With polling hours extended because of a lack of ballots and a race in the 4th Congressional District that many predicted was too close to call, the mood at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn while not down didn’t always seem upbeat.
Supporters of U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, who was seeking his second term in office, seemed anxious. Would the extra polling hours help or hurt? Would the “throw the bums out” mentality take hold of the district’s voters.
So when GOP challenger Dan Debicella appeared on the television screen conceding the race, the sense of relief almost seemed palpable. And it didn’t take long for that sense of relief to segue into one of close to unbridled job, as if many had been steeling themselves against a Himes loss.