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Ryan Fazio was elected to the seat in Fairfield County on Tuesday, Aug. 17 in the 36th District in a special election that was forced by the resignation of Democrat Alex Kasser, who cited a contentious divorce from a top Morgan Stanley executive last year as a reason to step down.
According to the GOP, the 36th Senate District was overwhelmingly won by Biden in 2020 by a 25-point margin.
The 36th District represents Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan in Fairfield County.
Fazio, age, 31, won the three-way election over first-time candidate Alexis Gevanter, a Democrat, and John Blankley, also a Democrat, who ran as a petitioning candidate after failing to win the party endorsement and conceded within hours of the polls closing on Tuesday.
He had also run for the Senate seat nine months ago unsuccessfully against Kasser before the special election.
Unofficial results of the election had Fazio with 50.1 percent of the vote, Gevanter at 47.6 percent, and Blankley garnering just 2.3 percent of the votes.
Fazio is an employee of an investment firm and a member of the Representative Town Meeting in Greenwich. He will finish out the remainder of the two-year term of Kasser following her resignation.
“Thank you. I am grateful beyond words to this community for the trust they have placed in me,” Fazio said. “I will work hard every day to validate it as your state senator. Now the real work begins: It’s time to bring a positive change to our state government and a brighter future for Connecticut.”
Once it was official, State Republican Senate Leader Kevin Kelly released a statement congratulating Fazio on the narrow victor.
“He will be a tireless and energetic advocate for his constituents and for making our state a place where all people can access good-paying jobs, support their families, and build a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones,” he stated. “Ryan's roots are in Connecticut. He understands the people he represents, and the burdens faced by families throughout our state.
“He ran in support of opportunity and affordability. He focused on local issues and kitchen table economics,” Kelly continued. "His successful election shows that the Connecticut Republicans' better way is resonating with young people who want to make our state a better place.
“The next generation is standing up as Republicans, and as candidates, and they are not afraid to make their voices heard and advocate for change.”
Even with the loss, Gevanter was bullish about whether or not she would look to take another run at state Senate in future elections.
“Despite tonight’s disappointing results, my commitment to the very values that make our community the inclusive, kind, and caring place we are all proud to call home has never been stronger.”
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