Yes, the CT GOP had the Senate from 1995-97, though promptly lost it (in part because Dole decided to abandon his campaign in the Northeast, which cost us up there). It has since dwindled to 22D-14R, just 2 seats below a technical 2/3rds (the GOP gained 1 seat in 2010 and another in a 2011 special. From after 2004, they were down 24-12, and had been at 21-15 prior to 2004).
Frustratingly, there were 7 additional seats the Democrats won in that body with less than 10% of the vote in 2010, and if the GOP had swept them all, they would’ve had a 21R-15D majority (interestingly, the Republican, Suzio, who won the special election in 2011, lost by 16% against the disgraced Dem incumbent in ‘10, so it wasn’t even one of those “close” seats). Enough to be a thorn in the ass to the execrable office-stealing Malloy.
I think it is the gerrymandering in the Northeast that accounts for the hyper-Dem majorities, as they shouldn’t be nearly as lopsided. Look at New York. If they can manage to have a GOP Senate with favorable lines, it’s rather telling.
there are a some open Senate seats for the R’s to try to pick up this year. Daily (shoreline) and eastern CT. Manchester is also competitive.
The 6 seats that can be picked up:
Milford
Crisco - woodbridge, no challenge this year
Shoreline - Meyer
Daly - retiring
the eastern Ct seat Sullivan lost is open now
Manchester
We could win 3 this year, if we lose 1 of ours, we are at 20-16.
Yes indeed and thank God we retook that NY Senate or else the chamber may have seen it’s last GOP Majority leader. That may happen in 2022, IIRC they cut some deal to do non-partisan redistricting in the future.