Democrats Win Stratford House Seat in Special Election

Democrats took the 120th state House District in Stratford for the first time in decades in a Feb. 27 special election to fill a seat left vacant after Laura Hoydick became Stratford mayor.

The narrow victory by Democrat Phil Young over Republican Bill Cabral gave Democrats control of the seat for the first time in 44 years.

Phil Young’s win in the Feb. 7 Stratford special election widens the Democrats margin in the state House to nine seats.

The district encompasses Stratford’s north end.

Young won by an unofficial tally of 1,615 to 1,552. Less than 20% of eligible voters cast ballots.

Hoydick was elected to a fourth House term in 2016 with 62% of the vote, defeating Democrat Frederick Streets and petitioning candidate Clifton Price.

She stepped down in January after winning the Stratford mayoral race.

Cabral and Young are former members of the Stratford Town Council while Cabral also served on the Board of Education.

Young’s victory increased Democratic control of the state House to 80-71. The Senate is tied 18-18.

If Young wants to retain the seat, he’ll have to run for re-election this November.

It was Connecticut’s second special House election this year.

In January, Bloomfield middle school teacher Bobby Gibson defeated fellow Democrat Joseph Suggs in a special election for Connecticut’s 15th state House District, which covers all of Bloomfield and part of Windsor.

The seat became vacant when four-term Democratic incumbent David Baram resigned after being elected to the probate court in November.