Gordon Declares Victory In 35th District Senate Race

TOLLAND COUNTY, CT — The 35th district seat in the state Senate was a close one heading into the early Wednesday morning period, but when all 23 towns had finally reported, Republican Geoff Gordon was on top.

The tally was 20,993 to 20,631, according to the secretary of the state's scoreboard.

The contest featured Democrat Lisa Thomas versus Gordon for the seat vacated by Republican Daniel Champagne, who stepped down at the state level but remained Vernon's mayor.

"It was a hard-fought election and and example that every vote does matter," Gordon said. "But I've declared that I have won and I am ready to move forward. I am excited and humbled to be the next state senator in the district and ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work without partisanship."

The votes took all night Tuesday and into Wednesday morning to trickle in.

Union was the first to report. The tiny municipality on the Massachusetts border, the least populated in Connecticut at an estimated 781, sent in the tally just after the polls closes at 8 p.m. Gordon won by nearly a hundred votes — 267-170.

That pattern held through nine of the 23 town reporting with Gordan amassing 6,932 votes to Thomas' 6,419.

Thomas then took Vernon, the districts largest town, with 5,950 votes to Gordon's 4,570.

But with 21 of the 23 towns reporting at 1:22 a.m. Wednesday, the tally was Thomas with 18,967 and Gordon with 18,782.

By morning, Gordon had prevailed.