Griswold - Despite a sometimes heated race, incumbent First Selectman Philip Anthony Jr. easily won a third term Tuesday, defeating two challengers by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio.

Anthony won with 1,046 votes, defeating incumbent Selectwoman Theresa Madonna and challenger Peter Zvingilas.

Neither Madonna nor Zvingilas, as the two low vote-getters, won seats on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Selectman Steven Mikutel, a Democrat, was top vote-getter, with 1,411 votes, while newcomer Donald Hill, a Republican, was elected to the board with 706 votes.

After the votes were counted, Anthony thanked God and scolded newspapers, saying that he credited voters with determining that he was doing a good job despite what he described as rumors surrounding his tenure.

"I'm grateful to God, as I am with every success I achieve, and of course our residents," he said. "They again put their faith in me, despite the newspapers and their opinions based on rumors, non-facts; but yet the people know the facts and they voted accordingly. From my heart I thank them."

Anthony had faced criticism, particularly from Zvingilas, who said the first selectman spent too much time in his hardware store and not enough in town hall.

Zvingilas said he thought Anthony's strong showing in the first district was reflective of a district where a high percentage of voters are renters and perhaps not as interested in tax increases.

"The people went out and voted; we'll see how the next couple of years turns out, whether they made the right choice or not," Zvingilas said. "I would hope Phil stays out of the store a little bit more and pays a little more attention to business."

Anthony said he was surprised that Madonna did not win a seat and said she had been a "pleasure to work with."

Hill, the highway department assistant foreman in North Stonington, is a former Marine. He retired from the state police in 2009 after 22 years as a resident state trooper.

k.crompton@theday.com