Connecticut Senate Evenly Split Between Democrats and Republicans

Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy says he will work with Republican lawmakers; questions arise about leadership roles

By Joseph De Avila | Wall Street Journal

Connecticut Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy pledged Wednesday to work with Republican lawmakers after Tuesday’s election left the state Senate split evenly between the GOP and Democrats.

When lawmakers take their oaths of office in January, the state Senate will have 18 Democrats and 18 Republicans. Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, a Democrat, can cast a tiebreaking vote.

Democrats controlled the chamber 21-15 going into Tuesday’s election.

“As of today officially, there is no longer a majority party in the state Senate,” said Republican Sen. Len Fasano, the current minority leader, at a news conference. “We now are a chamber of equals. The old way of doing things is gone.”

Democrats have held a majority in the state Senate since 1997. The party also has controlled both chambers of the Legislature and the governor’s mansion for the past six years.

Mr. Malloy said he planned to speak with leaders of both parties to discuss how to move forward.

“In recent years, we have come together across party lines on many important issues,” Mr. Malloy said at a separate news conference. “Now with a different dynamic at play in the Legislature, we have the opportunity and even the obligation to work even better together, to find even more common ground.”

The biggest issue lawmakers will confront next year is how to address deficits in the two-year budget cycle that begins July 1, 2017. The Legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates Connecticut is facing a $1.25 billion shortfall next year and $1.4 billion the year after.

Another issue is leadership. There is initial disagreement about how the two sides would proceed with settling leadership positions.

Mr. Fasano said it was unclear under the constitution how the Senate would approach elections for leadership positions within the chamber, including the top jobs, Senate president pro tempore and the next in line, the majority leader.

He said it wasn’t clear if the state constitution allowed the lieutenant governor to break ties in leadership votes.

A spokesman for current Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney disagreed, saying the constitution gives the lieutenant governor the authority to break ties.

Mr. Looney said he would work with the Republicans.

Republicans also picked up seats in the House of Representatives. The Democratic advantage in that chamber fell from 87-64 before the election to 79-72.