Greenwich Republicans And Democrats React To Kasser's Resignation

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Democrats and Republicans reacted with surprise on Wednesday to the news of Alex Kasser resigning from the State Senate.

Kasser, a democrat who represented the 36th District which covers all of Greenwich and portions of Stamford and New Canaan, announced her resignation on Tuesday, citing an ongoing divorce battle with her estranged husband, Seth Bergstein, as the reason for stepping down.

Under Connecticut state law, the governor is required to issue a writ of special election within 10 days of a vacancy in the General Assembly and a special election must be held exactly 46 days after the writ has been issued. As of Wednesday evening, Gov. Ned Lamont had not issued a writ yet.

Nonetheless, party officials are beginning the process of finding candidates for a special election. Kasser's term runs through the end of 2022.

"It's a loss for the citizens of Connecticut. Alex did a great job in Hartford and we're all worse off for her stepping down. We wish her well going forward," said Greenwich Democratic Town Committee Chair Joe Angland on Wednesday. "I suspect that there will be a fair amount of interest and we will wind up having good candidates to choose among when we pick one. It will all go quickly."

The Greenwich DTC tweeted on Tuesday that they will "share details about what comes next for the 36th Senatorial District as they are confirmed by the State."

According to the Greenwich Time, John Blankley, a Greenwich Democrat and former business executive who has been a member of the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting and Board of Estimate and Taxation, officially announced his plans to seek Kasser's seat on Wednesday. To read more on Blankley and other potential candidates from the Greenwich Time, click here.

State Rep. Stephen Meskers (D-150) made history with Kasser in 2018. Meskers was the first democrat to win a State Representative seat in Greenwich since 1912, and Kasser was the first democrat to win the 36th District since 1930.

"I was sad to hear that she had reached this point and it necessitated her resignation. I think her win and my win represented historic changes in both the electorate and in the representation of Greenwich in Hartford. Her voice and her contributions will be sorely missed," Meskers told Patch.

As for a special election, Meskers said he's weighing his options. He acknowledged the increased constituency that comes with a State Senate seat, and he wondered if he could "deliver the same level of personal service" as he's doing now.

Greenwich Republican Town Committee Chair Dan Quigley said Kasser's resignation came as a surprise.

"Despite the fact that we were on opposite ends of the political spectrum, I wish her and her family all the best going forward, and I thank her for her service to the community," Quigley said.

Quigley added that the RTC is focusing its energy on finding candidates for a special election.

"We're definitely going to be putting up a candidate. We're just going through the process at the moment. We feel it's a real opportunity for the Republicans to win this seat and we're going to do our best to do that," he said.

State Rep. Harry Arora (R-151) said he is considering a potential bid.

"The important element about running and winning races is to build consensus. I'm talking to everyone in my party, to others in the community, to make sure I speak to everyone and make a decision with the gravity it needs and the information it requires. I hope to make my decision shortly," Arora said.

Arora also wished Kasser well.

"Our thoughts are to her family and to her to make sure she can get on with things that are important in life and address them," he said.