Crawford Victorious Over Klinck in 33rd State Senate Primary Race

James "Jim" Crawford (D-Westbrook) the current state representative for the 35th district (Westbrook, Clinton and Killingworth) declared victory over Mary Ellen Klinck in the primary race for state senate in the 33rd district.

Crawford received 2,504 votes to Klinck's 2,007 votes with all towns reporting.

"I am very pleased at the tone of the entire campaign," said Crawford, who added that he and Mary Ellen Klinck promised to move forward with one goal in mind and that's to keep the state senate seat Democratic.

Crawford said he "was so grateful to the people who helped me in my campaign" saying he was pleased that he ran well in towns that he was not as well-known. Crawford lost to Klinck in four towns out of 12 in the district.

"This primary helped the party," added Crawford, who said both he and Klinck, who spoke late in the evening of the night of the primary, got the message out to the voters.

Crawford and his campaign staff commented on his Facebook page, saying, "We thank you for all of your help and support. Jim has won the primary by a 56% - 44% margin (2,504 votes to 2,007). We'll be back soon but for now we're celebrating at Oliver's Taverne in Essex. Please join us and follow our new Facebook page here!"

A former Selectman in Westbrook and first term state representative, Crawford was his party's choice for the candidate to fill the seat of retiring state senator Eileen Daily (D) in this November's election.

Crawford faces Republican candidate Art Linares, also from Westbrook, this November as well as Green Party candidate Melissa Schlag of Haddam.

Here are the results of the primary from all 12 towns in the 33rd state assembly district:

Crawford        Klinck Chester 153 87 Clinton 441 97 Colchester 248 282 Deep River 131 120 East Haddam 86 438 East Hampton 243 270 Essex 325 124 Haddam 239 174 Lyme 38 110 Old Saybrook 181 103 Portland 186 160 Westbrook 233 40


Total
2504 2007 Percent
0.56 0.44

 

Other statewide primary results:

As expected, Republican Linda McMahon and Democrat Chris Murphy will face off in November for the right to succeed Joe Lieberman in the U.S. Senate.

With 77% of the precincts reporting at 10 p.m., McMahon was soundly defeating former U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays with 76% of the vote. Meanwhile, Murphy cruised by Bysiewicz, the Middletown native and former Secretary of the State, by a comfortable 66% to 34% margin.

In the Fifth Congressional District, Elizabeth Esty emerged on the Democratic side with a convincing 43% to 34% margin (as of 10 p.m.) over the embattled Chris Donovan, once considered the strong frontrunner before a campaign-finance scandal involving several members of his staff, and dark-horse Dan Roberti (23%).

Republicans in the Fifth District went down to the wire, with favorite Andrew Roraback pulling it out with 34% of the vote, followed by Mark Greenberg (28%), Lisa Wilson-Foley (19%) and Justin Bernier (19%) as of 10 p.m.

In the Second Congressional District, East Lyme restaurateur Paul Formica was running away with the Republican primary over Madison’s Daria Novak by about a 2-to-1 ratio, as of 9 p.m. and was declared the winner.