Mayor Eddie Perez fought back a crowded field and a state criminal investigation Tuesday, winning his third term in Connecticut’s capital city.
Perez joined fellow Democrats in winning the top seats in the state’s largest cities, with New Haven Mayor John DeStefano easily winning re-election and state Sen. Bill Finch becoming the new leader of Bridgeport.
The chief state’s attorney’s office is looking into renovation work done at Perez’s home by a city contractor. While opponents of Perez suggested the mayor might win, only to leave office under criminal corruption charges, he downplayed such a possibility.
“The people of Hartford shouldn’t be worried. They’ve decided that we have a good direction for the city. We’re going to take the city in that direction,” Perez told WTIC-TV after declaring victory. “This is a great opportunity for me and my family to continue to serve this city, and I plan to do that.”
Perez had 47 percent of the vote with 70 percent of precincts reporting in the six-candidate field. Opponent I. Charles Matthews, a petitioning candidate and former deputy mayor, conceded about two hours after the polls. He drew about 36 percent of the vote in preliminary returns.
Voter Janet Wallace, 64, said the Perez contracting investigation was one reason she voted for Matthews.
“It’s been sort of a one-man rules administration,” Wallace said. “I think the charges of inappropriate use of people fixing up his home was very bad.”
Other opponents included state Rep. Minnie Gonzalez, Republican James Stan McCauley, former mayor Thirman Milner and political newcomer 20-year-old Raul DeJesus.
In a victory celebration at a downtown Hartford restaurant, Perez’s wife, Maria, who has had past health problems, briefly collapsed. The mayor said she had a long day campaigning and had little to eat. She was treated for a brain aneurysm last year.
In Bridgeport, despite Finch’s overwhelming victory, the race for mayor may not be settled. The state Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for later this month over alleged voting irregularities in the September Democratic primary matchup with state Rep. Christopher Caruso.
With all precincts reporting, Finch took just over 74 percent of the vote in a seven-candidate field. His closest challenger, Republican Michael Garrett, had 15.7 percent of the vote.
“Bridgeport is on the verge of great things: major economic development, new and improved schools and neighborhood revitalization,” Finch said. “We have a great opportunity over the next few years to move Bridgeport forward and usher in a new era of growth and prosperity.”
Caruso and his attorney claim at least 20 election laws were violated, including statutes about how many poll workers should have been working during the primary. He lost by 270 of 9,000 votes.
Incumbent Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi — who admitted using cocaine while in office and was criticized for publicly supporting a sex offender in court — did not run for re-election.
New Haven Mayor John DeStefano easily won his eighth term as mayor, a year after losing the governor’s race to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
With 78 percent of the precincts reporting in the Elm City, the 52-year-old DeStefano garnered 69 percent of the vote. He had little challenge from his three opponents, Republican Richter Elser, Ralph Ferrucci of the Green Party and write-in candidate Roger Uihlein.
Turnout at the polls started off slowly on a rainy Election Day. But Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said she hoped turnout would climb to 40 percent of registered voters because the weather improved.
“We had a very, very smooth day, all in all. Things went very well,” Bysiewicz said. This marked the first year optical scan voting machines were used across the state.
In other races, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia, and New Britain Mayor Tim Stewart, all Republicans, won re-election. Meanwhile, East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey, Hamden Mayor Craig Henrici, West Haven Mayor John Picard, all Democrats, won re-election. In Waterbury, Mayor Michael Jarjura, a Democrat, easily won, grabbing 50 percent of the vote against three challengers.
Incumbents lost in several towns Tuesday, including Canton, Canterbury, Griswold, Madison, East Lyme and Simsbury, where former first selectman and lieutenant governor candidate Mary Glassman, a Democrat, won the town’s top post. There were also tight races in Eastford, Killingworth, Bethlehem, Southbury and Chaplin, some likely requiring recounts.
