Lyddy Returning To Hartford, Holian Unsuccessful In Regional Probate Race

By John Voket & Kendra Bobowick

Newtown voters have returned 106th District Representative Chris Lyddy to Hartford. The first-term incumbent outpaced his Republican challenger, local councilman George Ferguson, by 303 votes, according to figures provided by the registrar shortly after the polls closed.

The final unofficial tally for the 106th District race was Rep Lyddy, 5,012; and Mr Ferguson, 4,708.

“That was a squeaker!” said Rep Lyddy.

Considering what swayed voters in his favor, he said, “People have heard what I’ve done for Newtown — people know what they want in Hartford.”

Supporters, friends, and family members crowded around him at his party’s headquarters Tuesday night. Stepping away from the embraces and pats on the shoulder, he said, “People want someone they can trust and hold accountable. Newtown voters know they can count on me.”

At his own headquarters, Mr Ferguson weighed in on the race’s outcome with mixed emotions.

“I am feeling like we ran a credible campaign,” he said. “We aired the issues we needed to air.”

“He is [about] big government, spending, mandating, and I am about reducing the size and scope of government,” Mr Ferguson added.

In that statehouse race, Mr Ferguson was cross endorsed by Connecticut’s Independent Party, and his name appeared on the Independent ballot line locally.

In the 112th District, which encompasses all of the Town of Monroe and the 3-2 District of Southeastern Newtown, incumbent Republican DebraLee Hovey soundly defeated her returning Democratic challenger and town council representative Michele Mount. At the single Newtown polling district, Rep Hovey received 757 votes to Ms Mount’s 466 votes.

In the overall race, Rep Hovey captured 62 percent of the vote overall with a district-wide total of 5,490 against Ms Mount’s 3,434. In both towns, Ms Mount’s name also appeared as the endorsed candidate on the Working Families party line.

Both 112th District candidates are residents of Monroe.

Throughout Election Day, calls and visits to both the Newtown Registrars of Voters and the Town Clerk’s Office found the community’s voting officials extremely busy. By 10 am, Republican Registrar Karin Aurelia indicated that turnout was already double that of the 2009 local election. And at 3 pm, Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton said the local turnout had surpassed that of the 2006 gubernatorial election by about 44 votes.

As the polls closed at 8 pm, 10,528 Newtowners had cast ballots at the four local district polling locations, and 639 had cast absentee ballots.

One of the other closely watched races on Newtown’s ballot included a local contender for the regional judge of probate post, which was created by merging the Newtown, Bethel, Redding, and Ridgefield probate districts. As results came in from all four communities, it became apparent that the new court would be headed by Republican primary victor Joseph Egan, who is the current sitting probate judge in Ridgefield.

In Newtown Judge Egan received 5,658 votes to Mr Holian’s 4,974 votes. The count was high, “but not enough,” Mr Holian conceded Tuesday night.

“You campaigned hard, we couldn’t ask for more from you,” Democratic Town Committee Chairman Jim Juliano said to Mr Holian.

Across the new Northern Fairfield Probate District, the total vote outcome including Newtown was 19,410 for Judge Egan and 11,804 for Mr Holian.

Looking back on the political season that had just ended, First Selectman Pat Llodra said, “The candidates were the spokespeople for their party positions and allowed the chance to evaluate differences and let the community decide what’s best for Newtown. They do us a great service.”

A perspective on statewide races and trends appears in this week’s Newtown Bee. Or view full election results at NewtownBee.com.