As news channels flickered with Sen Obama’s name and the image of Republican John McCain, the smaller realm of local elections also took dramatic turns.

First-time statehouse candidate Democrat Christopher Lyddy won the 106th District seat, defeating his Legislative Council colleague and chairman, Republican William F.L. Rodgers by more than 1,500 votes. A tally of 7,054 votes for the Democrat topped the 5,507 votes for the Republican contender.

Mr Lyddy walked into an impromptu Democratic headquarters at the Firehouse Bar & Restaurant to cheers as campaign manager Sarah Hemingway threw her arms around his neck. Reflecting the shining eyes and laughter filling the bar and restaurant, Mr Lyddy broke free from the handshakes to take a breath. “I am flabbergasted,” he said regarding his win — by a wide margin.

Was it the record flood of voters to the polls this November 4?

“We didn’t expect the turnout we had. People were so excited to vote,” he said. And vote for him, they did.

With a cellphone to her ear, Ms Hemingway recorded preliminary election night numbers from the polls, and within minutes shouted, “He’s got it. He won!”

With a surprising win over his challenger, Mr Lyddy said he will leave his seat as a council member to replace retiring 106th District State Representative Julia Wasserman in Hartford by January.

“I’ll resign from the council,” he explained, in order to prepare for his new post at the state capital.

Despite defeat, Mr Rodgers had offered his support to Mr Lyddy as the representative-elect turned toward his new venture. The two men shared a moment alone before Mr Lyddy arrived at his victory celebration.

As the seconds dwindled toward 8 pm and the close of polls Tuesday, Democratic supporters — as yet unaware of Mr Lyddy’s pending victory — spoke well of their party and its candidates. Waiting quietly, Democratic Town Committee Chairman James Juliano and others awaited Mr Lyddy’s arrival.

“He’s cool, and he’s calm,” Mr Juliano noted. Impressed that the young man showed so much ambition, Mr Juliano described the candidate as “ politically astute,” adding that his road to become a state representatives race was a “step in a long stride.”

“He has a lot of political career ahead of him,” Mr Juliano said.

Regarding the campaign, Mr Juliano said, “He knew what to do and how to do it. I’ve been in Newtown 38 years and I have never seen anyone work so hard.”

In the minutes before she learned of his win, Ms Hemingway spoke of her candidate’s motivations. “I think [Mr Lyddy] realized that Newtown needed someone who would really fight for them and to do that you need to listen to them. He has knocked on doors since the end of March, talked to a lot of people,” she said.

As the polls closed Tuesday, a few dozen people hoping for a celebratory evening gathered at the Republican Party headquarters located in a former sporting goods store-turned-office at the corner of South Main Street and Wasserman Way awaiting results.

Mr Rodgers told The Bee around 8:20 pm that he was “nervous as heck.”

“I think I ran a good campaign,” Mr Rodgers said. “We’ll see what happens if Obama carries Newtown, change versus experience, which is the same parallel between the top of the ticket and the state representative contest here; we’ll see if people follow that thinking across the board.”

The first results came from District 2, and when Joe Bojnowski wrote the numbers on the tally board — 1,936 votes for Mr Rodgers, 2,553 for Mr Lyddy — a groan rippled through the room. Mr Rodgers looked dismayed and even said, “Oh, that’s a lot, that’s a lot. I might as well go over there and congratulate him now.”

The mood quickly went from hopeful to somber.

“It appears we fought the good fight but we were beat handily,” Mr Rodgers conceded about 30 minutes after the polls closed. “Let’s try to support Mr Lyddy in Hartford. I’m headed to Democratic headquarters to offer my congratulations.”

Two Republican incumbents from down county fared somewhat better, with both Senate Minority Leader John McKinney and 112th District Representative DebraLee Hovey posting wins.

Rep Hovey told The Bee Wednesday, “I am thrilled to be reelected.”

Saying she loves her district, Rep Hovey indicated she always considered herself a full-time legislator for Newtown as well as Monroe. She overcame her Democratic challenger Michele Mount by 101 votes in the small area of Newtown Ms Hovey represents, logging 878 votes against Ms Mount’s 777.

“It is wonderful to know that my Newtown constituents recognize how hard I work and I am honored to have their trust,” Ms Hovey said. “I have helped the town with several education issues and I am looking forward to continuing to make sure that Newtown has a strong voice in Hartford.”

Sen McKinney was equally upbeat.

“I’m incredibly humbled and honored to serve Newtown and the district for another two years,” Sen McKinney said Wednesday. He said he was anxious to dig in again in Hartford, “getting the state economy righted, growing good jobs and tackling the deficit” in the state budget.

Sen McKinney welcomed his former intern and now colleague Rep-elect Lyddy, but noted that losing the guidance and experience of longtime Newtown Representative Julia Wasserman made this election season “a little sad.”

“She is just a wonderful lady who did a lot for the people of Newtown,” Sen McKinney said. “I will be increasing my work in Newtown in her absence.”

Before heading back to Waterbury and his campaign headquarters there, US Representative Chris Murphy made a swing through Newtown, chatting with voters and a group of Girl Scouts selling cookies outside the middle school. He seemed a bit edgy, but confidant, asking supporters how they thought the vote was going.

The payoff came a few hours later when Mr Murphy was returned to Washington on behalf of the Fifth District, having overcome the challenge from Republican State Senator David Cappiello.

Speaking to The Bee Wednesday, Rep Murphy said Election Night was an evening to remember for the rest of our lives.

“Everywhere across our nation, from my celebration at the Howland Hughes Center in Waterbury, to living rooms in Newtown, and even across our borders, we could feel the world changing under our feet,” he said. “I woke up Wednesday morning ready to start the hard work it is going to take to change our country for the better, and I am thrilled that President-elect Obama will be leading that effort.”

(Newtown Bee Reporter Kendra Bobowick and Associate Editors Shannon Hicks and John Voket collaborated on this story.)