Re-Elected Gerratana Thankful For More Time On Job

When Terry Gerratana, a former five-time legislator, won a special election to replace Don DeFronzo in the State Senate 6th District in Feb. of 2011, she jumped right in and headed two committees. She was chair of the General Assembly’s Public Health Committee and also chairs the Select Committee on Children, which addresses matters impacting children in the state of Connecticut and issues pertaining to the state Department of Children and Families.

In addition to her two chairmanships, Senator Gerratana will serve on the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee and the Regulations Review Committee.

Tuesday night she won in a rout over Dwight Blint, 18,172 to 7,054, to earn a return trip back to Hartford.

"I'm grateful to have a full term this time," Gerratana said. "I got there in the middle of the session last time and spent a lot of time catching up. This time I will have more time and we can start together on getting things done."

Gerratana is proud of how much she was able to help get accomplished in her short time in Hartford.

"It was very productive," she said. "I think we passed, worked and advocated for something like 60 bills in 2011. One of the reasons we got so much work done was the other legislators made me feel right at home and welcomes me very quickly."

Gerratana will likely remain on the same committees but will also speak to the party leadership about any other committee assignments that may be open or may have a need.

Gerratana, who represents Berlin, New Britain and Farmington, says Election Day is never easy.

"I have never taken an election for granted," she said. "We did the customary things like phone banking, door knocking, canvassing and putting out lawn signs. The results are the ultimate test. You lay out a plan ahead of time and hope on Election Day that things go your way. There were different circumstances this year too being a Presidential election year. And thank goodness the snow came on Wednesday and not on Tuesday or we would have had a big mess."