In a potentially huge victory for Connecticut Democrats, state Rep. Bobby Sanchez flipped New Britain’s mayor office blue for the first time in 12 years, ending GOP control of the state’s eighth largest city.
Political observers were keeping a close watch on New Britain’s mayoral race because Tuesday was the first time in 12 year that Democrats had a chance to run a candidate against someone other than Erin Stewart, who proved wildly popular across six mayoral elections in her hometown.
“Tonight, New Britain chose progress,” Sanchez said. “I’m deeply honored by the faith this community has placed in me, and I will work every day to earn it. This campaign was never about one person, it was about bringing people together to make our city stronger, safer, and fairer for everyone.”
Sanchez’s win signals a return that Stewart’s hold on the city wasn’t a permanent change to the political dynamics of the city, which once was considered a Democratic stronghold.
“We ran on the promise of change and now it’s time to deliver,” Sanchez said. “Starting tomorrow, we’ll begin forming a Transition Committee that includes community leaders, educators, small business owners, and residents from every part of the city. Together, we’ll get to work on a 100-day action plan to restore trust in city government, support law enforcement and social service partnerships, and make sure every resident has a voice in shaping our future.”
Sanchez was also endorsed by the Working Families Party, which was quick to herald his win.
“As New Britain comes off 12 years of Republican leadership, it’s no surprise voters are uniting behind leaders like Bobby Sanchez: someone who speaks to the basic needs of working people and is focused on lowering costs and ensuring people have good schools, good jobs, and healthcare when they need it,” Connecticut Working Families Party State Director Sarah Ganong said in a statement. “New Britain voters are tired of a status quo that isn’t working for them. They’re tired of leaders who are disconnected from the pressures that working people are facing every day, and who put corporate donors ahead of their needs.”
Ganong touted Sanchez’s work in the state legislature as a sign he will invest as mayor in the city’s schools, housing and infrastructure.
Both parties were busily working “get out the vote” drives during the day, trying to persuade more of their supporters to cast ballots before 8 p.m. Despite an extended early voting season, turnouts were on track to be in the usual range for municipal elections, with far fewer than half of eligible voters showing up.
Elections where only local offices are on the ballot typically draw way less voter interest than contests to choose state legislators, governors, Congressional representatives, senators or presidents.
In New Britain, early afternoon turnout was around 16%, where voters were filling an open seat in the mayoral race. Stewart first won in 2013 with a devastating victory over Democratic incumbent Tim O’Brien, and she easily won each of her five re-election bids since then.
Privately, some Democratic and Republican leaders alike have speculated that she’d have had no trouble winning a seventh term this year; however, she had announced last winter that she’d be leaving to pursue a campaign for governor in 2026.
Stewart’s 2013 victory was considered historic because she was the city’s youngest mayor and only the second woman to hold the office.
Politically, it was her long run of re-election victories that counted even more: She has built a reputation by being a Republican consistently polling strongly in a poor, diverse and heavily Democratic city. Even when Democrats fielded challengers with deep organized-labor credentials, the local police union, AFSCME’s Council 4 and others either backed her or made no endorsement.
This year, Alderwoman Sharon Beloin-Saavedra — Stewart’s political protege — was the GOP’s pick to try to keep city hall under Republican control. Democrats tapped long-term state Rep. Bobby Sanchez to flip it.
Both candidates are known in the city: Beloin-Saavedra is a veteran alderwoman and former school board chair, and Sanchez built a name by bringing state aid for New Britain school construction projects when he was co-chair of the General Assembly’s education committee.