2022 Primary HQ – August 11, 2022  

Hot Legislative Primaries

This year, a few races stood out above the rest as the hottest contests. Down in the 23rd State Senate district of Bridgeport and Stratford, embattled incumbent Dennis Bradley faced off against the Democrat-endorsed Reverend Herron Gaston for the district’s Democratic primary. Bradley, facing federal charges for issues related to the state’s Citizen’s Election Program, lost his party’s endorsement, but secured enough support to force a primary. The race was close all night, and was ultimately decided by absentee ballots. Gaston eked out a win, 1,775 votes to 1,628, and is the strong favorite to win the general election for the seat.

In the 69th district’s Republican primary, incumbent State Representative Cindy Harrison went into the contest without her party’s endorsement as well. With heavy amounts of party in-fighting leading up to the convention, the Republican party ended up endorsing her challenger, Jason Buchsbaum, a selectman from Southbury. The two ran harsh campaigns against each other in an effort to make the case for why they should get the party nod. Harrison narrowly surpassed Buchsbaum by a margin of 915 votes to 869. No Democrat has filed to run for the seat.

In East Haddam, John Olin and Kurt Comisky were on the ticket for the 34th State House District’s Democratic Primary. In May, the convention split 50/50, with no endorsed candidate emerging. Despite the lack of endorsement, Olin cruised to victory with a whopping 81% of the vote. The winner will go on to face State Representative Irene Haines in a district that consistently sends Republicans to Hartford…….KEEP READING.