Norwich - On a
night of Democratic landslide victories
across eastern Connecticut and much of
the state, Republican challenger
Christopher Coutu celebrated a raucous
victory over seven-term incumbent
Democrat Jack Malone.
”Hard work. Hard work,” the freshman
city alderman said after all the 47th
House District totals except Scotland
were recorded on the large blackboard at
the Stonehouse Café and Grill in
Sprague.
”We worked hard. We had a plan, and
we implemented that plan. The people
were supportive.”
Several minutes later, Coutu -
flanked by his wife, Neringa Coutu, his
father, Dan Coutu and his sister, Kimi
Coutu and other supporters - stood on
the tiny corner stage at the café to the
deafening roar and whistles of the
packed house of supporters.
He stressed throughout the night that
while he is a fiscally conservative
Republican, he also is
independent-minded and would be able to
work with legislators on both sides of
the aisle.
Coutu, 32, also said it's important
for eastern Connecticut to have a
Republican who can bring issues to
Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell in the face
of a super Democratic majority in the
General Assembly.
Malone was surprised by the loss. It
struck him about 9:15 p.m., when numbers
from Canterbury seemed to put the race
out of reach. “It's over,” he said,
leaning at a counter at Occum Pizza. He
called Coutu to concede minutes later.
”Chris, you beat me,” Malone said.
“I'm calling you up to congratulate you
and to tell you to do a good job. You
have a big job ahead of you.”
Malone lost in four of the five
Norwich precincts in the district,
including his usual strongholds of
Taftville, Occum and Norwichtown.
Taftville, however, was Coutu's home
base, and he won big in the precinct,
738 to 523. Coutu took Precinct 1, which
covers Occum and Norwichtown areas 724
to 596.
The Norwich city charter prohibits
Coutu from serving as both legislator
and aldermen, so he now must give up
that seat. But Coutu said Tuesday night
that he will remain active in Norwich
politics.
Malone, however, said he has no plans
to run for future political office.
