Murphy, Cohen, Democrats Celebrate "Blue Wave" On Thursday

The nonstop party that Democrats have been having since results came in Election Night continued at The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center Thursday, as U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and State Sen-elect Christine Cohen celebrated their big wins and accepted congratulations from supporters.

The Marketplace, a hotspot in downtown Guilford, was even busier than usual, as Murphy, Cohen, Democratic First Selectman Matt Hoey, other elected Democratic officials and supporters patted each other on the back for the Democratic tidal wave that hit Connecticut.

Not only did Ned Lamont win a close race for governor against Republican Bob Stefanowski, but the state Senate and the House of Representatives saw Democratic membership swell.

Over the past eight years, Republicans had picked up 41 seats in the House and the Senate. But those gains turned into losses Tuesday.

The Senate, which was split 18-18 will now be 24-12 in favor of the Democrats when the General Assembly convenes next January. And based on unofficial vote tallies, the House of Representatives will be 92 Democrats to 59 Republicans, depending on whether one or two possible recount votes hold up.

House Democrats began election night with an 80-71 advantage.

“It was amazing to see how Democrats did across the state,” Murphy, who won his own re-election to a second Senate term easily, said Thursday in Guilford.

Murphy defeated Republican Matthew Corey by a 3-2 margin. The 45-year-old Democrat has developed a national profile, partly for his stance on stronger gun laws, his well publicized annual walks across Connecticut, and frequent appearances on national TV.
He amassed $14.5 million for his re-election bid, attracting contributions from many outside Connecticut through his advocacy on issues, including gun control and opposition to many policies of Republican President Donald President Donald Trump.

“There are so many brand new people that will be serving,” Murphy said. “And that’s all across the state.”

In fact, Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, D- Berlin, noted on Wednesday that there were a total of 24 new candidates elected to the House - half of those candidates are women. And Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, took pride in noting that there will be 10 women in the new Democratic Senate caucus when the General Assembly convenes next January.

One of them will be Cohen.

“Look at Christine Cohen - a small business owner who is now a state senator,” said Murphy in Guilford Thursday. Murphy spent much of the campaign campaigning with Cohen along the shoreline.

Cohen, the owner of Cohen’s Bagel Company in Madison, had a tough race in her first attempt at office. She beat Republican Adam Greenberg in a close contest, outpolling him by slightly more than 1,000 votes - with slightly more than 51 percent to Greenberg’s slightly more than 48 percent - in the district that covers Guilford, Madison, Branford, North Branford, Killingworth, and Durham.

She will be replacing Ted Kennedy Jr., who did not run for re-election.

Cohen termed her victory “really thrilling.”

“The whole campaign and election was so exciting and I am really energized,” Cohen said.

She said she was really excited by how high voter turnout was not just in the 12th District but throughout the state.

Cohen is a long-time community activist and education advocate and member of the Guilford Board of Education. Prior to founding her own company, Cohen was a marketing and global planning manager at the Stanley Works of New Britain.

Asked what will be her priorities as a state senator, Cohen said: “I have a passion for education, have a passion for environmental causes.” She said one of her goals is to be appointed to the General Assembly’s Education Committee.

Legislators have struggled the past few years with footing the bill for the costs of retired teacher pensions.

Cohen said she believes there is a need to honor current commitments to teachers but there is also a need to negotiate a less onerous deal for the state for new hires moving forward.

Photo by Jack Kramer