Not exactly a scoop, but we know the winners of these races

Democrat Angel Arce is a sure thing for re-election in Hartford, where it’s not unusual for badly outnumbered Republicans to take a pass on legislative races. So is Republican Mike Alberts in Woodstock, which is a little odd, given that he squeaked into office by just 48 votes a decade ago.

In all, 42 of 151 state House members and eight of 36 senators are positioned to cruise into office in November without major-party opposition, though five of them will first have to win primaries in August.

Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport are the top locales where the GOP doesn’t try to defy the lopsided voter registration numbers. Waterbury has the singular distinction of giving legislators in both parties a free ride: In the House, Democrat Jeff Berger and Republicans Anthony D’Amelio and Selim Noujaim can vacation in November.

Ben McGorty of Shelton, a Republican, won a special election Tuesday to fill the vacancy left by the death of Rep. Larry Miller, R-Stratford. He faces a GOP primary in August, but if he clears that hurdle, he’s in: No Democrat is running in November.

The winner of the Democratic primary for the open seat in the 124th House District of Bridgeport is the winner of the seat. There is no Republican candidate, even though the Democratic nominee is likely to be Ernest Newton II, a former legislator attempting a comeback after a stint in prison on a corruption conviction.

In the Senate, the expected leaders of both caucuses next year are unopposed by the other party: Democrat Martin Looney in New Haven, and Republican Len Fasano in North Haven.

House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, is unopposed by a Republican, but House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, is not.

It may be appropriate that Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, is unopposed by a Republican. Urban is a Democrat, but she originally was elected to the General Assembly as a Republican.