House 43: Urban skates to 7th term

Democrat Diana Urban of North Stonington, running without a Republican opponent, won a seventh term Tuesday as state representative from the 43rd District (Stonington-North Stonington). She received 1,873 votes in North Stonington and 7,381 in Stonington.

Republican William Cutler had been endorsed to run against Urban, whom he lost to in 2010, but he dropped out of the race in September. Three weeks ago Cutler announced he was back in the race as a write-in candidate. He received 16 write-in votes in North Stonington and 34 in Stonington.

Despite not having an opponent, Urban continued to campaign door to door this fall but announced she would be returning much of the $32,185 Citizens Election Program grant she received from the state.

Urban is especially known for continuing to push reluctant state agencies to adopt results-based accounting, which the state tried on a pilot basis in some areas. That would require agencies to produce data that shows a program is effective in order to get funding.

Urban is also known for her work as chairwoman of the legislature's Children's Committee.

- Joe Wojtas