Democrats Reclaim Middletown's Top Seat

Democrat Daniel Drew has toppled three-term Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, besting the entrenched Republican mayor in a key battleground city in the state's municipal elections this year.

Leading by some 600 votes and with one district still not reporting in, Drew took to the podium inside the New England Emporium restaurant at the Main Street Market around 9:30 p.m. to thank some 200 party loyalists who had gathered to hear the election returns. 

He was joined there by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, who had traveled here from Hartford to congratulate Drew. 

"This is a great night for Democrats across Connecticut," Malloy boomed to the jubilant crowd that gathered at the podium to hear Drew's acceptance speech. "We are taking back Connecticut!"

At 10:23 p.m., the unofficial vote tally had Drew leading Giuliano, 4,940 to 4,294. Votes tallied by Democrats also showed that all eight Democrats on the ballot had won election to the Common Council.

Unofficial results also showed that the controversial ballot question to make Deputy Police Chief Patrick McMahon the new police chief narrowly failed on a vote of 3,437 to 3,362.

As tallies from the final voting district, Bielefield, were called, the crowd at GOP headquarters, which had become increasingly tense as the night drew on, became silent. The numbers there were 4,868 for Drew, 4,223 for Giuliano and 172 for Christine Bourne.

Giuliano sought to bolster the spirit of the glum crowd.

"Fight for your city every day," he said. "You got involved, now stay involved." Then someone shouted "2013!" from the crowd.

"It's way too early to talk about that," Giuliano responded. "Give the new administration a chance to show you what it's made of. The people who I think are the most about Middletown are sitting in this room."

"When you're the minority party, it's not just about political power or political gain," a sober Giuliano said. "If that's what it means to us, we'd still be Democrats."

Giuliano began his concession speech on a sober note. "Relax, everybody, we lost the election, we didn’t lose our lives," he said, taking the microphone to address the crowd.

"You know what it took — the entire Democratic machine of the state of Connecticut — to beat us. They marshaled everything they had and you stood up to them. So somebody’s listening to what we’ve got to say up there, but not enough, so don’t stop saying it," he urged his supporters.

"I get to be a private citizen for a while, which is an enviable place to be because you know like Chris [Bourne] says, we’re liberated, but you know everyone who was on this ticket and everyone who volunteered did a most amazing job."

"The result might not have been what we wanted but you know what you all worked very hard and you called, brought out the message to the people. Keep doing it," Giuliano said.

At about 10:30 Giuliano made the short trip to the Emporium to congratulate Drew and accepted condolences from members of Drew's campaign staff.

This mayoral race was among the most closely watched in recent years. Giuliano tapped former state GOP Chairman Chris Healy as his campaign manager while Drew got a boost from Malloy, who came to Middletown to endorse Drew in early September.

Drew, 31, lost to Giuliano in the 2009 mayoral election by only 486 votes. That year, Giuliano garnered 4,388 of the city's 23,529 registered voters to Drew's 3,902, as 36.2 percent of voters went to the polls.

A grant writer for Sacred Heart University, Drew was sworn in as a Common Councilman in January, when Democratic Councilman Vincent J. Loffredo stepped aside to become the director of the Connecticut Education Association's government relations department.

Giuliano, 59, an attorney and lifelong resident who took office in 2005 after defeating four-term Democratic Mayor Domenique N. Thornton, has served three terms as mayor.

The controversial police chief referendum question failed. Unofficial tallies from the registrar saw 3,437 vote no to 3,362 yes.

Giuliano arrived at campaign headquarters at 8:10 p.m. to shouts of “Sebby! Sebby!” and a round of applause. As time went on, about 175 people crowded the front of the room, where an overhead projector displayed results as they came in.

By 8:30 p.m., with six districts remaining, Giuliano was down 255 votes; by 8:40, Drew’s lead grew to 477 votes.

The mood among Republicans gathered was tense, as most watched results with nervous expressions. By 9:05 p.m., Drew was up 360 over Giuliano with three districts left to report. 

By 9:12 p.m. the place was just a murmur as folks awaited results from Macdonough and Bielefield’s two districts.

At 9:30 p.m., Drew was at the New England Emporium, working the room, accepting congrats from people, who were already calling him “mayor.”

By 9:39 p.m., the mayor was down 561 with two districts remaining.

The candidates faced off during three debates: Oct. 26 at the Barns at Wesleyan Hills, at Third Congregational Church on Oct. 25 alongside Independent Christine Bourne; and Oct. 20 at Wesleyan University.

The campaign had its acrimonious moments, mostly toward the end.

Drew’s campaign literature criticized Giuliano for patronage, excessively raising taxes, “draconian” cuts to education and questionable ethics.

The Connecticut Democrats circulated a manipulated image depicting a doll-like Giuliano perched on the lap of Healy in which Healy is the ventriloquist and Giuliano the "dummy."

Giuliano’s team charged Drew claimed he earned journalistic awards that sources say were granted to a team of reporters. Drew's campaign rebuffed those accusations.

The mayor’s team also unearthed a nearly 20-year-old video in which Drew championed a college group's First Amendment rights.

In person, Drew and Giuliano appeared cordial toward one another. At the Wesleyan debate, Giuliano said Drew was a “good motivator” and would someday make a good mayor of Middletown. Drew praised Giuliano’s family, saying it revealed a lot about his character.

In his acceptance speech, Drew thanked Giuliano for running a "spirited campaign" and for his years of service to the city, remarks that drew applause from the hundreds of Democrats gathered at the eatery.

Town Clerk Sandra Russo-Driska said there will be a recount in the Common Council race, since there is a 14-vote difference between Republicans Deborah Kleckowski and David Bauer. Any time there is 20 votes or less between two candidates for a seat, a recount is mandatory.

The unofficial results have Bauer with 3,814 votes and Kleckowski with 3,828 votes.

A good deal of money went into the race. At the last campaign finance filing on Sept. 30, Drew had raised $55,311.46 and Giuliano $54,420.21.

Three referendum questions were put to the voters:

• "Shall Resolution #7-1, as proposed at the Jan. 3, 2011, meeting of the Common Council approving and confirming the appointment of Patrick McMahon as Chief of Police for the City of Middletown, BE APPROVED AND ADOPTED?"
• "Shall the City appropriation of $13.2 million to be financed by the issuance of general obligation bonds for payment of $13 million to the Mattabassett District to become a member of the District, and to pay City administrative expenses associated with joining the District, pursuant to the ordinance adopted by the Common Council on September 6, 2011, be approved?"
• Shall the $14,170,000 appropriation and bond authorization for the City of Middletown 2011 Road, Sidewalk and Public Works Facilities Improvement Program, as adopted by the Common Council, be approved?"

In all, 22,510 residents registered to vote in a city of 47,648. There were 8,156 unaffiliated voters, 10,891 Democrats, 3,334 Republicans and 129 other. Russo-Driska said there was a 42.42 percent voter turnout.

Here are the unofficial results:

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