The Courant's Jenna Carlesso reports:
Tom Foley was met with thundering applause as he walked into a conference room at the Rocky Hill Marriott shortly after news of his victory in the Republican gubernatorial primary broke.
Scores of supporters chanted "go, Tom, go!" as he approached a podium to deliver his victory speech.
"This has really been a hard-fought, hard-won race," Foley said, addressing the crowd at about 11 p.m.
Foley thanked his supporters, all those who went to the polls Tuesday and his wife, Leslie, who was "tolerant" of Foley's hectic campaign schedule during their first year of marriage.
He also expressed gratitude toward opponents Michael Fedele and R. Nelson "Oz" Griebel, whose support Foley said he would be seeking in the future.
"Along the campaign trail the relationships have been very friendly, and very respectful," Foley said. "I hope to get their advice along the campaign, and their support after I'm elected governor."
Foley called himself a "consensus builder" who can "break through the partisanship" at the state Capitol.
"We simply cannot continue what we've been doing. We need to change attitudes in the culture of the legislature," he said. "I represent the change Connecticut wants and needs."
If elected governor, Foley said he would work to grow jobs, cut back on the size of state government and invest more heavily in education and Connecticut's economy.
The state needs "a responsible and helpful government, not one that ties us up," he said.