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At Backstage restaurant in Torrington, where supporters of state Sen. Andrew Roraback, R-Goshen, gathered to await results in the 5th Congressional District, disc jockey Jon March was playing “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins and “Wham!” by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

March said that for political events, he has a well-thought-out playlist.

“There’s a lot of psychology involved,” he said.

One thing that’s forbidden at such an event, March said, is playing music by a supporter of the other side.

Therefore, no Bruce Springsteen on at backstage.

“It’s too bad,” March said, “ ‘Born to Run’ is such a great song for a political campaign.”

Brian Mattiello, acting as Roraback’s spokesperson at the restaurant, said he talked to the candidate earlier Tuesday.

Mattiello said Roraback said he had no regrets about how the campaign had progressed, and that he felt he had left nothing “in the locker room” going into Election Day.

“So we’re in the best position we can be in,” Mattiello said, “without knowing any results.”

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Dispatch from Susan Tuz:

Towns in Greater New Milford reporting voting numbers of 50 percent or better.

“We’re pushing 1,000 with 1,600 registered voters in the town,” Roxbury Town Clerk Peter Hurlbut said at 2 p.m.

The turnout reportedly is high in New Milford, Washington, Roxbury, Bridgewater, Sherman, Kent and Warren.

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The three Pomperaug High School students helping out at the Southbury fire department voting place on South Main Street were busy, busy, busy Tuesday morning.

Drew Berkowitz Jr., a junior who wants to major in International Relations and Politics in college, stood at the door to the voting room directing people to this line or that depending on their address.

Several voters were sent over to the library instead because the town consolidated districts from five to three and polling places changed.

Samantha Mackbach, a senior at the high school, won’t be old enough to vote for a few more months. But she was there, with a stapled list of street addresses, also directing voters.

“This is such a big election, it’s a turning point in our country,” she said. “It’s good to take part in it and help out.”

Zach Little, a junior, called the turnout by late morning “huge.”

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Andrew Roraback, the state Senator from Goshen representing the 30th District, leads in a new poll seven points ahead of Democrat Elizabeth Esty.

Politico is reporting that the poll commissioned by the right-leaning American Action Network has the Republican ahead of Esty 42 percent to 35 percent in Connecticut’s Fifth District. The poll was conducted by American Viewpoint.

Esty has been way ahead on raising money in the fierce campaign for the open seat. As reported here recently, the former state representative from Cheshire said she raised $650,000 in the most recent quarter. That gives her a total of about $2.1 million — more than half spent already — for the race.

Roraback has not reported his third-quarter fundraising tally yet. The deadline is Oct. 15.

The 5th District seat is open because Democrat Chris Murphy, who wrested it from Republican Nancy Johnson in 2006, is  running for the Senate against Republican Linda McMahon. (Is there anyone in the state who doesn’t know this??)  The same right-leaning poll found Murphy trailing McMahon in his own congressional district by 11 points, 53 percent to 42 percent.

Meanwhile, Roraback and Esty prepare to debate this evening in New Preston from 7 to 8 p.m.  Consider it a warm-up for Barack and Mitt, who go at it from Denver starting at 9 p.m.

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A lighted glass floor at the Curtis Cultural Center on East Street in Meriden, the House Speaker’s hometown,  leads the way to the podium where Chris Donovan is expected to speak tonight.

Reporter Dirk Perrefort is on the scene. He reports that water, soda and cookies are on hand for the Democratic bash.

Donovan,  the party-endorsed candidate for the 5th Congressional District, is in a primary today against Elizabeth Esty of Cheshire and Dan Roberti of Kent. Both of them are in Waterbury — separate places, of course — to hear the results with supporters.

All that's needed is the candidate.....

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Elizabeth Esty, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 5th Congressional District, will join supporters at the Coco Keys resort in Waterbury to watch results.

This cheese platter awaits….as does a cash bar.  Guess Chris Murphy, the party-endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate, also is going with a cash bar tonight, according to Tweet from Ken Dixon. Wonder about the Republicans….

Buy-your-own at Esty bash

...but the cheese is free in the grand ballroom.

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With less than an hour to go before polls closed, campaign workers for Democrat Dan Roberti got the Waterbury headquarters ready for a party.

Get out the vacuum cleaner, put up more signs. Don’t forget the crepe paper streamers.

The candidate running for the 5th Congressional District party nomination — his first run for office — is expected to watch results come in from this Grand Street former bank building.

Getting ready for the party in Waterbury.