Rick Lopes
State Representative for Connecticut's 24th district
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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.
Rick Lopes | |
|---|---|
Lopes in 2023 | |
| Member of the Connecticut State Senate from the 6th district | |
| 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 | |
| Born | 1971 (age 54–55) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Connecticut (BA, MSW) |
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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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 | ||