CT 142nd House District Election Results: Dathan Re-Elected

Norwalk CT

03 November, 2020

8:00 PM

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This story was updated at 12:22 a.m. on Nov. 4, 2020: Lucy Dathan, the incumbent Democrat in the state's 142nd House District, unofficially won re-election Tuesday over Republican challenger Fred Wilms, according to numbers from the Secretary of State's office. Dathan unofficially received 9,887 votes between precincts in New Canaan and Norwalk, while Wilms unofficially garnered 7,418 votes. The district encompasses portions of the two communities. She issued the following statement as the unofficial vote tally rolled in: In the end, campaigning "in the new normal" wasn't so different from years past. It required more Zoom, face masks, and hand sanitizer but I still was able, with the support of my amazing volunteers, to engage with much of our community on a deep level. There is nothing I love more about this job than connecting with the residents of Norwalk and New Canaan. It is such a privilege to serve each and every one of you in the 142nd District. I am indebted to my family for their unflagging support and to my campaign team who saw the numerous COVID-19 challenges as simply opportunities to find creative solutions. Together, we have accomplished so much that many thought impossible back in March. Together, we found hope and faith despite tragedy and hardship. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris talk about what 'building back better' looks like. I know what this means first-hand because together that is just what we have done these last two years in Hartford, and that is what we are doing now as a community facing this pandemic. Now, more than ever, we need to have a strong voice in our state legislature that will work hard to protect key rights, especially as many of them are likely to be threatened by a realigned Supreme Court. Though I'm optimistic about the results, every vote counts and it is important we honor our democratic process. I hope to be a safeguard against egregious Federal policies. And at a more local level, we need to continue to push for quality, affordable healthcare while addressing our current public health crisis; fully fund education, and work to resolve the State's financial troubles. As we look to the years ahead, we must find ways to move forward and not backward. Together, we need to keep this state moving forward. I am up for the task. Whether you voted for me or not, I hope you'll join me. I am everyone's representative and I endeavor to earn every constituents' respect through my continued dedication to the district. It is an honor to take on this work with and for you. This story was updated at 11:45 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2020: Incumbent Democrat Lucy Dathan appeared to win re-election Tuesday by narrowly defeating Republican challenger Fred Wilms for the state's 142nd House District, according to the unofficial vote tally. Though not all votes had not been tabulated by late Tuesday night, Dathan held an unofficial edge with 6,868 votes to Wilms' 6,545. The district represents portions of Norwalk and New Canaan. In Norwalk, Dathan unofficially had 6,422 votes, while Wilms unofficially garnered 5,789 votes. The unofficial New Canaan tally had Wilms with 756 votes compared to Dathan's 446. In 2018, Dathan defeated Wilms, who was the incumbent at the time, to capture the post. NORWALK, CT — Voters cast their votes in Connecticut's 142nd House District election Tuesday, which saw incumbent Democrat Lucy Dathan face off against Republican/Independent challenger Fred Wilms. The 142nd District includes New Canaan and Norwalk. It was one of several races voters made decisions on Tuesday. In addition to the big presidential and congressional races, all state House of Representative and Senate seats were up for grabs in Connecticut. (The votes are currently being counted and continue to refresh this article for updates as the night progresses. To sign up for free real-time election updates from Patch click here.) Voting operated a bit different this year thanks to a law which allowed absentee ballot voting for all voters in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Dathan, a New Canaan resident and certified public accountant, is seeking her second term in office. She is a former corporate CFO, who defeated Wilms in 2018. The coronavirus pandemic is the biggest issue currently facing Connecticut, she told Patch, which is why she pushed for "early and no-excuse absentee voting" to ensure that all residents could feel safe casting their ballots. "I have been focusing on supporting our frontline workers with PPE needs, assisting the unemployed with their unemployment claims, and guiding local businesses with COVID support loans," Dathan said. "I also assisted the Real Estate community when they were in freefall and helped them land softly and prepared for the largest boom in real estate sales Connecticut has seen in recent memory." Stay on top of all the returns from across Connecticut and our five congressional districts by checking these stories throughout the night. Election Results: Keep Up-To-Date On Every Race In CT CT Presidential Election Results: Donald Trump Vs. Joe Biden CT Election Results: 5 Congressional House Races Up For Grabs She said that improving the "physical and fiscal well-being" of her constituents is a priority. "I worked with relevant agencies to secure resources, fix issues with unemployment applications, and help businesses apply for aid," Dathan said. "We expanded telemedicine, brought additional testing sites to our community, opened a COVID-19 recovery center, expanded affordable childcare options for front-line workers, and delayed due dates for taxes." Wilms, a Norwalk resident, is a senior vice president with Webster Bank, who formerly chaired the Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation. He held the 142nd District seat for two terms before losing to Dathan in 2018. In a recent video on his Facebook page, Wilms said that even with the coronavirus, he enjoys campaigning door-to-door and meeting constituents, though he does so wearing a mask and keeping his campaign materials safely in plastic bags. "Four main themes have come out, the first is, for the taxpayers, my strong finance backgrounds shows that we don't always need to be raising taxes," he said. "And certainly with our property, sales and income tax burden, that's welcome news." He added that he's a strong supporter of police and received the endorsement of the Norwalk Police Union; he supports local control of school districts; and he supports local control of zoning matters to avoid overbuilding.