UPDATED: Howard defeats Rotella in 43rd District state House race
Stonington police Detective Greg Howard, a Republican from Pawcatuck, narrowly defeated incumbent Democratic state Rep. Kate Rotella of Mystic on Tuesday by 297 votes in the race for the 43rd District seat.
Howard received 7,558 votes to 7,291 for Rotella. While Rotella defeated Howard 6,103 to 5,592 in Stonington, Howard beat Rotella 1,996 to 1,278 in North Stonington.
"I'm very grateful for the people of the district who came out and supported me and put their trust in me. I'll do a good job for them," he said.
Howard praised Rotella for running a "civil and classy race," in which they discussed the issues.
"I'm proud of the campaign we ran. I did not waiver from who I am," he said.
Howard initially announced plans to run as an independent candidate. But then Shaun Mastroianni, who had been endorsed by the Republican Party to challenge Rotella, dropped out of the race and Howard replaced him on the Republican ticket.
Howard, who said he is not a fan of the two-party system and pledged not to vote along party lines, is well known in Stonington as a longtime police officer and president of Stonington Youth football.
While he offered support for Black Lives Matter protesters in Mystic this spring, something he says resulted in criticism from some fellow officers, he also has criticized aspects of the state’s new police accountability law. He has said he will work to reform aspects of the law, which he said eviscerates the ability of officers to do their job, such as by ending qualified immunity from lawsuits.
Howard has also said increasing taxes in the state is the result of spending and the legislature's unwillingness to do the hard work needed to ensure money is being spent wisely.
"I'm disappointed. I've done a good job and it was a tough race. I wish Greg good luck," Rotella said late Tuesday night.
Rotella, who previously served two terms as a selectwoman in Stonington, has sat on the legislature’s powerful Appropriations Committee and has a long career in finance and budgets. She is the purchasing manager for the Capital Region Education Council in Hartford.
In her first term, she was part of several successful efforts to improve health care, health insurance and lower prescription drug costs.
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