After the primary polls closed and the vote were counted on Aug. 14, Madison found itself in a unique, if not initially unexpected, position in the midst of the race for the governor’s office: as the home of the Republican candidate for governor, Bob Stefanowski.

Stefanowski, a businessman, was not the party-endorsed candidate, but petitioned along with other Republican candidates to force a primary. Stefanowski handily won the primary and also came out on top in the local counts, taking in 755 votes in Madison and 162 votes in Killingworth.

Stefanowski has lived in Madison for about 15 years with his wife and three children, initially using Madison as a home base during the summer months before moving to town full time.

“This is a great town,” he said. “I got a really high percentage of the vote from Madison Republicans, which was really great to see. There are great people in this town—Tom Banisch, Eileen Banisch, Noreen Kokoruda, and Jim Matteson have all been really supportive from the start. We love the town and we love the people.”

On Aug. 15, President Donald Trump endorsed Stefanowski via Twitter. Much like the president, Stefanowski pitched himself as a businessman and a political outsider who can help get the state back on track by phasing out a series of taxes including the state income tax and embracing zero-based budgeting to reduce spending.

“I really appreciate the support I have gotten,” he said. “My plans are to reduce taxes and make government smaller. Madison does a terrific job of managing their budget. I would stay out of Madison’s way. Obviously I am there to support the town, but the town works very well under the local government officials. I want to be supportive and just try to get Hartford back in order.”

On Aug. 14, Republican voter turnout was 1,424 or 36 percent of 3,947; Democratic turnout was 1,275 or 34 percent of 3,790. In Madison and Killingworth, Democrats heavily favored endorsed party candidate Ned Lamont over his opponent. Lamont, too, handily won his primary and took in 1,137 votes in Madison and 394 votes in Killingworth.

Lamont, a businessman and a candidate for U.S. Senate back in 2006, has touted numerous policy initiatives including investing in education, building a fair economy, and investing in infrastructure in his campaign platform. Lamont said he is thankful for the large show of support he received from Madison residents.

“Connecticut’s coastline is one of our most important drivers of economic growth, as many of our key cities are located along the shore,” he said. “Madison represents the very best of our state: beautiful tourist destinations, a vibrant Main Street, and a strong commitment to protecting our environment. I was honored and humbled to win the overwhelming support of Madison residents and will work hard to earn their support in November.”