2015 Connecticut Senate 23rd district special election

none June 2026 September 2023 2015 Connecticut State Senate 23rd district special election Connecticut by-election no 2014 Connecticut State Senate election 2014 2016 Connecticut State Senate election 2016 February 24, 2015 x145px Ed Gomes Working Families Party 1,485 48.82% x120px Richard DeJesus Democratic Party (United States) 791 26.00% Kenneth H. Moales Jr. Independent (politician) 509 16.73% Quentin Dreher Republican Party (United States) 152 5.00% Senator Andres Ayala Jr. Democratic Party (United States) Ed Gomes Working Families Party Connecticut State Senate 23rd district The 2015 Connecticut State Senate 23rd district special election was held on February 24, 2015, in order to fill Andres Ayala Jr.'s seat after he was appointed to be the director of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Former Senator Ed Gomes, the nominee of the Connecticut Working Families Party, won the special election and regained the seat that he had held before Ayala Jr. had defeated him in the 2012 primary. Gomes was the first person elected to a state legislature with only the nomination of the Working Families Party. He was also the first third-party candidate elected to the Connecticut state legislature since the Socialist Party of America elected four of its members to the state legislature in 1938. Background Ed Gomes was elected to the Connecticut State Senate in a 2005 special election. Gomes served in the senate until he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Andres Ayala Jr., who went on to win in the 2012 and 2014 elections. However, Ayala Jr. resigned to become the director of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles in 2015.https://ctmirror.org/2015/02/24/ed-gomes-wins-big-will-resume-state-senate-career-at-79/ Ed Gomes wins big, will resume state Senate career at 79 February 24, 2015 The Connecticut Mirror live https://archive.today/20210526011056/https://ctmirror.org/2015/02/24/ed-gomes-wins-big-will-resume-state-senate-career-at-79/ May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 https://www.capitalgazette.com/hc-state-senator-andres-ayala-to-be-named-dmv-commissioner-20141222-story.html State Senator Andres Ayala Jr. To Be Named DMV Commissioner December 22, 2014 Capital Gazette live https://archive.today/20210526011338/https://www.capitalgazette.com/hc-state-senator-andres-ayala-to-be-named-dmv-commissioner-20141222-story.html May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Campaign Richard DeJesus won the Democratic nomination on January 23, 2015, against Gomes after Edwin Farrow, who chaired the convention, broke a twenty-six to twenty-six tie between the two candidates. Gomes' campaign stated that Farrow should have recused himself from breaking the tie and accused the convention of having conflicts of interest, but a panel of the Democratic Party of Connecticut found nothing in their report.https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DeJesus-officially-endorsed-for-23rd-Senate-6035999.php DeJesus officially endorsed for 23rd Senate District January 23, 2015 Connecticut Post live https://archive.today/20210526011544/https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DeJesus-officially-endorsed-for-23rd-Senate-6035999.php May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Quentin Dreher won the Republican nomination at the nomination convention on January 12, but chair John Slater filed the certificate of endorsement too late for Dreher to appear on the ballot. Dreher filed a lawsuit to appear on the ballot and won.https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Candidate-sues-to-get-on-state-Senate-ballot-6036892.php Candidate sues to get on state Senate ballot January 23, 2015 Connecticut Post live https://archive.today/20210526011746/https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Candidate-sues-to-get-on-state-Senate-ballot-6036892.php May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Gomes won the nomination of the Working Families Party and Kennard Ray served as his campaign manager.https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Democratic-panel-weighs-Bridgeport-dispute-6028610.php Democratic panel weighs Bridgeport dispute January 21, 2015 Connecticut Post live https://archive.today/20210526012157/https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Democratic-panel-weighs-Bridgeport-dispute-6028610.php May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Kenneth Moales and Charles hare ran as independents. During the campaign it was revealed that DeJesus owed $139,433 in back taxes and $35,700 in child support.https://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-bridgeport-voters-cant-catch-a-break-20150205-story.html Bridgeport Deserves Better Than Compromised Candidates February 5, 2015 Hartford Courant live https://archive.today/20210526012748/https://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-bridgeport-voters-cant-catch-a-break-20150205-story.html May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/working-families-party-connecticut_n_6751574 Working Families Party Elects First State Legislator On Own Party Line February 25, 2015 HuffPost live https://archive.today/20210526013210/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/working-families-party-connecticut_n_6751574 May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Al Sharpton was supposed to appear at a voter registration event for Moales, but cancelled the event after Gomes' supporters reached out to Sharpton as they saw it as an endorsement of Moales.https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Sharpton-calls-off-Bridgeport-visit-6076639.php Sharpton calls off Bridgeport visit February 12, 2015 Connecticut Post live https://archive.today/20210526013547/https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Sharpton-calls-off-Bridgeport-visit-6076639.php May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Gomes' victory made him the first person elected to a state legislature with only the nomination of the Working Families Party; Lindsay Farrell, executive director of the Connecticut Working Families Party, stated that Gomes' victory was "a very big deal for us".https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Working-Families-Party-claims-big-victory-6108415.php Working Families Party claims big victory February 28, 2015 Connecticut Post live https://archive.today/20210526001603/https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Working-Families-Party-claims-big-victory-6108415.php May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Gomes was the first third-party candidate elected to the state legislature in Connecticut since the Socialist Party of America elected four members to the state legislature in 1938.http://ballot-access.org/2015/02/24/working-families-party-elects-a-state-senator-in-connecticut/ Working Families Party Elects a State Senator in Connecticut February 24, 2015 Ballot Access News live https://archive.today/20210526013909/http://ballot-access.org/2015/02/24/working-families-party-elects-a-state-senator-in-connecticut/ May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Gomes later became a registered member of the Democratic Party and sought the Democratic nomination in the 2016 election.http://ballot-access.org/2016/07/11/connecticut-state-senator-wins-ballot-access-lawsuit-involving-democratic-primary/ Connecticut State Senator Wins Ballot Access Lawsuit Involving Democratic Primary July 11, 2016 Ballot Access News live https://archive.today/20210526014216/http://ballot-access.org/2016/07/11/connecticut-state-senator-wins-ballot-access-lawsuit-involving-democratic-primary/ May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Results 2015 Connecticut State Senate 23rd district special electionhttp://ballot-access.org/2015/02/25/vote-totals-for-connecticut-february-24-special-state-senate-election/ Vote Totals for Connecticut February 24 Special State Senate Election February 25, 2015 Ballot Access News live https://archive.today/20210526014503/http://ballot-access.org/2015/02/25/vote-totals-for-connecticut-february-24-special-state-senate-election/ May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 Working Families Party Ed Gomes 1,485 48.82% Democratic Party (United States) Richard DeJesus 791 26.00% Independent (politician) Kenneth H. Moales Jr. 509 16.73% Republican Party (United States) Quentin Dreher 152 5.00% Independent (politician) Charles E. Hare 105 3.45% 3,042 100.00% Endorsements Gomes endorsements Organizations Mary McBride-Lee, member of the Bridgeport, Connecticut city council References Category:2015 elections in Connecticut Category:Connecticut Senate elections Category:2015 state legislature elections in the United States Category:February 2015 in the United States