Rick Lopes

Rick Lopes
Rick Lopes
Member of the Connecticut State Senate; from the 6th district
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 6, 2021
Preceded by	Gennaro Bizzarro
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives; from the 24th district
	In office; January 13, 2012 – January 2021
Preceded by	Tim O'Brien
Succeeded by	Emmanuel Sanchez
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Residence	New Britain, Connecticut
Education	University of Connecticut (BA, MSW)

Rick Lopes is an American politician who has represented the 6th District in the Connecticut State Senate since 2021. Lopes formerly represented the 24th District of the Connecticut House of Representatives Member-elect of the Connecticut State Senate. Lopes ran for the 6th District seat in the Connecticut State Senate during the 2020 election. Lopes won the election against Republican Incumbent Gennaro Bizzarro. Lopes began his two-year term in the Connecticut State Senate on January 3, 2021 and will seek re-election in 2026.

Early career

Rick Lopes has owned and managed a property management business serving West Hartford, New Britain, and Hartford, Connecticut. Rick Lopes graduated from University of Connecticut with a Bachelor's degree in Literature, as well as a second Bachelor's degree in Sociology. In 2003 he earned a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Connecticut.^[1]

Political career

Lopes won a special election in 2012 against Republican candidate Peter Steele. Steele and Lopes would go head to head in the 2012 General election as well. With Lopes being victorious.^[2] Lopes would win re-election in the 2014 election as well. Defeating Republican Gennaro Bizzarro. Lopes would win the 2016 and 2018 elections. Defeating Republicans James Sanders and Sharan Beloin-Saavedra respectively.^[3] In 2019, Rick Lopes ran against Republican State Senator Gennaro Bizzarro in a special election after Senator Terry Gerratana resigned for a position in Governor Lamont's administration where Lopes lost. However, Lopes would ultimately win the seat in a 2020 general election and help add to the Democratic majority in the Connecticut State Senate.^[4]

Electoral history

2020

Rick Lopes defeated Republican Incumbent Gennaro Bizzarro. Bizzarro has represented the 6th District since 2019.

2020 Connecticut State Senate election, District 6^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Lopes	19,621	53.04
	Republican	Gennaro Bizzarro (incumbent)	16,372	44.26
	Working Families	Rick Lopes	1,000	2.70
Total votes			36,993	100.00
	Democratic gain from Republican

2022

Rick Lopes defeated Republican Challenger Tremell Collins. Collins has previously ran two other campaigns in 2018 and 2017, losing both.

2022 Connecticut State Senate election, District 6^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Lopes (incumbent)	13,174	53.91
	Republican	Tremell Collins	10,666	43.64
	Working Families	Rick Lopes	597	2.43
Total votes			24,437	100.00

2024

Rick Lopes defeated Republican Challenger Tremell Collins. Collins has previously ran three other campaigns in 2022, 2018 and 2017, losing all.

2024 Connecticut State Senate election, District 6^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Lopes (incumbent)	20.160	58.4
	Republican	Tremell Collins	14.337	41.6
	Working Families	Rick Lopes
Total votes			34,497	100.00

References

^ Connecticut House Dems. "Biography-Rick Lopes". housedems.ct.gov. Connecticut House Democrats. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ Ballotpedia. "2012 Connecticut Special elections". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ Ballotpedia. "Rick Lopes". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ Ballotpedia. "2020 Connecticut State Senate election". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
^ "Public Reporting". Connecticut Elections Management System. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
^ "Public Reporting". Connecticut Elections Management System. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
^ "Public Reporting". Connecticut Elections Management System. Retrieved November 8, 2024.

[1] Connecticut House Dems. "Biography-Rick Lopes". housedems.ct.gov. Connecticut House Democrats. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[2] Ballotpedia. "2012 Connecticut Special elections". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[3] Ballotpedia. "Rick Lopes". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[4] Ballotpedia. "2020 Connecticut State Senate election". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[5] "Public Reporting". Connecticut Elections Management System. Retrieved November 10, 2020.

[6] "Public Reporting". Connecticut Elections Management System. Retrieved November 8, 2024.

[7] "Public Reporting". Connecticut Elections Management System. Retrieved November 8, 2024.

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v t e Members of the Connecticut State Senate
President of the Senate Susan Bysiewicz (D) President pro tempore Martin Looney (D) Majority Leader Bob Duff (D) Minority Leader Stephen Harding (R)
▌John Fonfara (D) ▌Douglas McCrory (D) ▌Saud Anwar (D) ▌MD Rahman (D) ▌Derek Slap (D) ▌Rick Lopes (D) ▌John Kissel (R) ▌Lisa Seminara (R) ▌Matt Lesser (D) ▌Gary Winfield (D) ▌Martin Looney (D) ▌Christine Cohen (D) ▌Jan Hochadel (D) ▌James Maroney (D) ▌Joan Hartley (D) ▌Robert Sampson (R) ▌Jorge Cabrera (D) ▌Heather Somers (R) ▌Cathy Osten (D) ▌Martha Marx (D) ▌Kevin C. Kelly (R) ▌Marilyn Moore (D) ▌Herron Gaston (D) ▌Julie Kushner (D) ▌Bob Duff (D) ▌Ceci Maher (D) ▌Patricia B. Miller (D) ▌Tony Hwang (R) ▌Mae Flexer (D) ▌Stephen Harding (R) ▌Henri Martin (R) ▌Eric Berthel (R) ▌Norman Needleman (D) ▌Paul Cicarella (R) ▌Jeff Gordon (R) ▌Ryan Fazio (R)
▌Democratic (24) ▌Republican (12) Connecticut General Assembly Connecticut House of Representatives Connecticut State Senate