This story has been updated.
Democrats quickly declared victory Tuesday night for Iris Sanchez over Republican Jamie Vaughan in a special election to fill the vacant 25th House District seat in New Britain.
Sanchez, 50, a five-term member of the city’s Common Council, will succeed Bobby Sanchez, a Democrat who resigned the House seat after winning the open race for mayor in November.
Unofficial results posted by the secretary of the state’s office showed her winning by nearly a 2-1 margin with 356 votes to 181 for Vaughan in a district held by Democrats for more than half a century. Only 6% of voters turned out.
The representative-elect emigrated from Carolina, Puerto Rico to New Britain in 1994, settling in a House district that now is 56% Latino. Her predecessor, who is no relation, recruited her to run for council a decade ago.
Vaughan, 51, had first run for the seat in 2024, winning 29.9% of the vote against Bobby Sanchez. The showing was the best by a Republican in recent cycles.
Once the results are certified and she is sworn in, Democrats will outnumber Republicans in the House, 101 to 49, with one vacancy to be filled in a special election next week in the 139th District of Ledyard, Montville and Norwich.
The vacancy was left by the death of Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montiville, on Nov. 23.
The General Assembly’s annual session opens on Feb. 4.