Fairfield Election Results: 1 House District Flips, 2 Unchanged

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield voters flipped one of the town's three state House districts Tuesday, and opted to keep incumbents in the other two.

Board of Education member Jennifer Leeper, a Democrat, will join Fairfield state Reps. Laura Devlin and Cristin McCarthy Vahey in Hartford.

Leeper declared victory over Republican state Rep. Brian Farnen, with 7,572 votes to his 7,301, according to unofficial election totals from the Fairfield registrars of voters.

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Tuesday’s election was a rematch after Farnen narrowly defeated Leeper in a January special election to fill the 132nd House District seat vacated by Brenda Kupchick after she was elected Fairfield’s first selectwoman.

"We're really disappointed in the results," said Farnen, who noted he believed the presidential race had an impact on the outcome of the local contest. "We worked really hard, and we couldn't overcome the national issues. ... I wish Jennifer best wishes in moving our community forward over the next two years."

Leeper said she was honored to be elected to the state’s House of Representatives.

“There’s a lot of complex challenges facing Connecticut and a lot of work to be done,” she said.

Leeper said she hopes to provide data-backed solutions to state issues.

“I am incredibly thrilled to have Jenn Leeper coming up to Hartford,” said McCarthy Vahey, who is also a Democrat and represents the 133rd House District.

McCarthy Vahey received 7,690 votes, while her opponent, Republican and former Norwalk Common Council member Joanne Romano-Csonka, got 4,150 votes, according to unofficial totals. Romano-Csonka called McCarthy Vahey to concede Tuesday.

“I am so, so humbled and just grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the people of Fairfield,” McCarthy Vahey said. “… I love our town so much and I know that there are some real difficulties ahead, and I’m grateful to be a social worker and be a mom and take those perspectives back to Hartford with me.”

Also returning to the Capitol is Devlin, a Republican, who got 7,297 votes, compared to the 6,672 received by challenger Carla Volpe, a teacher, according to unofficial numbers from the Fairfield registrars and the secretary of the state. Volpe conceded Tuesday on Facebook. Devlin represents the 134th House District, which includes areas of Trumbull as well as Fairfield.

“I have never shied away from a difficult or challenging issue,” she said. “… I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve.”

One race that remained outstanding Tuesday night and into the early morning hours of Wednesday was the 28th Senatorial District, a seat currently held by Republican state Sen. Tony Hwang.

The district includes all or part of Fairfield, Easton, Weston, Newtown and Westport. As of 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, vote totals for Newtown had not yet been posted by the secretary of the state. Hwang was leading his opponent, Michelle McCabe, with 22,518 votes to her 21,623, according to incomplete unofficial numbers.

McCabe, a Democrat, is the director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development with the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport.

No votes were listed on the secretary of the state website for 28th District write-in candidate Chris DeMatteo, but there were 24 write-in votes in Fairfield, according to the town registrars.