Just as he did two years ago, Libertarian Dan Reale declared his candidacy for Congress on the day after the election, giving himself a two-year head start on all other candidates.

Reale, who lives in Plainfield and is chairman of the Libertarian Party of Connecticut, got 1,432 votes in Tuesdays election, according to totals posted on the website of Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. Democrat Joe Courtney of Vernon won re-election to a fourth term to represent Connecticuts 2nd District. Republican Paul Formica of East Lyme and Green Party candidate Colin Bennett also ran.

Reale ran as a write-in candidate in 2008 and 2010 but was listed on the ballot this year. He plans to step down from the party chairmanship, which is an unpaid position, at the end of this year, he said.

This time well be able to campaign for the entire time instead of waiting on SOTS (the secretary of the state) to see whether were an option or not, Reale wrote in an email.

Reale has been embroiled in signature-validating legal arguments with state officials in the past.

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Libertarian Reale declares 2014 congressional candidacy