney General | Paul Doyle Chris Mattei William Tong* | Sue Hatfield* John Shaban |
| Comptroller | Mark Greenberg Kurt Miller* |
|
| Treasurer | Dita Bhargava Shawn Wooden* | Thad Gray* Art Linares |
State Senate Primary Elections
Democratic candidates in five state Senate districts—in Fairfield, Hartford, Middlesex, and New Haven counties—face primaries to determine who will represent the party in the general election.
State representatives Tony Guerrera (Rocky Hill) and Matt Lesser (Middletown) are challenging for the 9th Senate District seat left vacant following incumbent Paul Doyle’s decision to run for attorney general. Guerrera is the endorsed candidate.
Former state representative Vickie Nardello won a court decision to join party-endorsed candidate Dagmara Scalise on the ballot in the 16th Senate District.
The winner will challenge GOP state representative Rob Sampson (Wolcott) in the general election to fill the seat now held by Republican Joe Markley, who is running for lieutenant governor.
Republican candidates in three state Senate districts also face primary elections August 14.
Rocky Hill Town Council minority leader Ed Charamut and University of Connecticut student Tyler Flanigan are seeking the GOP nomination in the 9th Senate District.
In Milford, state representative Pam Staneski faces Board of Aldermen minority leader Anthony Giannattasio to determine the party’s candidate for the 14th Senate District seat held by Democrat Gayle Slossberg, who is not running for reelection.
| Senate District | Democratic Candidates | Republican Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| 9th (Cromwell, Middletown, Newington, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield) | Tony Guerrera* Matt Lesser | Ed Charamut* Tyler Flanigan |
| 13th (Cheshire, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown) | Mary Daugherty Adams* Alex Tiktinsky | |
| 14th (Milford, Orange, West Haven, Woodbridge) | Anthony Giannattasio* Pam Staneski |
|
| 16th (Cheshire, Prospect, Southington, Waterbury, Wolcott) | Vickie Nardello Dagmara Scalise* | |
| 17th (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck, Woodbridge) | Jorge Cabrera* Sean Grace Valerie Horsley | |
| 23rd (Bridgeport, Stratford) | Dennis Bradley* Aaron Turner | John Rodriguez* Casimir Mizera |
| 34th (Durham, East Haven, North Haven, Wallingford) | Josh Balter Aili McKeen* |
State House Primaries
Five incumbent Democratic state representatives face primary battles, among the party’s 10 state House district primary elections on August 14.
In Hartford, Minnie Gonzalez, who has held the 3rd House District for 22 years, is challenged by gay rights activist Gannon Long.
Two-term incumbent Brandon McGee lost the party’s endorsement for the Hartford-based 5th House District to primary challenger Lawrence Jaggon, a Windsor nurse.
In West Hartford, non-profit director Jillian Gilchrest is challenging Education Committee co-chair Andy Fleischmann, who has held the 18th House District seat since 1995.
Three-term incumbent Charlie Stallworth will contest a primary in the 126th House District against former Bridgeport Housing Authority commissioner Shanté Hanks, who also earned the party’s endorsement.
Incumbent Terry Adams‘ bid for a third term representing the Stamford-based 146th House District is far from certain after losing the local party’s endorsement to environmental activist David Michel.
There are four Republican state House primaries—Bridgeport (128th District), Middletown (100th), New Haven and West Haven (116th), and Darien and Stamford (147th)—all for seats currently held by Democrats.
| House District | Democratic Candidates | Republican Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd (Hartford) | Minnie Gonzalez*+ Gannon Long | |
| 5th (Hartford, Windsor) | Lawrence Jaggon* Brandon McGee+ | |
| 18th (West Hartford) | Andy Fleischmann*+ Jillian Gilchrest | |
| 29th (Newington, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield) | Christopher Duff* Kerry Wood | |
| 38th (Montville, Waterford) | Nick Gauthier Patrick Murphy Baird Welch-Collins* | |
| 43rd (North Stonington, Stonington) | Chris Donahue Kate Rotella* | |
| 60th (Windsor, Windsor Locks) | Jane Garibay* Kathleen Tracy | |
| 100th (Middletown) | Tyrell Brown* Anthony Gennaro |
|
| 116th (New Haven, West Haven) | Richard DePalma* Roman Khondker |
|
| 126th (Bridgeport) | Shanté Hanks* Charlie Stallworth+ | |
| 128th (Bridgeport) | Ethan Book Luis Colon* |
|
| 140th (Norwalk) | Colin Hosten Travis Simms* | |
| 146th (Stamford) | Terry Adams+ David Michel* | |
| 147th (Darien, Stamford) | Anzelmo Graziosi* Marcy Minnick |
Congressional Primaries
Three-time congressional candidate Matthew Corey and Hamden sales executive Dominic Rapini seek the Republican nomination to unseat first-term Democratic incumbent Chris Murphy from the U.S. Senate.
Corey, a Hartford bar owner, is the party-endorsed candidate, winning 53% of delegate votes at the party’s May convention. Rapini took 35% of delegate votes to earn a spot on the primary ballot.
Democrat incumbent Elizabeth Esty is not seeking a fourth term in Congress, setting up primaries for both parties in the 5th U.S. House District, which stretches from Meriden and New Britain west to Danbury and the Litchfield Hills.
Former Simsbury first selectman Mary Glassman narrowly won the Democratic endorsement for the seat and faces Waterbury high school teacher Jahana Hayes in the party primary.
Three Republicans are on the primary ballot, with former Meriden mayor Manny Santos winning the party’s endorsement.
He faces retired Southbury college professor Ruby Corby O’Neill and Watertown manufacturing consultant Richard DuPont.
| Congressional Seat | Democratic Candidates | Republican Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senate | Matthew Corey* Dominic Rapini |
|
| 5th U.S. House | Mary Glassman* Jahana Hayes | Ruby Corby O'Neill Richard DuPont Manny Santos* |
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