Middletown Mayor Dan Drew Overwhelmingly Wins Second Term

Editor's Note: These are unofficial results from the registrar of voters and town clerk's office. True numbers will be released Wednesday. See the Secretary of the State's office raw numbers in the attached PDF.

Democratic Mayor Dan Drew was re-elected this evening by an overwhelming majority of votes, easily defeating his third-party challenger to win a second term in office. 

Democrats also took a majority of common council seats, with the city's former Republican mayor earning a spot on the board.

Drew, 31, who had no Republican challenger, earned 5,097 votes to Realistic Balance candidate John Kilian's 955, according to an unofficial tally by the town clerk's office. 

All eight Democratic candidates — Gerald Daley, Thomas Serra, Grady Faulkner, Carl Chisem, Hope Kasper, James Streeto, Mary Bartolotta and Robert Santangelo — were elected to common council along with four Republicans — Sandra Russo-Driska, David Bauer, Deb Kleckowski and former three-term Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano. 

Democratic primary winner, Wesleyan University biology professor Stephen Devoto, overwhelmingly won the city's planning and zoning commission seat with 4,090 votes, followed by Robert Simpson with 2,218 and Jeremy Clark with 2,294. 

Devoto helped education board secretary Ed McKeon gather numbers for the Middletown Eye's reporting.

Republican Common Councilman Joseph Bibisi, a petitioning candidate, and Phil Pessina, who ran on the Working Families slate, didn't garner enough votes to earn seats. Their party failed to nominate them in September.

Pessina sat by in council chambers as the first several districts' results were announced and was disappointed by his and Bibisi's numbers. That morning, he and his 11-year-old grandson Owen were at Macdonough Elementary School with Middletown First candidate signs.

"I'm feeling a little cautious, but a good cautious," he said. "What's been more heartwarming to me is people coming up to me saying, 'we're voting for you because we're tired of the politics.'" 

Quentin Phipps, a Democrat, beat out Planning and Zoning commissioner and Republican Molly Salafia, 3,627 to 2,714, for treasurer. Board of Education candidates and Democrats Vinnie Loffredo and incumbent Franca Biales; and Republicans Sheila Daniels was re-elected along with newcomer Linda Szynkowicz.

Democrats Sal Micciulla and Aristia Partiss, new to politics, were elected to the Board of Assessment Appeals, along with Republican Jon Pulino.

The $1.15 million Mattabassett Sewer District referendum passed Tuesday with 4,261 votes in favor and 1,766 against, while the $15.2 million road bond passed with 4,301 yes votes and 1,722 against.

The Secretary of the State's office is posting voting results from every town in Connecticut, including Middletown.

In 2011, Drew's win forced out three-term Republican Mayor Sebastian Giuliano. In his first bid for Middletown's top office in the 2009 campaign, Drew earned just under 500 votes less than Giuliano.

Earlier on Election Day, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, wearing dark jeans and a bright orange sweater,  swept in to Middletown Democratic headquarters to work the phones for Drew's re-election bid.

By mid-day Tuesday, Republican Town Committee Chair Ken McClellan said his party was well-poised to win some seats. "The phone calls we've been making and the response we've been getting has been very positive," he said. "A lot of people are dissatisfied with the way Democrats are handling things."

Last month, Drew was cautiously optimistic about a second term. "You should never take any election for granted. I don't think anyone is a shoe-in in an election," he said. "You have to be able to reach out to people and that takes some resources."

Supporters who told him to "stay home and rest" instead of campaigning for mayor "is not the right attitude," Drew said. "I've seen candidates in other races lose that way."

There are 21,994 registered voters in Middletown; 10,421 Democrats, 3,331 Republicans, 8,009 Independents and 256 others. In the city's 2011 municipal election, 9,551 voters or 42.39 percent turned out.

Candidates will be sworn in next Tuesday in council chambers at city hall.

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