Finizio had to petition onto the ballot after Passero was endorsed by the party.
City councilor Michael Passero will be New London’s Democratic candidate for mayor, after defeating the incumbent, Daryl Justin Finizio.
In the end, it was a handy win for Passero, who’s a city firefighter and a labor lawyer. He polled 1,242 votes to Finizio’s 798.
The mayor had said last year that he wouldn’t seek re-election after his first four-year term, but he later changed his mind. Finizio had to petition onto the ballot, after Passero was endorsed by the party.
Taxes were a hot button issue among voters because of hefty hikes during Finizio’s administration, and the mayor was also criticized for controversial appointments to city offices.
It took only about half an hour after the polls closed for the incumbent to concede. Passero said Finizio was gracious in defeat. “So now the Democrats in this city are going to pull together, and we are going to go forward," said the winner. "November 3, we are going to win an overwhelming victory."
Finizio said he will now work to help the Democratic ticket, but he’ll return to private life after the election. "I have full confidence that we have left the City of New London better off than we found it, four years ago," he said in his concession speech. "In whatever way that I can serve our city, I will continue to do so."
Passero will face Republican Bill Vogel in November.
