Wikimedia Commons

At 10 p.m. on Tuesday, incumbent State Senator Martin Looney, representing the 11th district, won his 15th term. The New Haven Register called the race.

The win marks the end of Looney’s race against Republican challenger Jameson White. This year, Looney also faced his first primary challenge in a decade from Democrat Alex Taubes LAW ’15, who petitioned onto the general election ballot. The result comes as no shock given the district’s long history of Democratic support, and Looney told the Register White had called him to concede. Final vote counts have yet to be announced, but according to WTNH News 8, Looney leads White with 65.9 percent of the vote and 43 percent of precincts reporting as of 2:55 p.m. on Nov. 4.

“I’m very grateful to the people of the 11th District for reelecting me and having continued confidence in me,” Looney said to the Register. “I’m as ready to serve as I was in my first term.” 

This election was the second term in a row that Looney’s general election bid has been contested. Before 2018, Looney had not faced any opposition in the election since 2010. Looney was first elected as one of Connecticut’s State Senators in 1992 and has served since then. In 2015, Looney was elected by fellow legislators to work as president pro tempore.

Looney plans to continue pushing legislation he moved forward in his previous term, which included an effort to pass a Paid Family and Medical Leave program, a raise in the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 and numerous pro-patient health care and health insurance protections.

According to election organization Ballotpedia, Connecticut state senators represent an average of 99,280 residents.

Thomas Birmingham | thomas.birmingham@yale.edu

Update, Nov. 4 at 2:55 p.m.: The story has been updated with the most recent polling data.

THOMAS BIRMINGHAM