A limited recount in Torrington has resolved the 65th House District race in favor of Republican challenger Joe Canino over Democratic incumbent Michelle Cook, while triggering a broader recount in the 8th Senate District, which includes a portion of Torrington.
Sen. Lisa Seminara, R-Avon, said the Torrington recount narrowed Democrat Paul Honig’s margin of victory to less than one half of 1%, or 266 votes, in the 11-town district she represents, one of the standards for an automatic recount throughout the district under state law.
“I am formally withdrawing the concession I previously made,” Seminara said. “My decision is based on this new information that has come to light.”
The Torrington recount was a limited “discrepancy recount,” one prompted by problems with tabulators that prompted Democratic and Republican election officials to agree on a new count of votes cast by absentee, early voting or Election Day registration. It did not include ballots cast at the polls on Election Day in the 65th District, which is wholly within Torrington.
The new recount in the 8th District will include all ballots cast in all 11 towns.
Honig’s victory was the sole flip in the state Senate. If the results hold, Honig’s win will increase the Democratic majority by one seat to 25-11 when the new two-year term begins in January.
Honig, a selectman in Harwinton, lost a close race to Seminara two years ago when the seat was open. The district’s largest source of votes are the Farmington Valley suburbs of Avon, Canton and Simsbury, where Democrats are heavily favored in presidential years.
Cook, an eight-term Democrat in a district that heavily votes Republican in presidential years, is one of two Democrats to lose House seats. The other is Rep. Rachel Khanna, a first-term lawmaker from Greenwich.
Democrats flipped six Republican House seats, giving them a net gain of four in the state House. Their majority will be 102-49 in January.
The Republicans to lose seats were Rep. Holly Cheeseman of East Lyme, Rep. Kathleen McCarty of Waterford, Rep. Francis Cooley of Plainville, Rep. Rachel Chaleski of Danbury and Rep. Laura Dancho of Stratford. They also lost an open seat in West Haven long held by Rep. Charles Ferraro.
