Klarides-Ditria received 6,589 votes to Conroy’s 4,978, according to unofficial numbers released from the Republicans.
“Now the real work begins,” Klarides-Ditria told a crowd of supporters at the American Pie & Pub in Seymour. “This was all easy, but now we have to bring our state back. We have to get rid of Dan Malloy. Get into that House and Senate, and fix Connecticut.”
Conroy addressed her supporters gathered at Hot Tamale Mexican Grill and Bar in Seymour.
“I thank all of you. I had the greatest campaign team and support around here,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I brought back millions and millions of dollars to this district that never came back here (before).”
Conroy said she had brought back “over $6 million each and every year” she represented the 105th. She said she believed it was “the Trump factor” in the district that caused her to lose the seat.
“I had people from all sides of the aisle voting for me,” Conroy said. “I’m proud of my proven record.”
Klarides-Ditria, in an interview after her speech, said having lots of Republicans out voting in the presidential race was a boost to her campaign. But, she said, people voted for her because they were looking for a change in state spending.
“They’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. We need a change in Connecticut,” Klarides-Ditria said. “Our overspending, our overborrowing, and the Democrats who have been in charge of the house and senate for 38 of the last 40 years continue down that path. And we need to change that path to common sense.”
The race in the 105th House District was expected to be the most competitive in the lower Valley.
The district includes parts of Derby, Seymour and Beacon Falls.
Conroy was first elected in 2008, but she lost a re-election bid to Len Greene Jr. in 2010.
Conroy came back to unseat Greene in 2012, and won a second consecutive term in 2014.
This was Klarides-Ditria’s first run at state office, though her family is well-known in the district. Her sister, Themis Klarides, is the state House minority leader.
“Both Theresa and my sister had very well known names in the district, there’s no question about that. But, Theresa voted for the second highest tax increase in the state last year, and I think that was a bad vote for her for her district. And quite frankly, that was when my sister decided to run,” Themis Klarides said.
Klarides-Ditria is the Town of Seymour’s Deputy First Selectman.
“I’m sorry to see her leave as deputy, but I’m confident she’ll do a lot of great things in Hartford,” said Kurt Miller, the First Selectman of Seymour. “This is a victory she absolutely earned.”
Her campaign tied Conroy with Gov. Dannel Malloy, a fellow Democrat, and tax increases that left Malloy with a 24 percent approval rating as of June.
Themis Klarides said Malloy’s unpopularity played a role in the election.
“It was never about anybody that you’re running against being a bad person, they just have bad votes,” Themis Klarides said. “I commend Theresa for what she’s done and for her commitment to the community. I just think it’s a big deal. The state is in some very serious problems. To continue adding to that tax burden and the burdens of the state of Connecticut, we just can’t do it anymore.”
Conroy’s campaign, though, said she had disagreed with Malloy on certain fiscal matters, such as funding for Griffin Hospital. She said a politician’s job is to make tough choices, and she touted her battle against opioid abuse as a recent accomplishment.
Conroy’s campaign manager, Linda Fusco of Derby, said: “We’re more than disappointed.”
“She is the hardest-working, most honest, most real legislator I know. She has worked so hard for her district,” Fusco said. “People are just angry…when you’re that angry you don’t take the time to be informed.”
Fusco said she and Conroy asked each other what they could have done differently, and determined that they had done everything they could.
Fusco said they started knocking on doors in May.
“We ran a good, clean campaign,” Fusco said.
She also said Conroy has helped many Connecticut residents with her work on combating the opioid crisis.
“She has really touched a lot of people,” Fusco said.“That’s the heartbreak here.”
Unlike fellow incumbent Democratic Valley lawmakers Linda Gentile and Joe Crisco, Conroy was willing to debate her challenger.
Klarides-Ditria and Conroy debated twice — once during a debate organized by Seymour High School students, and a second time live on the radio on WATR-AM.
Tuesday was Conroy’s third time running for office during a U.S. presidential election, during which voter turnout is higher. Her 2010 loss to Greene was during an off-year election cycle.
In 2008 Conroy received 6,113 votes in her first successful campaign. That year Barack Obama defeated John McCain for the nation’s highest office.
In 2012, another presidential year, she won re-election with 5,161 votes. She was re-elected in 2014 without serious opposition, and received 4,620 votes.
As of Oct. 31, 51.9 percent of Seymour registered voters did not have a party affiliation, according to the CT Mirror.
About 24 percent were Republican and 23.8 percent were Democrat, according to the Mirror.
In Beacon Falls, 47.6 percent of registered voters were unaffiliated, 25.5 percent Republican and 26.8 percent registered with Democrats.
Unaffiliated voters comprise 42.5 percent of the Derby electorate. About 40 percent are Democrats and 17 percent are Republicans.
Eugene Driscoll contributed reporting to this article.
