By Jenna Carlesso
Jerry Farrell Jr., the state's consumer protection commissioner, is the Republicans' choice for the next secretary of the state.
Farrell defeated Corey Brinson, a lawyer from Bloomfield and the Republicans' only African-American candidate, to seize the convention endorsement today. Democrat Susan Bysiewicz is vacating the seat.
Farrell, 42, of Wallingford, has served as commissioner since 2006. He said his goals were to foster job growth, particularly in small businesses, and drive down state spending.
"I'm going to walk in there and clean it up," he said. "We can't let government ... just creep along the way it is."
Farrell said he expected to win the endorsement, but made sure he put in the work to secure the votes.
"I left no stone unturned," he said. "You don't go into this kind of thing over-confident."
Brinson, who garnered nearly 40 percent of the votes, said he was unsure if he would wage a primary, but would make an announcement one way or the other on Monday.
"Regardless of what happened today, the voters are looking for change in their party," he said. "The state is 25 percent people of color. The convention is not."