New Haven Independent

Sturgis-Pascale did, however, make a victory statement: “Evelyn is a formidable opponent and I look forward to working with her for the good of the community.”

In a contest that has had its. court challenges and rough edges, both candidates, however, wanted especially to thank their spouses. Jeff Pascale, a first-year science teacher at East Haven High, said the low point of the campaign for him was missing his baby, whom the candidate took with her on the more than 600 doors she knocked on.

Of her husband Jaime and their children, DeJesus-Vargas said, “They all sacrificed so much.” And her husband added, before the results had been all called out, “the community needs a real voice, not the voice of City Hall.”

To a reporter Dejesus-Vargas also said, before the count, “Should I lose I will keep serving my community, and, yes, I well may run again.”

Joan Forte, one of the Democratic Ward Committee co-chairs, added a little fuel to a potential fire, by telling a reporter that “win or lose, we plan to appeal our law suit that Evelyn got on the Democrat line on the ballot without a proper vote of the town committee. There was unfairness in the procedure.”

Regardless, there was good will, more than good will, genuine respect and good feeling in the embrace at the end of the count. “Will you teach me Spanish?” Sturgis-Pascale asked DeJesus-Vargas, and the answer was in the affirmative.