Election 2025: Candidates React

The polls closed last night at 8 p.m.

When the results came in — beginning half an hour later — the pattern was clear.

Westport joined at least 19 other towns and cities — from Ansonia to Willington — whose first selectmen or mayors flipped from Republican to Democrat.

Meanwhile, Democrats retained control of all town boards.

It was a great evening for some candidates.

It was a rough one for others.

This morning, “06880” reached out to the men and women who ran for the Board of Selectpersons, Board of Education and Planning & Zoning Commission.

We offered our platform, to any who wished to speak.

Several took time out from their busy morning — responding to texts and emails; planning next steps; getting on with their other lives — to reply. They said:

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David Rosenwaks (defeated Independent candidate, Board of Selectpersons):

While the outcome of the election is not what I had hoped, I’m proud to say that this campaign has made history — earning more votes than any 3rd party candidate ever in our town.

Thank you to the Independent Party of CT, the Forward Party, my campaign team and all of my supporters for your dedication and hard work.

And thank you to my family for standing by me through all the long days and late nights over the last 3 months — your support has meant everything.

Finally, congratulations to 1st and 2nd selectmen-elect, Kevin Christie and Amy Wistreich. I wish them success as they work to move Westport forward. I will help in any way I can, and I look forward to future involvement in Westport’s town government.

David Rosenwaks

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Abby Tolan (re-elected Democratic incumbent, Board of Education):

I am grateful for the incredible team, and for everyone who showed up to support a shared, positive vision for our schools and for every child. I look forward to returning to work and continuing our progress together.

Abby Tolan

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Dorie Hordon (re-elected Republican incumbent, Board of Education) and Andy Frankel (newly elected Republican, BOE) say:

Thank you Dan, and to every Westport voter who took the time to ask questions, attend events, and participate. This engagement is what keeps our schools strong.

We also want to thank and recognize Michelle and Kaitlin for their commitment and hard work, as well as all of the candidates for throwing their hats in the ring for the good of our schools. We are excited to work together and the rest of the board, and want to congratulate all the other candidates who were elected.

If there is one thing this campaign demonstrated, it is that the challenges and opportunities facing our schools have little to do with party politics. We have a truly excellent school system, and we know we will all work together to do what’s right for our students and Westport as a whole.

Thank you again for this opportunity to serve our great community.

Andy Frankel and Dorie Hordon.

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Stephen Shackelford (newly elected Democrat, Board of Education):

I am honored to be joining the Westport BOE, and I congratulate Abby, Dorie and Andy on their wins. I look forward to serving with each of them, and with Lee, Neil and Jill. I think we can accomplish quite a lot working together over the coming years.

It was great to see voter turnout of approximately 50%; that’s a testament to the wonderful civic-minded town we live in. Thank you to every one of you for getting out to vote!

Thanks as well to my wife and family for their staunch support throughout the campaign, and to all involved in our campaign, especially our campaign manager Tom Prince, who learned all this on the fly and did it with grace and much-appreciated good humor.

My biggest thank you though, is for my running mate, Jodi Harris. I knew going into this campaign that Jodi was smart, a great writer (after all, she was an editor for years!), and dedicated to our schools and our kids.

But I had no idea, until we campaigned together, what a uniquely talented, thoughtful and deeply knowledgeable candidate she turned out to be. She was the #1 ideas candidate in this race, and I will do my best to help push those many great ideas forward.

Stephen Shackelford

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Jodi Harris (defeated Democratic candidate, Board of Education):

I want to sincerely thank the 5,657 residents who voted for me and believed in my ideas to improve our schools for all students, faculty and staff. While this wasn’t the outcome I hoped for, I’m so grateful for the support.

I especially want to congratulate Stephen Shackelford. It was an honor to run with him, and I am proud to call him a friend. He is an incredible human, with high integrity, and this is a role he was born to occupy.

Thank you to all who guided and encouraged me along the way: my incredible family and my amazing, supportive bench of PTA co-volunteers.

And congrats to Abby, Dorie and Andy. It is my sincere hope that the new BOE can work across political party lines to implement the commitments outlined during the campaign – especially those for special education and school facilities.

Jodi Harris

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Michelle Hopson (defeated Republican candidate, Board of Education):

It’s been a true honor to be among so many accomplished, intelligent people who are making an impact. The quote from Norman Vincent Peale, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars” is exactly how I feel.

I ran because I believe education is the greatest passport to opportunity. As a mom and a naturalized citizen who built a life through learning, I know firsthand how access, belonging and support can change a child’s trajectory. For me, this was personal, not political. It was about making a difference.

Despite the outcome, running this campaign was an incredible learning experience. It allowed me to open a dialogue that helped people step outside partisan lines and lean into our shared values: our children, our students, and their future.

I was deeply moved by the calls, emails, texts and encouragement I received from the community. One mom told me, “I don’t normally vote for a Republican, but I was so moved by your story that I cast my vote for you.” That meant everything.

And the real win for me was seeing my family (all registered Democrats) show up to support me during the debates. Setting that example for my daughter was the pinnacle of this experience. She was so proud, and that meant the world.

As for what’s next, I’ve accepted a full-time lecturer position at CSCU Norwalk. I’ll continue to provide opportunities to my community college students by hiring them as paid interns in my business, where they’ll work with architectural, engineering and construction leaders across 7 states.

Thank you to everyone who believed in me and in what we can achieve together.  Congratulations to the 4 newly elected Board of Education candidates: Abby Tolan, Stephen Shackelford, Dorie Hordon and Andy Frankel.  Our children and community are in good hands.

Michelle Hopson

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Robert Harrington (defeated Republican incumbent/write-in candidate, Board of Education):

Congratulations to my Board of Education colleagues on your election victories — Kevin on becoming first selectman, and Abby and Dorie on retaining your seats. I have been lucky to sit beside all 3 of you.

Congratulations as well to Stephen and Andy, our two new BOE members.

I am disappointed that Jodi won’t be joining the board — she would have been excellent, and she came so close.

It was a humbling result for me. I’d like to thank everyone who came out to vote yesterday. I have truly loved serving on the Board of Education for the past 4 years — it has been both an honor and a privilege, and I will miss it deeply. Thank you, Westport.

One race I likely did win was taking down all my campaign signs last night and again early this morning before catching the train to NYC. If I missed any, please let me know — robertharrington13@icloud.com or 203-916-2654.

Robert Harrington

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Michael Cammeyer, Bre Injeski and Craig Schiavone (victorious Democratic candidates, Planning & Zoning Commission):

Thank you, Westport, for your trust and support!

We are grateful to everyone who engaged in the process, asked hard questions, and shared their hopes for Westport. We look forward to serving every resident with integrity and collaboration, ensuring that our decisions reflect the community’s voice and values. Please continue to engage with us!

We’re so excited to work with our new first selectman’s office. Together, we’ll preserve what we love and plan for what’s next.

From left: Bre Injeski, Michael Cammeyer, Craig Schiavone.