NEWINGTON - First-term 27th Assembly District incumbent Gary Byron retained his Connecticut House of Representatives seat last night, edging challenger and Board of Education member Josh Shulman by a 6506 to 5716 margin.

       The final figures-first posted to the Newington Patch site-saw Byron capture 6,023 votes from Republicans, and 483 from independence party voters. He was endorsed by both the town’s Republican Town Committee and the Connecticut Independence Party.

       Byron, who won the seat-vacated by the retirement of former Democratic State Representative Sandy Nafis-two years ago, described feeling â€�"validated” by last night's victory.

       â€�"When I won two years ago, it was an open seat,” Byron said from Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant, where he and Republican supporters gathered to watch the returns. â€�"Because I never held office, nobody knew what they were getting. I have a record now, and that record is fairly representing the residents of Newington.”

       Throughout his campaign, Byron has pointed to the passage of two bills-legislation that increased penalties for perpetrators of animal cruelty and moved to study hoarding as a mental health issue-as well as his pledge to oppose new tax increases from Hartford.

       He has also advocated for the preservation of Human Services facets of the budget, while opposing a controversial transit-oriented development authority bill that many Newington residents saw as a threat to local autonomy.

       About two miles up the Berlin Turnpike, supporters from Shulman’s campaign watched the returns from Puerto Vallarta-where he was first nominated to run for the House seat.

       Around 9:30 p.m., Shulman addressed the group of campaign organizers and Democratic Town Committee members.

       â€�"We started here, and it’s been a hell of a ride,” Shulman said. â€�"I want to say thank you to everyone-I couldn’t have asked for more.”

       Shulman, whose platform sought to remedy Education Cost Sharing shortfalls while addressing the state’s budget woes through â€�"longer term” fixes such as a tighter revenue return projection process, wished Byron success in his second term.

       â€�"My hope is still that Connecticut will be strong, no matter who is in Hartford,” he said.

       Back at Bertucci’s, Byron set his sights on the next budget cycle, concerns regarding jobs, and maintaining local control.

       Byron’s education platform sought to establish partnerships between schools and businesses-specifically through a CBIA initiative that aims to develop the future workforce in manufacturing, green engineering, and construction, among other growth fields.