Democrat Stephen T. Cassano appears to have won re-election Tuesday to his 4th Senate District seat but his lead over Glastonbury Republican Lorraine Marchetti today stood at less than 1 percent of the votes cast.
After revisions to Glastonbury’s vote totals, Cassano’s total vote in the four-town district stood today at 23,668 to 23,371 for Marchetti, a margin of just 297 votes, or 0.6 percent of those cast.
A recount is automatically called when a candidate’s margin of victory is less than 0.5 percent of the total, according to the secretary of the state’s internet site. So if Cassano’s margin of victory holds, there would not be an automatic recount.
But Rod Pelletier, the head moderator in Glastonbury, said today that officials there were still verifying the totals there following programs the state’s vote-recording system on Election Night. Officials in Manchester were also reported to be double-checking their totals.
Although he appeared to have won re-election to a fourth term, Cassano wasn’t celebrating Tuesday night. He was focused on whether his party would continue to control the state Senate.
Cassano said he had “no reaction” to the news that he had defeated Marchetti, who won in three of the district’s four towns but couldn’t overcome a big Democratic plurality in Manchester.
“I want to get through tonight,” Cassano said, adding that he was studying the results of the state Senate races as they came in at the Democratic headquarters on Main Street in Manchester.
Republicans picked up enough seats to split the Senate evenly, 18-18, leaving Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, a Democrat, with the tie-breaking vote.
Marchetti said today she is awaiting final returns to know how to proceed.
“The numbers are all over the place,” she said, leaving it unclear whether there may be a recount.
Marchetti added that she would like to see a recount at this point.
“I haven’t called Mr. Cassano,” she said, indicating that she hasn’t conceded the race.
Manchester went to Cassano by about 3,500 votes, while Glastonbury preferred Marchetti by about 2,800. Bolton and Andover, also in the district, together gave Marchetti 545 more votes than Cassano.
As Manchester Democratic Town Chairman Michael Pohl noted, the results were similar to those in past races, where the Democratic majority in Manchester overcame the Republican preferences of the other towns.
“Win or lose, it was very positive,” Marchetti said as supporters watched early returns at Glastonbury’s Minnechaug Golf Course clubhouse.
“The campaign was phenomenal,” she said. “There were great people helping, and everyone did a little something. I met a lot of new friends and we brought the Senate district together a lot more. We had a positive, factual campaign.”
Chip Beckett, chairman of the Glastonbury Republican Town Committee, said Marchetti ran an excellent campaign.
Pohl was excited to see Cassano, a “champion for cities and towns,” return to the Senate for his fourth term.
“His experience as a former mayor is vital to the state’s handling of issues that affect cities and towns,” Pohl said.
Cassano has served since former Sen. Mary Ann Handley retired in 2010.
“I’m obviously disappointed that I was beaten heavily in Glastonbury,” he said. He attributed the votes against him to his being tied to state-level tax increases, “which I did support to balance the budget.”
Cassano said the budget will be in sharp focus now. “There’s a lot of damage to repair,” he said, “especially where people are getting hurt, such as seniors and those with disabilities. We need to restore money to programs that are relied on. It’s our moral obligation.”
He said he’s able to work with Republicans. “I’ve always worked well with the other party on a bipartisan basis,” he said. “It’s part of the way I do things. It’s about working to make a bill happen.”
Before entering the Senate, Cassano taught sociology at Manchester Community College. He also owns and operates a local day-care center.
He was first elected to municipal office in Manchester in 1977 and served as mayor for 12 years, between 1991 to 2005.
In his campaign Cassano cited his work for his constituents, restoring services for those who need them, and helping rebuild Connecticut’s economy by supporting manufacturing.
Marchetti ran on a platform of bringing a “clean slate” to the Senate, hoping to reverse the trend of many people leaving the state for brighter economic opportunities.
The time necessary to confirm his victory was nothing new, Cassano said with a laugh.
“I won my first Senate election by 77 votes,” he said. “I’m used to waiting.”
