To paraphrase CTKeith

"Isn't is nice that we made the SOB earn it?"

Milford has two more years of Republican Jim Richetelli to contend with. Congratulations are in order.

It wasn't easy for him, though.

From being unopposed two years ago, Richetelli had to really work every angle he knew to hang on for one more term. He had to suck up to "World's Worst Senator" Joe Lieberman to be on the receiving end of all the fundraising capabilities a longtime DC insider can muster. And in the process, Milford Democrats swept nearly every underticket seat that was up for grabs, apparently because Mayor Jim didn't see fit to work all that hard for his board.

Meaning, the overwhelming Republican majorities on every major city board are a thing of the past. The Democrats now control ALL of them, and in two years time, they'll be in the driver's seat for winning the mayor's job. Right now we have the opportunity to gain control of the tax situation with a majority in the Board of Aldermen.

From the New Haven Register Wednesday morning:

Republican Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. may have been re-elected to a fourth-term Tuesday night, but it was Democrats who were partying after regaining control of a large swathe of city government for the first time in two decades.

While Richetelli defeated his Democratic challenger, Kerri Rowland, by a vote of 7,794 to 5,808, the night ended with Republicans losing majorities on the boards of Aldermen, Education and Planning and Zoning.

The most striking reversal came with the Board of Education moving from an 8-to-2 Republican majority to a 7-to-3 Democratic majority. The Democrats also won a 9-to-6 majority on the Board of Aldermen, and all five Democratic PZB candidates rolled to victory, giving the Democrats a 6-to-4 majority. Previously, Republicans held a 9-to-1 majority on the zoning board.

The atmosphere at HQ was subdued when the mayoral results came in, but was ecstatic when each alderman's, board of ed member's, and planning and zoning member's results were posted on the big screen. It was a bittersweet victory, but most definitely a victory for the Democrats none the less.

Kerri ran a really great campaign, and for a one-term alderman to make it a tough race against a firmly entrenched incumbent is quite an achievement. I'm very proud to have worked with Kerri and all the Milford Democrats, and I hope that we'll see further gains in two years time.

Tessa Marquis, Mike Brown, Rich Smith and all the Milford Democrats really made this a fun race, and they deserve our thanks.

Video from the "war room" coming later this week...I need a day or two to decompress.