Bethwood Election Guide: Behind the Ballot

17th State Senatorial District

• Joseph Crisco, Jr. (D): Crisco is a Woodbridge resident and has served in the State Senate since 1993, representing the district which includes Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck and Woodbridge. He is currently Chief Deputy President Pro Tem/Federal Relations Liason and serves as Chair of the Insurance Committee. Read a detailed Patch interview with Crisco.
  
• Tony Szewczyk (R): Szewczyk is a former member of the Derby Board of Alderman, the chair of Derby's Republican Town Committee and a retired architect.  he said the two most serious issues facing Connecticut are jobs and budget reform: "We must set the economic stage to attract new jobs and retain existing jobs."

89th State Representative District 

• Vickie Nardello (D): Nardello has served as a state representative since 1994 in the district, representing Bethany, Cheshire and Prospect. She has served as co-chair of the Energy & Technology Committee since the 2009 legislative session, and has made public health a focus, holding a Master's Degree in Health Education.
• Lezlye Zupkus (R): A Prospect resident, Zupkus is originally from Mississippi. She has previously served as a Planning & Zoning commissioner in Prospect and as fundraising coordinator for the M. Jodi Rell campaign. Zupkus has picked up endorsements including the Waterbury Republican-American and Prospect Mayor Robert Chatfield. 

114th State Representative District 

• Aldon Hynes (D): Hynes is a social media manager for a community health center and a Woodbridge resident. He is a newcomer to running for political office, but previously worked on Howard Dean's 2004 campaign and Ned LaMont's 2006 Senatorial campaign. He has received an endorsement from the Amity High School Young Democrats.
• Themis Klarides (R): Seven-term incumbent Themis Klarides represents Orange, Woodbridge and Derby. Klarides boasts a 99% voting record in the House of Representatives and serves as Deputy Republican Leader.
  
  For more on the 114th State Senatorial District race, see clips from Patch's Oct. 22 debate between Hynes and Klarides.

17th State Senatorial District

(See above)

14th State Senatorial District

• Gayle Slossberg (D): Incumbent Gayle Slossberg has held her office since 2005, representing Orange, Milford and West Haven. Woodbridge is a new addition to the district following redistricting. Earlier this year she was a key vote in abolishing the death penalty.
• Michael DeGrego (R): A newcomer to the political scene, Michael DeGrego received the backing of Republicans last month. “These are the folks looking for jobs, running out of unemployment because Connecticut tweaked the numbers to make it look better than it is,” he said in an announcement. Read Patch's profile of DeGrego.

U.S. Senate

• Chris Murphy (D): The Democratic congressman is polling ahead of his closest party rival by a 50-20 margin as he tries to win outgoing Sen. Joe Lieberman’s seat.
• Linda McMahon (R): The former WWE executive tried – and failed – in her run for Senate two years ago. This year, she was the Republican favorite after winning the party convention. Her campaign headquarters is here in North Haven.

Third Congressional District

• U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D): Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has been in Congress. She’s hoping to add another two to that tally this November. She was recently in Orange to speak at a conference about food, where she called malnutrition and obesity a "double-edged sword.”
• Wayne Winsley (R): The Naugatuck resident faces an uphill challenge against long-time incumbent U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. Still, Winsley is optimistic and thinks it’s time for a change in the third district.