Donovan Wins Democratic Convention in Fifth CD. Esty, Roberti Qualify for Primary.

Speaker of the House Christopher Donovan won a convincing first ballot victory over one-term former state Representative Elizabeth Esty and Daniel Roberti at the Fifth Congressional District Democratic nominating convention. Unofficial results have Donovan at 216 votes, Esty with 63, and novice Roberti garnering 54–3 more than needed to qualify for the August primary.

Roberti endured some nervous moments as delegate switches put him below the magic 51 votes near the end of the ballot. Some help from Waterbury, where Roberti and his family and friends dropped some serious dough near the end of last year’s heated municipal campaign, put the Kent Democrat above 51 votes as the ballot ended.

Esty, a Cheshire Democrat, has to have been disappointed that months of campaigning yielded only 63 votes. She’ll need to turn her stunning self-regard into momentum soon if she’s to overcome Donovan’s advantage with party activists.