Updated: Menapace ousts Cheeseman in 37th House race

Nov. 5—Midnight numbers posted to the Secretary of the State's website showed Nick Menapace ousted Holly Cheeseman in the 37th House District by 99 votes.

The unofficial numbers, updated with totals from the final voting precinct around 12 p.m., showed Menapace had secured 50.3% of the vote.

He received 7,735 votes to Cheeseman's 7,636.

The results had been inconclusive earlier Tuesday night when Cheeseman told supporters at Flanders Fish Market in East Lyme the race was too close to call.

Absentee and same day registration voting totals by 9:45 p.m. were unavailable from a majority of towns in the district, which covers East Lyme and portions of Montville and Salem.

Menapace, calling from the Democratic headquarters on Main Street in Niantic, described himself at the time as hopeful based on the available numbers.

"I just have to wait and see," he said.

The state representative in 2022 fended off Menapace with 52.1% of the vote.

Cheeseman, 69, was elected to the state General Assembly in 2016. She served as executive director of the Niantic Children's Museum until she stepped down at the end of last year with almost a decade at the helm.

A ranking member of the powerful Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, she positioned herself during the campaign as someone who works effectively across the aisle to get things done.

She described herself as instrumental in getting Republican tax cuts included in the 2023 bipartisan budget despite a strong Democratic majority. She also worked with the other party on a signature House bill on child care that established the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund and created a pilot initiative in New London County with child care expenses for participants split evenly among employees, employers, and the state.

Menapace, 35, is an educator of 10 years who recently accepted a position in the New London Public Schools' Adult and Continuing Education program.

He campaigned on issues including increasing the availability of affordable housing, extending universal preschool throughout the state, and devising a long-term plan to address the high cost of electricity in the state.

Editor's note: This was updated with numbers from the Secretary of the State.