MILFORD – Former Democratic interim Mayor Richard Smith defeated incumbent Republican Mayor Anthony Giannattasio handily as Democrats added to their majorities on the school board and Board of Aldermen in Tuesday’s election.
Smith, who worked about seven months at Democrat Ben Blake’s replacement in 2023 when Blake secured a judgeship, earned 9,964 votes to Giannattasio’s 8,059 votes, in updated vote totals provided by City Clerk Peter Smith on Tuesday. The race had been one of the most hotly-contested in Connecticut insofar as fundraising was concerned.
The race had been one of the most hotly-contested in Connecticut in local mayoral fundraising. Smith raised $158,937 and Giannattasio, $155,745 – both beyond the previous city record of Giannattasio’s $125,421 in 2023.
Smith, who said he knocked on more than 5,000 before the campaign ended, up from 4,000 prior to last weekend, seemed exhausted but satisfied.
“I’m still processing, you know. It’s a little overwhelming,” Smith told CT Examiner. “It’s been a long day, it’s been a long night, because we worked tirelessly and talked to the voters, and answered tough questions. I just feel like I was out there connecting with the voters and addressing their concerns.”
Giannattasio’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
The Democrats on Tuesday built upon their Board of Aldermen and Board of Education majorities when, after the 2024 election, it seemed that the GOP was beginning to break the Dems’ almost traditional lock on local government with Giannattasio’s win over Democrat Kerri Rowland in 2023.
Blake had held the mayor’s office for 12 years before that, although the Republicans held city government’s top administrative post for slightly more than two decades before Blake.
Giannattasio, a 16-year alderman before his election in 2023, could not be reached for comment. He is seen as a hard worker and an enthusiastic proponent of everything Milford who had run his family’s successful barrel-manufacturing business in Milford for many years.
Smith, with a Yale University degree and a background in computers and process engineering at AT&T, PepsiCo and Dun & Bradstreet, was seen as more cerebral. Smith also displayed a gentler administrative hand with city employees than did Blake, for whom Smith worked as a campaign manager during Blake’s mayoral tenure.
Democratic Alderman Ellen Beatty, who is retiring at the end of this term after five two-year terms, said that the Republicans erred in their Giannattasio campaign strategy by blaming Democrats for increases in the city’s mill rate for the last two years.
“It wasn’t really accurate,” Beatty said, “and they [Republicans] weren’t saying what their accomplishments were, if any. I think they added to the partisanship in town. I think he [Giannattasio] lacked substance and experience in a job to run a city of this kind.”
Giannattasio, she said, never seemed to have a fix for those tax increases, preferring the more outward and sunny work of appearing at ribbon-cuttings and Milford public events, while Smith used his career background as evidence that he could create savings through improvements in government efficiency.
In the other election races, the Democrats added a seat to their 8:7 majority on the Board of Aldermen and two seats to their 8:2 margin on the school board.
In District 1, Republicans Andy Fowler and Win Smith won with 1,915 and 1,933 votes and Democrat Christopher Hite, an incumbent, also won with 1,837 votes under the City Charter’s minority representation rules, which prohibits any one party from dominating a district. Democratic challenger Stu Zolty lost with 1,764 votes. Republican Walter W. Hagedom also lost under the minority rule despite garnering 1,859 votes, respectively, City Clerk Peter Smith said.
In District 2, Democrats Toni Lombardi, a newcomer, and incumbent Robert A. Pacelli Jr. won with 1,944 and 2,011 votes, as did GOP challenger Kal M. Ali (1,482) as a minority representative. Republican Pasquale Civitella had 1,464.
Democrats Paul Healey (1,902) and Holly Mulrenan (1,872) and Republican incumbent Michael Casey (1,535) won in District 3.
Democratic Chairman Phil Vetro (2,092) and second-leading vote-getter Jennifer Federico (2,115 votes), a Democrat, won in District 4 with Republican Win Smith Jr. (1,767) the minority rep. Republican Katie Martino (1,725) was narrowly defeated.
In District 5, leading aldermanic vote recipient Meghan Brennan earned 2,338 votes and won with fellow Democrat Mike Smith (2,072) and incumbent Republican Bill Bevan (1,835). Democrat Alex Armstrong (1,967) and Republican Ray Vitali (1,815) lost.
In the Board of Education races, Democrats Nicole Wilhelm (1,834 votes), Mary Claire Edmonds (1,826) won District 1. Meghan Doyle (1,929) and Chairperson Susan Glennon (1,894) won District 2.
District 3 was carried by Adam Scobie (1,731) and Jennifer Brown (1,919), with Tom Koba (1,982) and leading school board recipient Cindy Wolfe-Boyington (2,323) winning District 4. Hanna Tedros (2,026) and Nicole Flowers (2,215) won District 5.
The school board does not have a minority representation clause.
CORRECTION: This story was updated to reflect the latest vote totals available in the mayor’s office and the City Charter’s minority representative rule for the City Council, which prohibits one-party control over a city voting district.