Eric Wellman Defeats Melissa Osborne for 16th House District Democratic Nomination.

Popular Simsbury Democrat Eric Wellman cruised to victory over Melissa Osborne for the Democratic nomination in the 16th House District. The former first selectman defeated Osborne 21-13 in the single town seat. Democrat John Hampton declined to seek a sixth two-year term.

Wellman has an unbroken record of three victories in local elections. Osborne is 0-3 against state Senator Kevin Witkos. The Canton Republican is not seeking re-election. Osborne declined to take another run at that seat.

Osborne was nominated Wednesday evening by Hampton, who caused considerable dismay among local Democratic activists as one of 14 House Democrats to oppose the abortion rights bill adopted by the legislature in the recently concluded regular session. Osborne is expected to primary Wellman.

The winner of the primary will face Republican Mike Paine. Wellman defeated Paine in their 2017 contest for first selectman, Wellman’s first outing on the ballot.

Wednesday night’s special meeting of the town committee did include a rare sighting. Former first selectman Mary Glassman was in attendance at the Zoom gathering. Glassman, who has run unsuccessfully twice for lieutenant governor and once each for governor and Congress, worked briefly in Governor Ned Lamont’s office—he also didn’t see her often—and is now enjoying a grace and favor sinecure in the state bureaucracy as a $145,000 a year durational project manager in the Bureau of Educator Effectiveness. Of course.

Published May 18, 2022.