A Night for Incumbents (and One New Face) Representing Orange

Themis Klarides earned an eighth term in the 117th congressional district from voters in Orange and Woodbridge; Gayle Slossberg held back a challenge from Mike DeGrego; and James Maroney won a close bout to fill a vacant seat in a district that, for the first time, included Orange.

In a nationwide election that saw incumbents triumph from the presidency on down, local voters signalled their comfort with existing representatives -- including 3rd District U.S. Rep Rosa DeLauro -- while siding with national candidates Mitt Romney and Linda McMahon.

Klarides won with 64% of the vote, and took majorities in both Bethany and Woodbridge. (Read more about Klarides's win.) Slossberg's margin of victory was comparable -- with Milford factored in. But as Milford Patch pointed out Tuesday night, her victory in Milford was large enough that she would have won no matter what numbers DeGrego posted in Orange and Woodbridge.

Newcomer James Maroney is the only fresh face in Orange. A first-term Board of Education member in Milford, he won the 119th District State Representative position with 6,474 votes in Milford and Orange to Staneski's 5,870.

(Some numbers do not include absentee ballots.)

District 1 Results

Presidential

• Mitt Romney (R) 2,883
• Barack Obama (D) 2,446

U.S. Senate

• Linda McMahon 2,674
• Chris Murphy 2,408

Third Congressional District

• Rosa DeLauro (D) 3,316
• Wayne Winsley (R) 1,910

State Senate

• Gayle Slossberg (D) 3,017
• Michael DeGrego (R) 2,134

State Representative

• Themis Klarides (R) 2,630
• Aldon Hynes (D) 1,114

District 2 results

Presidential

• Mitt Romney (R) 792
• Barack Obama (D) 660
• Gary Johnson (Libertarian) 14
• Rocky Anderson (Independent) 4

U.S. Senate

• Linda McMahon 744
• Chris Murphy 659

Third Congressional District

• Rosa DeLauro (D) 903
• Wayne Winsley (R) 519

State Senate

• Gayle Slossberg (D) 795
• Michael DeGrego (R) 650

117th Assembly District

• Paul Davis (D, unopposed) 984

District 3 Results

Presidential

• Mitt Romney (R) 928
• Barack Obama (D) 764
• Rocky Anderon (I) 5
• Gary Johnson (L) 14

U.S. Senate

• Linda McMahon (R) 888
• Christopher Murphy (D) 765
• Paul Passarrelli (I) 32

Third District Representative

• Rosa DeLauro (D) 1094
• Wayne Winsley (R) 584

State Senator

• Michael DeGrego (R) 680
• Gayle Slossberg (D) 987

119th District State Representative

• Pam Staneski (R) 761
• James Maroney (D) 873

Registrar of Voters

• Mary DeVito 1013
• Carmela Apuzzo 244

(Totals are subject to confirmation and final tallies may change slightly.)

Update 9:40 p.m.

Themis Klarides, Gayle Slossberg and James Maroney are among the projected winners of local elections.

More updates and full totals on the way.

District 2 results

Presidential

Mitt Romney (R) 792

Barack Obama (D) 660

Gary Johnson (Libertarian) 14

Rocky Anderson (Independent) 4

U.S. Senate

Linda McMahon 744

Chris Murphy 659

Third Congressional District

Rosa DeLauro (D) 903

Wayne Winsley (R) 519

State Senate

Gayle Slossberg (D) 795

Michael DeGrego (R) 650

117th Assembly District

Paul Davis (D, unopposed) 984

Update: 6:45 p.m.

Campaigners for both parties are still present in Orange, where candidate Aldon Hynes reached out to the groups of after-work voters streaming into Mary L. Tracy School.

Registrars have reported heavy turnout throughout the day.

According to registrars, in District 1 3,720 had voted as of 7 p.m. Officials said districts 2 and 3 had received about 1,500 votes each.

Update: 3:00 p.m.

As of 1:25 p.m., 866 have voted in District 2 and 888 in District 3, say registrars at High Plains Community Center.

It's heavy -- about the same at it was four years ago, say officials. And it's been steady throughout the day.

Update: 12:00 p.m.

Voting has been "very heavy" at Mary L. Tracy school since 6:00 a.m., according to moderators. Voters at the school, serving as polling place for Orange's first district, had cast 1,578 votes as of 10:50 a.m.

Moderator Joe Blake told Patch the votes were a good start for the day, but hoped to see even more turnout. "We're asking more people to come out and vote. Very important," he added.

Candidates at the school may meet Rep. Themis Klarides or challenger Aldon Hynes, both frequenting the polling place off and on today, as they make the final push of their campaigns.

Update: 10:00 a.m.

Registrars at High Plains Community Center say voters lined up before 6 a.m. outside in below-freezing temperatures to vote, and that voting now is "steady" at the polling place.

"The voting has been consistent. Not too many lulls," said registrar Nancy Nastri, adding that voting has slowed down from early morning highs, but is still consistent with previous years.

Original:

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Good morning, and welcome to Election Day 2012!

Today, Orange residents go to the polls to choose a president, a U.S. Senator, a U.S. Representative from the 3th Congressional District, state representatives for the 114th and 119th districts, and a state Senator in the 14th District.

See below for information on where to cast your ballot and the list of candidates. We've also included how Orange voted in 2008, the year of the last presidential election, and 2010, the last mid-term election.

Read it over, then visit your local polling station between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. to make your voice heard! And be sure to check back with Patch for updates throughout the day, including the announcement of the winners as soon as votes are tallied tonight.

U.S. Senate

Chris Murphy (D) and Linda McMahon (R) are vying for the seat vacated by Joe Lieberman. (Click on "U.S. Senate" for updates, results and reactions.)

Third Congressional District

The challenger, Wayne Winsley (R), is hoping to unseat incumbent Rosa L. DeLauro (D) (Click on "Third Congressional District" for updates, results and reactions.)

114th General Assembly District 

• Aldon Hynes (D): Hynes is a social media manager for the Community Health Center and a Woodbridge resident. He is a newcomer to running for political office, but previously worked on Howard Dean's 2004 campaign and Ned LaMont's 2006 Senatorial campaign. He has received an endorsement from the Amity High School Young Democrats.
• Themis Klarides (R): Seven-term incumbent Themis Klarides represents Orange, Woodbridge and Derby. Klarides boasts a 99% voting record in the House of Representatives and serves as Deputy Republican Leader.
  
  For more on the 114th State Senatorial District race, see clips from Patch's Oct. 22 debate between Hynes and Klarides.

119th General Assembly District

• James Maroney (D): James Maroney won the backing of the Democratic Party in May to seek the seat of outgoing state Rep. Richard Ro. “The reason I am running is simple, my desire to help people. It’s the reason I left my job on Wall St 13 years ago to start my small business,” he said in a statement following the nomination.
• Pam Staneski (R): The former Milford Board of Education and alderman is backed by the Republican Party to take the district representing parts of Orange and Milford. “Hartford’s policies have been driving businesses out of the state, costing many people their jobs and their hope,” she said in a statement.

14th State Senatorial District

• Gayle Slossberg (D): Incumbent Gayle Slossberg has held her office since 2005, representing Orange, Milford and West Haven. Woodbridge is a new addition to the district following redistricting. Earlier this year she was a key vote in abolishing the death penalty.
• Michael DeGrego (R): A newcomer to the political scene, Michael DeGrego received the backing of Republicans last month. “These are the folks looking for jobs, running out of unemployment because Connecticut tweaked the numbers to make it look better than it is,” he said in an announcement. Read Patch's profile of DeGrego.

117th General Assembly District

• Paul Davis is running unopposed.

Still Not Sure Who You're Voting For?

Check out our Election Guide to see coverage of candidate debates, updates from the campaign trail, opeds, letters and more.

Orange Polling Places

Polls open at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m.

• District 1 — Mary L. Tracy School
• District 2 — High Plains Community Center

How Orange Voted in 2008 (81.94% Turnout)

(D=Democrat; R=Republican; G=Green; I=Independent; WF=Working Families; CL=Connecticut for Lieberman; WI=Write In)

PRESIDENT

• McCain-Palin (R) —  4,205 votes
• Obama-Biden (D) — 4,074 votes
• Nader and Gonzalez — 97 votes
• Calero and Kennedy -- 1 vote

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3rd DISTRICT

• Rosa DeLauro (D) — 5,242 votes
• Boaz ItsHaky (R) — 2,349 votes
• Ralph Ferrucci (G) — 168 votes
• Rosa DeLauro (WF) -- 205 votes

14th SENATE DISTRICT

• Gayle Slossberg (D) — 4,198 votes
• Vincent Marino (R) — 3,787 votes

17th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

• Paul Davis (D) — 2,208 votes
• Stephanie Williams (R) — 1,479 votes

114th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

• Themis Klarides (R) — 2,534 votes
• Marc J. Garofalo (D) — 1,662 votes

How Orange Voted in 2010 (64.09% Turnout)

(D=Democrat; R=Republican; G=Green; I=Independent; WF=Working Families; CL=Connecticut for Lieberman; SA=Socialist Action)

U.S. SENATE

• Linda McMahon (R) — 3,262 votes
• Richard Blumenthal (D) — 3,007 votes
• Richard Blumenthal (WF) — 101 votes
• Warren Mosler (I) — 43 votes
• John Mertens (CL) — 38 votes

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3rd DISTRICT

• Rosa DeLauro (D) — 3,390 votes
• Jerry Labriola (R) — 2,792 votes
• Rosa DeLauro (WF) — 127 votes
• Charles Pillsburg (I) — 61 votes

14th SENATE DISTRICT

• Vincent Marino (R) — 3,474 votes
• Gayle Slossberg (D) — 2,838 votes

17th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

• Paul Davis (D) — 1,631 votes
• Peggy Rogers (R) — 1,323 votes

114th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

• Themis Klarides (R) -- 2,307 votes
• Joshua Hershman (D) -- 1,079 votes

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