# Connecticut's 54th House of Representatives district

The fifty-fourth Connecticut House of Representatives district elects one member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. Its current representative is Democrat Gregory Haddad. The district consists the towns of Mansfield, which includes the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut, and Chaplin, which was added to the district in 2001.

## List of representatives

| Representative | Party | Years | District home | Note |
| Audrey P. Beck | Democratic | 1973 – 1975 | Mansfield | Elected State Senator |
| Dorothy Goodwin | Democratic | 1975 – 1985 | Mansfield | Did not seek reelection |
| Jonathan W. Pelto | Democratic | 1985 – 1995 | Mansfield | Did not seek reelection |
| Denise Merrill | Democratic | 1995 – 2011 | Mansfield | Elected Secretary of the State |
| Gregory Haddad | Democratic | 2011 – | Mansfield | Incumbent |

## Recent elections

State election 2010 candidates: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Gregory Haddad | 3,737 | 58.4 | −41.6 |
| | Republican | Christopher R. Paulhus | 1,461 | 22.8 | +22.8 |
| | Independent | Jason J. Ortiz | 909 | 14.2 | +14.2 |
| | Working Families | Gregory Haddad | 193 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| | Buckman for Connecticut | Brien T. Buckman | 98 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,276 | 35.6 | −64.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,398 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -38.6 | |
State election 2008: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 8,781 | 100.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,781 | 100.0 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,392 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -38.4 | |
State election 2006: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 5,592 | 94.5 | +0.0 |
| | Working Families | Denise Merrill | 324 | 5.5 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,916 | 100.0 | +11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,916 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
State election 2004: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 6,312 | 94.5 | +24.8 |
| | Working Families | Magdalena L. Russell | 367 | 5.5 | +5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,945 | 89.0 | +35.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,679 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +19.3 | |
State election 2002: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 3,959 | 76.9 | −23.1 |
| | Republican | John B. Thacher | 1,186 | 23.1 | +23.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,773 | 53.9 | −57.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,145 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -23.1 | |
State election 2000: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 4,506 | 100.0 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,506 | 100.0 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,506 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +0.0 | |
State election 1998: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 3,384 | 100.0 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,384 | 100.0 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,384 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +0.0 | |
State election 1996: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 4,748 | 100.0 | +45.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,748 | 100.0 | +0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,748 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +23.0 | |
State election 1994: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Denise Merrill | 2,740 | 54.9 | +5.3 |
| | Republican | David Dyer | 1,147 | 23.0 | −7.1 |
| | A Connecticut Party (1990) | Denise Merrill | 1,103 | 22.1 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,696 | 54.0 | +14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,990 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +7.1 | |
State election 1992: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jonathan Pelto | 3,468 | 49.6 | −50.4 |
| | Republican | Richard Pellegrine | 2,103 | 30.1 | +30.1 |
| | A Connecticut Party (1990) | Jonathan Pelto | 1,415 | 20.3 | +20.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,780 | 39.8 | −60.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,986 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |
State election 1990: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jonathan Pelto | 3,577 | 100.0 | +31.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,577 | 100.0 | +36.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,577 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +31.5 | |
State election 1988: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jonathan Pelto | 4,487 | 68.5 | +3.2 |
| | Republican | Jason W. Bartlett | 2,067 | 31.5 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,420 | 36.9 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,554 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
State election 1986: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jonathan Pelto | 2,748 | 65.3 | +11.7 |
| | Republican | Edwin E. Passmore | 1,460 | 34.7 | −11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,288 | 30.6 | +23.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,208 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +11.7 | |
State election 1984: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jonathan Pelto | 3,610 | 53.6 | +2.3 |
| | Republican | George E. Whitham | 3,128 | 46.4 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 482 | 7.2 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,738 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
State election 1982: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Dorothy C. Goodwin | 2,364 | 51.3 | −11.7 |
| | Republican | George E. Whitham | 2,244 | 48.7 | +11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 2.6 | −23.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,608 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -11.7 | |
State election 1980: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Dorothy C. Goodwin | 3,714 | 63.0 | −4.7 |
| | Republican | George E. Whitham | 2,182 | 37.0 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,532 | 26.0 | −9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,896 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -4.7 | |
State election 1978: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Dorothy C. Goodwin | 2,697 | 67.7 | +3.6 |
| | Republican | Emily F. Albee | 1,284 | 32.3 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,413 | 35.5 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,981 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
State election 1976: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Dorothy C. Goodwin | 3,473 | 64.1 | −1.1 |
| | Republican | Robert Fisk, Jr. | 1,942 | 35.9 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,531 | 28.3 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,415 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
State election 1974: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Dorothy C. Goodwin | 2,846 | 65.2 | −4.8 |
| | Republican | Suzanne S. Taylor | 1,517 | 34.8 | +4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,329 | 30.5 | −9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,363 | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | -4.8 | |
State election 1972: House District 54 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Audrey P. Beck | 4,278 | 70.0 |
| | Republican | Jeffrey P. Ossen | 1,834 | 30.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,444 | 40.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,112 | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | |