The New Britain Progressive covered a lot of major news in New Britain during 2020 – much more than just ten top stories. As the New Britain Progressive now presents our traditional Top Ten stories of the year, it is truer now than in the past that it is difficult to name only a few articles as the top among a great deal of important news. But here are a few, in this year’s annual series, that the New Britain Progressive would like to share as our Top Ten. Other Top Ten stories can be found at “Top Ten Stories of 2020.”
One the the New Britain Progressive‘s Top Ten Stories of 2019 was titled “Big Republicans Wins”, and said that, “2019 was, overall, the Republicans’ year, politically, in New Britain.” That year started with Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’ city Corporation Counsel, Republican Gennaro Bizzarro, winning the special election for the State Senate seat representing New Britain, a seat the Republicans rarely hold. Later in the year, Stewart was re-elected and Republicans re-captured the majority on the City Council. (“Top 10 of 2019: #10 – Big Republican Wins“.)
If 2019 was the Republicans’ year, 2020 was a turnaround for the Democrats.
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, elected in 2018 in the midterm election during the administration of Republican President Donald Trump, now had the chance to run for re-election as Trump sought re-election, himself. On Trump’s slate for Congress, by November, was Republican David X. Sullivan, while Independent Party candidate Bruce Walczak ran for the Congressional seat, as well.
The 2020 State Senate election featured a rematch of the 2019 special election. Then-State Representative Rick Lopes (D-24) announced his candidacy early in the year, while Bizzarro ran for re-election. Then-Alderperson Manny Sanchez (D-AL) announced that he was running for Twenty-Fourth Assembly District to succeed Lopes. (“Lopes Reportedly to Run for Senate, Sanchez for 24th“, “Rep. Lopes Endorsed To Flip State Senate Seat Back To Democrats“.) They were joined by re-election announcements from Democratic incumbents, State Representative Bobby Sanchez (D-25) and Representative Peter Tercyak (D-26). (“Lopes, Sanchez, Tercyak and Sanchez Announce Candidacies“, “Sanchez, Tercyak & Pawlak Endorsed for Re-Election“.) Republicans Alden Russell, Jerrell Hargraves and Peter Ceglarz, ran for state representative for the Twenty-Fourth, Twenty-Fifth and Twenty-Sixth Assembly Districts, respectively, on Trump’s Republicna slate, while, by November, the Democrats ran on Democrat Joe Biden’s slate.
In the primary for the Democratic nomination in the Twenty-Fourth Assembly District (“Primary Apparent for Democrats in 24th“), Manny Sanchez was the Democratic nominee (“Democrats Endorse Sanchez in the 24th“), with Democrat Richard Lacourciere running for the seat, as well (“Lacourciere Announces State Representative Campaign“). Sanchez was nominated by the voters in the primary. (“Manny Sanchez Claims Win in 24th District Primary“.) Lacourciere ran a strong candidacy and won wide praise for endorsing Sanchez in the general election. (“Lacourciere Endorses Sanchez in 24th District“.)
By the November 3rd general election, with strong support in New Britain, Congresswoman Hayes solidly won re-election, as did Bobby Sanchez and Peter Tercyak, while Manny Sanchez easily won his first term as New Britain’s newest State Representative.
And, in the most hotly contested local election, with an overwhelming New Britain win, Lopes turned back the results of 2019 to unseat Bizzarro and win the Sixth Senate seat – to become New Britain’s next State Senator. (“Rick Lopes & Manny Sanchez Win; Sanchez & Tercyak Re-Elected; Hayes, Biden and Harris Win New Britain“.)
A lot of attention is on the results of the presidential election – that Joe Biden won, repeat: Joe Biden won – but the enormity of the Democrats’ local victories in New Britain was certainly one of the New Britain Progressive‘s Top Ten Stories of 2020.
Rick Lopes & Manny Sanchez Win; Sanchez & Tercyak Re-Elected; Hayes, Biden and Harris Win New Britain
November 3, 2020
Democrats swept to victory in New Britain, taking solid majorities in every race on the ballot in the city.
In the State Senate election, current Democratic State Representative Rick Lopes (D-24) received more votes in New Britain than Republican State Senator Gennaro Bizzarro (R-6), 14,286 to 7,764. and defeated Bizzarro in the election for the Sixth State Senate District. The Sixth Senatorial District includes all of New Britain and Berlin and neighborhoods in Farmington.
It was the second time that the two candidates faced each other for the State Senate seat. In a low-turnout winter special election in early 2019, Bizzarro won the then-open Senate seat. Lopes returned in 2020 to challenge Bizzarro and Lopes was elected to the seat.
“This isn’t the end,” said a victorious Rick Lopes, “This is the beginning,” discussing the work ahead to achieve the things discussed during the campaign.
“This is a great victory for all of us,” said State Representative Bobby Sanchez (D-25), challenging New Britain Democrats to look ahead to the city elections in 2021.
In the Twenty-Fourth Assembly District, Democratic Ald. Manny Sanchez (D-AL), who is the current City Council Democratic leader, defeated Republican Alden Russell, 4,769 to 2,158, unofficially. That district includes the West End, Willow Brook and southern East Side neighborhoods in New Britain and the south west corner of Newington.
Sanchez, who will succeed Lopes as the Twenty-Fourth District State Representative, was elected after winning a primary for the seat in August. Democrat Richard Lacourciere, who ran in the primary as well, went on to endorse Sanchez.
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-5) received far more New Britain votes than Republican David X. Sullivan for the Fifth Congressional District, winning New Britain by an unofficial total of 14,760 to 6,220.
Incumbent Democratic State Representative Peter Tercyak (D-26), easily won re-election in the Twenty-Sixth District against his opponent, Republican Peter Ceglarz, unofficially, 4,783 to 2,370.
The Twenty-Sixth District, includes the Little Poland, Farmingdale, Little Warsaw, Alexander Avenue, Batterson Pond, Brittany Farms and Stanley park neighborhoods and parts of the Belvedere neighborhood.
In the Twenty-Fifth District, incumbent Democratic State Representative Bobby Sanchez (D-25) defeated Republican Jerrell Hargraves, unofficially by 4,065 to 1,471. The district includes neighborhoods from Mount Pleasant, to downtown and Arch Street, to the North-Oak neighborhood to parts of the East Side.
In unofficial vote totals in New Britain, Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris received a solid majority for President and Vice President over Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence, 15,657 to 7,578.
Democrats had no nominee Twenty-Second Assembly District, which includes the north west corner of New Britain but it mostly represents Plainville. Republican State Representative William Petit (R-22) was elected, unopposed.
From the presidency on down, the 2020 election has been one of the most contentious in recent history. Many have observed the results at the national and state level in this election will echo in importance for many years to come.
The results in 2020 included New Britain voters delivering large vote totals toward Democratic victories up and down the ballot. The results, particularly the victory of Lopes over Bizzarro, are likely to be seen as a sign of the growing strength of the New Britain Democrats relative to the Stewart family’s Republican Party machine – something likely to weigh on next year’s city elections.
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