Democrat Thomas Saviello narrowly defeated Republican opponent Roger Lambert Tuesday for the Legislative District 90 seat.

Saviello said he spent a lot of time campaigning in his hometown of Wilton, and the time was seemingly well-spent. Wilton was one of only two towns where he took the race, the other being Temple. He received 63 percent of the Wilton vote with 1,431 votes to Lambert’s 836. The Temple vote was much closer, with Saviello gaining 55 percent there against Lambert’s 45.

“We knew we had to take Wilton,” said Saviello Wednesday. “And we took it big.”

He said he was “a known commodity” in Wilton, having served two terms as a selectman there. He also spoke of his wife’s influence on the town.

His wife, Gail, who died five years ago, was very active in the town, particularly with the library. When she died, the family asked friends and family to contribute to a trust fund for the library in lieu of flowers. Within six months, the trust had grown to $10,000.

“They loved her more than they love me,” he said jokingly of Wilton residents.

Though Lambert carried Avon, Freeman Township, New Vineyard, Perkins Township, Phillips and Strong, his showing in Wilton was his defeat. In his hometown of Strong, Lambert received 64 percent of the vote and took 60 percent in neighboring Phillips. But the overwhelming vote in the two smaller towns were not enough for Lambert to carry the election.

“Maybe I’m the winner,” said Lambert philosophically Wednesday. Anyone who goes to Augusta will have a tough time, he explained.

“I’m glad to have been in the fight,” he added. He said he learned a lot in the process. He said he heard more than a dozen stories about welfare abuse, one of the issues on which he campaigned.

Lambert said he’s been a “single-issue guy” and, as a private citizen, will probably pursue some of them, particularly those pertaining to sportsmen and hunting rights. He’ll also take some personal time.

“I’m going to get reacquainted with my horse and my wife,” he said.

Saviello’s priority when he returns to the House: tax reform.

“We’ve got to fix it, one way or the other,” he said. “The voters spoke loud and clear,” he added, referring to the tax-cap referendum which, in the end, did not pass.

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