Harkins elected mayor

Written by John Kovach
Tuesday, 03 November 2009 22:47

State Rep. John Harkins was overwhelmingly elected Stratford’s second mayor Tuesday.

Harkins finished with more than 50% of the vote, and some 3,400 ballots more than Democratic incumbent James R. Miron.

Cheers could be heard from a crowd that flowed out of Harkins headquarters in Paradise Green as unofficial results were called in by observers.

Harkins finished with 7,334 votes, with 3,912 for Miron. Unaffiliated candidate Domenic Costello was third with 2,402. George Mulligan, also a petitioning candidate, got 86 votes.

Harkins and his backers hailed the victory as a chance to restore pride in Stratford.

“The sun is shining, the cloud has lifted,” outgoing Republican Town Council member Michael Julian said while congratulating Harkins.

“The people have spoken,” Miron said in a subdued headquarters on Hawley Lane, in the presence of most town department heads, telling supporters he had conceded shortly before 8:45 p.m.

Still, Miron said, he and his backers could be reassured that they did everything they could.

“For four years I gave my 150% to this job,” Miron said.

Republicans held control of the Town Council, with six of the nine GOP candidates prevailing.

All three Republican candidates for Board of Education won election.

Further details will appear in Thursday’s Stratford Star.