Rick Lopes & Manny Sanchez Win; Sanchez & Tercyak Re-Elected; Hayes, Biden and Harris Win New Britain

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.