CT 1st Congressional District Race: Larson Projected As Winner

Since the 1998 mid-term elections, the 1st Congressional seat has belonged to U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, an East Hartford native and current resident there.

Following Tuesday night's elections, Larson will serve for another term as multiple media outlets, including NBC News, have projected Larson to be the winner.

According to the Connecticut Secretary of the State's Office, Larson, as of 5:06 a.m. Wednesday, held a massive lead over Republican Jim Griffin and Green Party challenger Mary L. Sanders.

State officials said Larson had 115,372 votes, with Griffin tallying 79,006 and Sanders 4,056.

Larson had 56.31 percent of the votes as of 5:09 a.m., state officials said.

The 1st Congressional District serves 27 towns in the north-central part of Connecticut, with larger cities like Bristol, Hartford, and Torrington within the 1st District.

Larson, 76, is an East Hartford native and resident who has served in political office for decades on the town, state, and national levels.

A 1967 East Hartford High School graduate and 1971 Central Connecticut State University grad, Larson taught history at George J. Penney High School in East Hartford. (In 1985, Penney merged with EHHS, forming one school.)

In addition, Larson, according to his online biography, helped found the Larson & Lysik Insurance Agency.

While working within his community, Larson served on the East Hartford Board of Education and East Hartford Town Council in the 1970s and early 1980s.

By 1982, he was elected to the Connecticut State Senate, where he served the 3rd Senate District for 12 years, including as Senate President Pro Tempore from 1987 to 1995.

Three years after leaving the state Senate, Larson ran for Congress in 1998 and won a seat serving the 1st Congressional District.

He's held that job ever since.