Special Election: Republicans Hold Middlebury House Seat

Republicans have retained the 71st state House District seat that incumbent Tony D’Amelio held for 25 years.

William Pizzuto, who recently retired as the director of the University of Connecticut’s Waterbury campus, defeated Democrat John Egan in a Feb. 22 special election.

Pizzuto won 74% of the 1,942 votes cast—with voter turnout at 13%—in the district, which includes Middlebury and parts of Waterbury.

D’Amelio cited family and business commitments when he announced his retirement in December.

Democrats now hold 96 seats and Republicans 54 in the 151-seat House of Representatives, with one vacancy.

The third special election of 2022 is scheduled for March 1 to fill the 5th House District seat—which includes parts of Hartford and Windsor—vacated by Democrat Brandon McGee.

McGee, who held the seat since 2013, resigned last month to join Gov. Ned Lamont’s reelection campaign.