GOP Flips State Senate District In Connecticut Which Biden Won By 25 Points
Republican Ryan Fazio won a seat in the Connecticut Senate against Democrat Alexis Gevanter, flipping the blue Senate district to red — months after President Joe Biden won the district by double-digit lead against former President Donald Trump.
🚨 STATE REPUBLICANS SECURE FIRST FLIP OF THE CYCLE 🚨
Congratulations to @ryanfazio for flipping Connecticut's state Senate District 36 from 🔵 to 🔴! pic.twitter.com/dL22vF9Ojj
— Republican State Leadership Committee (@RSLC) August 18, 2021
Reports said Fazio beat Gevanter by roughly three points in the Senate District 36 which had Republicans cheering the outcome as an indication of what things to come in the 2022 midterm election.
“Today the voters of Greenwich, Stamford, and New Canaan sent a message loud and clear to the state Capitol in Connecticut that a change is going to come,” Fazio said after his victory according to a report by local media outlet Greenwich Time.
“Together we can reduce taxes and the cost of living and create economic opportunities for all. We can once again make our neighborhood safe and support local police. We can protect personal freedom and local control, and we can bring people together to create a brighter future for all,” he added.
During the previous 2020 presidential election, then-Democratic candidate and now President Biden won the district by roughly 25% against former President Trump.
The GOP hailed Fazio flipping the blue district to red
The GOP hailed the victory of the Republican Fazio, and noted how the outcome was a prelude to the midterm elections next year.
Republicans coalesced in support of State Senator-elect @RyanFazio and brought a sweeping victory in Connecticut. Fazio’s monumental win crushed Connecticut Democrats’ hopes to tread water in the midst of a failing presidency and Ned Lamont’s far-left agenda.
— Rachel Lee (@_RachelMLee) August 18, 2021
“Republicans coalesced in support of State Senator-elect Ryan Fazio and brought a sweeping victory in Connecticut. Fazio’s monumental win crushed Connecticut Democrats’ hopes to tread water in the midst of a failing presidency and [Connecticut Governor] Ned Lamont’s far-left agenda,” tweeted Rachel Lee, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee (RNC).
GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also lauded the victory of Fazio.
“Congratulations to Republican @ryanfazio for winning Connecticut Senate District 36!,” she wrote. “Biden won this district by 25 points in 2020 and tonight, we flipped it RED!”
Congratulations to Republican @ryanfazio for winning Connecticut Senate District 36!
Biden won this district by 25 points in 2020 and tonight, we flipped it RED!
The RNC was proud to work with the @CTGOP to get out the vote.
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) August 18, 2021
The seat was cited as a “key victory” for Republicans. Democrats gained a supermajority in the Senate when District 36 turned blue in 2018. Following the resignation of previous state senator Alex Kasser, the seat was put up for special election. Kasser quit in June, citing divorce as a source of stress. District 36 was a Republican stronghold prior to Kasser’s election.
The Greenwich Time earlier wrote: “The seat had been securely Republican for more than three-quarters of a century until Kasser’s successful run in 2018, defeating incumbent Republican L. Scott Frantz. Before that, a Democrat had not been elected to the seat since 1930 when H. Allen Barton held it.”
“Kasser’s divorce has grown increasingly contentious since she announced she is gay in 2019. Two years later, she resigned from the Senate citing stress from her divorce from her husband Seth Bergstein,” it added.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce my resignation as State Senator. Serving the residents of Connecticut’s 36th Senate district has been a profound honor and a great joy. However, due to personal circumstances, I cannot continue,” Kasser said then, adding that her challenging divorce — which would take “enormous time and energy” would make her unable to serve her constituents “to my fullest ability.”
Meanwhile, upon winning the state Senate seat, Fazio woved to “bring people together” in the district he represents.
Thank you.
I am grateful beyond words to this community for the trust they have placed in me. I will work hard every day to validate it as your state senator.
Now the real work begins: It’s time to bring a positive change to our state gov’t and a brighter future for CT. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/nbucZJroQl
— Ryan Fazio (@ryanfazio) August 18, 2021
“I am grateful beyond words to this community for the trust they have placed in me. I will work hard every day to validate it as your state senator,” Fazio wrote on Twitter.
“Now the real work begins: It’s time to bring a positive change to our state gov’t and a brighter future for CT.”
Acceptance Speech: My remarks on Election Night thanking our community and my supporters. I am ready to get to work for a positive change in CT. https://t.co/TOSXmUTYVz
— Ryan Fazio (@ryanfazio) August 19, 2021
The GOP has been flipping seats formerly held by Democrats.
In June, Republicans also flipped a key Texas border city in a Democratic stronghold that was hit hard by the ongoing border and immigration crisis.
Holy cow… Republicans just flipped the mayorship of McAllen, Texas.
This was not expected and shows Hispanics in South Texas may have shifted with the GOP even post Trumphttps://t.co/bFOMpNcNrS
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) June 6, 2021
McAllen, Texas — a longtime Democratic city along the border — will have a Republican mayor for the first time after GOP candidate Javier Villalobos was able to flip the city’s mayorship in a runoff election over the weekend defeating Veronica Vela Whitacre, as Republicans push forward in an area of Texas that has been a stronghold for Democrats in the past.
