Southington Council Member and Small Business Owner Jack Perry with his family. Source: Jack Perry for Congress

Overview

The 1st Congressional District has something brewing that may lead to an outcome that hasn’t happened since the state started conducting formal primaries over five decades ago. There might be a primary challenger on the ballot against an Incumbent Democratic member of the House.

John Larson, a 14-term incumbent in the 1st congressional district, is a staple in his district. He has not faced a single challenger since his narrow primary win in the open seat against then Secretary of State Miles Rapoport in 1998.

He not only has two challengers running against him currently, Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune, and Southington Town Council Member Jack Perry. But two even more prominent names, former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, have publicly discussed the possibility of challenging Larson. If either takes the plunge, we might have the most significant primary challenge against an incumbent in the state since Senator Joe Lieberman in 2006.

A Brief Political Background on John Larson

John Larson has been a staple in the 1st District for over three decades. He grew up in public housing with seven brothers and sisters in East Hartford.

After graduating from East Hartford High School and Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). Larson worked as a high school history teacher and co-owned an insurance agency before entering politics.

He started his career on the East Hartford Board of Education in 1977. He rose quickly to the East Hartford Town Council, and by 1982, he was elected to the Connecticut State Senate in the 3rd District. By 1987, he was picked by his peers as President Pro Tempore of the State Senate.

Larson did not run for reelection and lost the 1994 Democratic nomination for Governor to Bill Curry. Larson entered private business but ensured to keep up his political connections. He was able to leverage these connections for the 1st Congressional seat in 1998. The seat was open since Democratic Incumbent Barbara Kennelly decided to run for governor.

He narrowly defeated Secretary of State Miles Rapoport in the primary by a narrow 46-42 margin.

Larson in Congress

Interestingly, Larson was the moderate challenger in his primary race against the more progressive Miles Rapoport in their 1998 primary. However, during his tenure in Congress, Larson has garnered a progressive record. Though his positions in leadership make him somewhat loyal to establishment-based leadership. On Voteview, Larson ranks nearly in the dead middle of his Democratic house colleagues on the Left-Right spectrum, firmly between the moderates and progressives.

John Larson is currently a member of the influential House Ways and Means Committee. He is also included on the Subcommittees on Trade and Social Security. Larson’s main cause in Congress has been focused on social security. Larson has also had prominent leadership positions during his tenure. He was the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 2006 to 2009, and was later picked as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 2009 to 2013.

Larson has played a large role in authoring legislation that allowed for Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices for consumers. A prominent provision that was signed into law by President Biden in 2022. Larson, also due to his leadership position, was very involved in passing the Affordable Care Act during the Obama Administration. He also worked with the Late Rep. John Lewis on the For the Peoples Act, and was an original cosponsor of the similar John Lewis Voting Rights Amendment.

Larson Recently

This is something Larson has highlighted in his recent press statements (and by his family members). Larson has discussed his seniority, strength on social security, and how this allows him to have more influence in bringing back funding into the district. Seniority (and bringing funding to the district) has been a long-standing way to encourage primary voters to vote for long-term incumbents. However, in this anti-incumbent environment targeting older lawmakers, it is hard to say how much the salience of seniority arguments works on primary voters after the 2024 elections. An environment where scrutiny over long-term and older incumbents has greatly increased, and seniority lawmakers aren’t seen as much of an asset compared to recent campaigns.

The recent deaths of prominent long-term older Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), and Rep. Sylvester Turner (TX-18) has allowed for the uncomfortable discussion of encouraging the retirement of older lawmakers. Many, however, including Larson, who would turn 80 during his next term, feel that they are capable of being in Congress and that they are the best for the position.

More recently, Larson has had less visual prominence in the Democratic caucus. Larson also attracted unwanted attention for a partial seizure he suffered during a speech in both February and April. His comments in March on Elon Musk garnered positive attention for him. We discussed this in an article two weeks ago. This issue has led many to see Larson as vulnerable.

New Challenger Jack Perry

We discussed Larson’s first challenger in the Hartford Board of Ed. Member and Attorney Ruth Fortune, who filed against Larson during the July 4th weekend.

A new challenger has emerged in the Southington Town Counciler and Small Businessman Jack Perry. Jack Perry has stated “I’m running for Congress because, like so many others, I am fed up with this broken economic system that is rigged against the working and middle class,” he said in a statement. Perry is making this the center of his campaign, featuring the quote on both his campaign kickoff video and on his campaign website.

Perry’s Campaign

Perry didn’t note anything specific about Larson, but talked about needing fresh leadership who will fight against Trump and corporate interests. He also talked about fighting for the person as a working-class person. He also cited his background, experience, and his unique profile for a potential member of Congress. Perry cites this due to his working-class career in the garbage hauling business.

Perry has also gained attention for pledging to spend $500,000 of his own money against Larson. Funds he got from selling his family-owned garage business, HQ Dumpsters and Recycling, though he currently oversees daily operations. He is also suspected of releasing a poll in March, gauging a hypothetical primary, receiving the attention of local state politicos. Perry is not well-known around the state, although he did gain some recognition for running for a State Senate seat in 2020 against Republican incumbent Rob Sampson, who beat Perry 54-46. Notably, Trump performed well in the district.

Due to not being well-known, Perry acknowledges the uphill battle against the incumbent, citing the effort and passion he is willing to put into the campaign. We have to see what issues and events he does to garner more attention.

What is Luke Bronin Planning?

Luke Bronin, the former mayor of Hartford from 2016 until 2024, has spent years preparing for a run for governor. However, with Governor Ned Lamont likely to run for a 3rd term, Bronin is looking elsewhere to continue his political career.

Bronin has a lot of guts. He reportedly has asked Larson to step down and make way for a new generation. Larson told Bronin he is running again, and Bronin has reportedly been seriously contemplating a campaign. Bronin, similar to other challengers, says he respects Larson’s work, but it’s time for the baton to be passed.

I believe Bronin thinks that if he waits to the next open gubernatorial race in 2030, he would have been out of office too long to be seriously considered for the Democratic nomination meaning he is looking at his options.

It is important to note that if he jumps in, this won’t be the first time Bronin has challenged an incumbent in a primary. A background that includes being a Navy veteran, Yale graduate, working in an appointed position at the Treasury Department under Obama, and general counsel for Governor Dannel Malloy’s administration. Bronin challenged Incumbent Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra in 2015, secured the Democratic Town Committee endorsement, and beat Seggara by ten points.

If he jumps in, we will discuss Bronin’s background in more detail. However, an ambitious politician with experience, good relationships in the district, and the ability to fundraise positions him as a top challenger to Larson if he jumps in. He is also only 46, more than three decades younger than Larson, with experience, something voters in the district might be happy to see in a challenger.

Will Jillian Gilchrest Jump in?

State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest at a conference. Source: Facebook

State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, the director of Health Professional Outreach at the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is one of the most prominent progressive voices in the state.

Gilchrest, who is also an adjunct professor and was a prominent co-organizer of the Women’s March Connecticut, has also told reporters that she is looking at the race.

Reporters note the lack of downside since so many politicians are looking at the race. Gilchrest, who, like Bronin, came to office from a challenging incumbent. Gilchrest successfully won a primary challenge against 12-term Incumbent State Rep. Andy Fleischmann in the 18th district in 2018. Gilchrest ran on a progressive agenda, focusing on the state’s economic future, new ideas of thinking, and noted that more women needed to be in office.

Gilchrest, who didn’t win the Democratic Town Committee endorsement, petitioned to make the ballot, won an upset 52-48 victory over Fleischman, and has been in office since.

Why Gilchrest is a Prominent Candidate

Gilchrest has been one of the first names frequently mentioned as someone who would very likely run for the 1st district when Larson retires. Gilchrest’s prominence on Women’s issues, maternal health, and education has allowed her a great reputation in the state house. Her previous activism makes her a perfect candidate for progressives.

She told reporters that she is considering running for office. She said that though respect should go to Larson, the number of people getting in has made her want to be part of it. Gilchrest, the co-chair of the assembly’s human services committee, talked about how Democrats are “looking for voices who will be speaking about the issues that impact them and not waiting to feel out how to best say something“. She also noted that leaders who are direct and talk about everyday issues are important.

Gilchrest told the Courant she didn’t have a timeline a few weeks ago, but if she gets in, she will be a very prominent challenger against Larson. She is also only 43, nearly 35 years younger than Larson.

What Will Happen?

Predicting primary elections is difficult, especially a year out before the primary. But here is what I think is likely and what I expect. If I am wrong, then we can look back and have a good laugh!

I think Ruth Fortune will struggle the most out of the four named candidates. She currently has no campaign website and no name ID. She will struggle with funding if more prominent names jump into the race. Under Connecticut’s restrictive ballot system, I don’t think she will make the ballot. She might get some attention, depending on her stances on some issues, but I don’t see her gaining much traction.

Jack Perry is an interesting candidate. A small business owner who is only 35 and has $500,000 is self-funding he is willing to throw against Larson, who, according to the Downballot, has had very meager fundraising for an incumbent in Quarter 2. Larson, who, due to his solid name ID and never having a challenger in the safe Democratic district, has never had to raise much money, but if facing an onslaught of attacks if the race turns negative, he might need to raise more money.

Perry can garner some attention depending on how he takes his campaign. He will need to focus more on the issues and differentiating himself from Larson. Currently, his website has no issues listed. With no likely policy differences, the question is a generational argument enough to take out Larson? I’m skeptical, but things can change throughout the campaign.

Why Money Might Not Guarantee Ballot Access

If Bronin and Gilchrest both don’t jump in, I think Perry will be Larson’s most prominent challenger, but getting on the ballot isn’t easy, even with significant self-funding. If Bronin and Gilchrest do jump in, he might struggle to garner traction and make the ballot.

Perry has to be reminded by 2022. When Larson had a challenger in former staffer and substitute Teacher Muad Hrezi, who raised a solid $500,000 during his primary campaign. Hrezi, however, did not make the ballot due to a poor showing at the Convention and struggling to get signatures in a tough summer primary when COVID made garnering signatures more difficult than usual. However, there was 0 momentum for Larson to face any challenger at that time; state delegates and most primary voters weren’t interested as Hrezi struggled to garner attention.

Despite his self-funding, it might not be enough to challenge Larson considerably without gaining traction otherwise. Hrezi also attempted a generational argument and couldn’t make the ballot or get 15% of the delegates. Of course, there is more momentum for generational change, but Perry will need to convince voters that he is the change.

Here’s Where The Race Becomes Unpredictable

Gilchrest or Bronin, if either enters the race, will both seriously change the calculus of the race. Bronin has many connections across the state and a profile that many would find attractive. Gilchrest, who hails from the voter-rich neighboring suburb of West Hartford, which has the most voters in the district (despite being half of the population of Hartford), is popular and will do well in the town.

Most importantly, both can make the ballot either through convention delegates (due to local prominence) or through the signature requirement of the ballot if they fundraise well.

I would be surprised if both Bronin and Gilchrest entered, as they would be fighting for a similar consistuency, leading to Larson potentially winning the primary in a plurality. It is, however, plausible, and if they both enter, I assume Gilchrest would have a better chance of taking the progressive mantle over Bronin.

Also, though it attracted attention and made Larson appear vulnerable, I’m not sure if a purely age argument will be enough by the summer of 2026. Larson has served the district well, bringing billions of dollars of funding, and will be the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee if Democrats retake the majority next year.

Plausible Scenarios

If Lamont decides not to seek a third term, however, I think Bronin would clearly want to run for governor. Gilchrest, who is still serving in the legislature, would likely have to give up her seat for a risky primary challenge. Bronin is not currently in an elected position, so if he goes for it, Gilchrest might wait to make a decision.

In addition, if the pressure continues and Larson decides to retire, the calculus will change, and I would expect not only both members to enter the primary, but also other members of the legislature and local office to enter for a seat that hasn’t had an open primary in nearly thirty years. In that scenario, I expect a super chaotic race.

Bronin and Gilchrest are some of the most prominent politicians to consider primarying an Incumbent House Member in the country, meaning they could both attract national attention. This can help with fundraising if they go through with it.

They can also increase their prominence if it doesn’t work, as I highly doubt it would end either of their political careers, and might give them other opportunities. However, whenever one challenges an incumbent, it can make relationships with other local members difficult, especially if many favor Larson, which Gilchrest might contemplate more due to being a member of the legislature.

Overall

It’s important to note that Larson is a formidable opponent with decades of experience and relationships across the district. He doesn’t have any specific issue for an opponent to seize on, other than his age.

However, times have changed. Seniority isn’t seen as a positive by some of the Democratic party electorate. An electorate that demands leaders to fight more and be visible on issues on social media.

If Bronin and Gilchrest don’t jump in, I think Larson is super safe in his seat. If Bronin or Gilchrest takes the plunge, I don’t think we can ignore the prospect of a good, competitive race.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I will keep updated on the race and provide updates as needed. I think no matter what, it’ll be an interesting race that everyone should pay attention to.

Thanks for Reading!

2023-2025 Bloomfield Town Council Members. Source: Town of Bloomfield Website

Overview

The Town of Bloomfield is solidly Democratic at the presidential level. In 2024, the town voted for Kamala Harris by an 84-15 margin, her largest margin of victory out of all 169 municipalities in the state. Though not competitive at the federal level, things change rapidly as we move downballot. The Bloomfield Town Council has found itself in a long series of infighting. Current Mayor Danielle Wong and her fellow town council members have found themselves facing bitter disputes. These disputes have been led by former Mayors Sydney Schulman and Suzette DeBeatham-Brown along with their allies.

On Monday’s article, I talked about the crowded Democratic primary taking place in Hamden. A competitive Democratic primary is expected. Continuing our recent discussion on local elections. Let’s get going about forty-five minutes to the north, we arrive in the town of Bloomfield.

Quick History on Bloomfield

Let’s start off with a quick history lesson on Bloomfield. Bloomfield is the town with the largest African-American population in the state. The only town where the majority of residents are Black at just over 53% as of the 2020 census. Interestingly, the town’s demographics shifted starting in the 60s.

The reason for this starts in neighboring West Hartford. West Hartford, a town with a rich, affluent, mostly White population participated in racially discriminatory housing practices starting way back in the early 1900s. As the town grew, local, federal, and real estate officials wanted to ensure that the town remained overwhelmingly White.

As the town grew, they were the first in 1924, to enact zoning regulations, which segregated citizens by socioeconomic class. They furthered housing segregation in the 1930s through redlining. Where loans were systematically only approved in certain areas, in reality areas that were overwhelmingly White. Black and other minority residents were essentially shut from West Hartford, and other neighboring suburbs.

In the 1940s, some covenants in town went as far as declaring that ” no persons of any race other than the White race…” shall be allowed in the building. Bloomfield on the other hand, much more welcoming to Black residents, real estate agents pushed all of those residents to live in Bloomfield. White residents were pushed to live in West Hartford and Avon.

This practice known as “block busting” was a devious practice using the arrival of Black residents to scare White residents away, and than selling their homes to Black buyers willing to pay.

As Black residents moved to Bloomfield from Hartford and other towns, the town transformed completely as White residents left for other towns. And the town went from 95% White to over 60% Black in a 30 year span.

Additional Resources on This History

For more information on this interesting, but contentious and difficult history. I highly recommend the open-access book by Trinity College professor Jack Dougherty. The book On The Line: How Schooling, Housing, and Civil Rights Shaped Hartford and its Suburbs, I’ve linked here.

I mention this because to understand the present-day battles on the Bloomfield Town Council, it’s important to understand the historical forces that shaped the town’s demographics and politics in the first place

The 2021 Democratic Primary

The conflict is long and ongoing, but let’s start off with the 2021 Democratic Primary.

2021 Democratic Primary Results in Bloomfield. Source: CT Secretary of State Website

This close and contentious primary ended with voters splitting their ballots between the endorsed and challenger candidates.

Then the incumbent mayor Suzette DeBeatham-Brown, made it into the top six candidates, despite not receiving the Democratic Town Committee’s endorsement, therefore having to gather signatures to make the primary.

During the first town council meeting of the 2021-23 legislative session, Danielle Wong was elected mayor by her fellow town council members in a unanimous vote. Though Wong was 4th in the primary, she received the most votes in the general election two months later. Councilors noted the importance of upholding the tradition of electing the mayor based on who receives the most votes.

It is important to note in Bloomfield, under a council-manager system, the mayor is mainly a figurehead of the town. But the mayor does not possess veto power or control over any specific committee.

Danielle Wong

Mayor Wong was first elected to the Bloomfield Town Council in 2019. She was originally slated to run for the Bloomfield Library of Directors, but was invited by the committee to run for council instead.

The single mother of two, and project process manager for Perrigo, decided to take an uphill challenge the following year. She decided to attempt a primary challenge against State Rep. Bobby Gibson in the 15th district.

Despite Rep. Gibson carrying endorsements from most of the area’s elected officials, Wong went ahead with the challenge. She felt she was qualified for the seat based on her past experiences.

Though she lost a 35-65 race against Gibson in August 2020, she continued her tenure as council member.

The 2023 Democratic Primary

During the endorsements by the Democratic Town Committee in 2023, only four of the six incumbent Democrats councilors were endorsed, including Mayor Danielle Wong. Wong led her slate of six candidates on Row A of the ballot.

Former Mayor and councilwoman Suzette DeBeatham Brown and Councilmen Rickford Kirton did not seek the party’s endorsement, but most delegates in the town favored Wong and her slate at the convention. On Row B of the ballot, the former Mayor led a slate of six other candidates to challenge Wong and her allies, after garnering enough signatures to force a primary.

Wong and her allies who were endorsed, opposed the recent tax increase that occurred due to a requested budget increased from the Board of Education. Brown and Kirton also had other disagreements during the session as they tried to remove Town Manager Stanley Hawthorne from his position. Brown argued that there are issues surrounding housing and economy development, where Hawthorne needed to improve on. Wong and her allies supported Hawthorne, though he ended up leaving his position. The council in previous years went through multiple town managers.

2023 Democratic Primary Results in Bloomfield. Source: CT Secretary of State Website

After a contentious primary, the slate of candidates led by Mayor Wong won by a 2 to 1 margin against DeBeatham-Brown’s slate of candidates. Though it was a convincing victory for Wong and her allies, it wouldn’t be the end of infighting between the two groups.

Library Dispute

During the current legislative session, both former mayor Suzette Debeatham-Brown and former councilor Rick Kirton continually raised questions about decisions that Wong and her Democratic council were making.

This included a proposal for renaming the town’s newly constructed library. Wong admitted the issue was mishandled and abandoned the idea due to widespread and angry public opposition. In addition, a Republican councilor lambasted Wong on social media, saying she “does not care about us”. After the incidents of lashing out online and during council meetings between members, she urged everyone involved to reduce to heat of the debate and be civil. There was also an incident where some information was leaked out by Republican town councilor Joe Merritt that led to a contentious argument during a meeting. The Town manager, Alvin Schwapp Jr. said the residents should not have to deal with this level of dysfunction. Though tension continued.

Budget Referendum

Other than a few small towns that hold municipal elections in May. Connecticut does not usually have regularly scheduled elections during the spring season, with one notable exception. Town budget referendums. The rules surrounding these referendums vary greatly by town. Some towns have a vote every year to pass the budget, and other towns have votes when the council can’t agree on a budget or if residents force a vote.

Former Mayor Debeatham-Brown and former Councilor Kirton continued their public opposition to the council. Kirkton gathered more than 1,000 signatures to put the budget to a vote for May 28th. Residents who signed the petition were concerned about a 4% tax increase due state mandated reevaluation. Some residents on community pages complained there was a pattern of high-handness at the town hall.

The council led by Wong decided to phase in the rate increase over four years. They supported their budget saying that a lower increase of tax will result in cuts of millions of dollars. Kirton felt that something more could be done, and that the increased tax rate could be much lower. Councilman Todd Cooper put confidence in the budget he and the council worked on.

The vote was interesting. Out of the voters who voted, a large majority voted “no” on the budget by a 4 to 1 margin (1934 “against”, 494 “for”). However, a charter requirement says that 15% of eligible voters must vote “no”. Since that threshold was not passed, the budget was approved.

Resulting Lawsuit

3 weeks after the vote, a lawsuit was filed against Danielle Wong and her administration, accusing them of conducting a “substantially false and misleading referendum”.

Who was the lawsuit led by, you might ask? Not only did it include former councilor Kirton, but another former Mayor of Bloomfield, Sydney Schulman. They argued that the referendum should have been phrased and presented differently to voters into two separate parts (113 million budget, 4 million economic development). Instead of how the budget was presented (117 million referendum as one question). Republican councilor Mahon frequently clashed with Mayor Wong during the meetings deciding how the referendum should be put on the ballot.

Wong Decides Not to Run

Wong announced in April that she would not run for another term as mayor or for council.

She wrote in an op-ed in the Hartford Courant last week about fighting misinformation. She discusses her accomplishments and improvements to the town infrastructure, investments, and expansion of a good AA+ credit rating.

She noted her disagreements with her fellow councilors about the 2021 tax increase, and how they were the same ones spreading distortion and chaos about what is happening in the city. She explained the importance of working together and how some of the loudest voices on social media are fighting for attention. She asks readers to have “hope rooted in the strength of our people…”.

With Wong not running, the council endorsed a slate of candidates on July 16th that includes many incumbents and a few newcomers. Incumbents on the endorsed slate are Deputy Mayor Anthony Harrington and Councilors Cindi Lloyd, Todd Cooper, and Mike Oliver. Newcomers are Ola Aina and Darrell Goodwin. They also gave endorsements for other local positions, which can be found here.

Likely Upcoming Primary

However, they will likely be challenged again by former Councilor Kirton. Former Mayor Debeatham-Brown will also join the slate, but who will challenge the endorsed candidates is unknown at the moment. Kirton and Debeathman-Brown will definitely get on the ballot, but we will have to see who joins them.

Kirton found himself in the hot water earlier this week after Bloomfield employee Annatoucher Kingland issued a statement saying that Councilor Kirton made her seriously uncomfortable in 2022 calling her “my secret crush”. Kingland felt that her sexual complaint was being downplayed before she made her statement.

Kirton, who denied Kingland’s account, spoke about the “false claims”. He said that years of silence were there, but now it comes out, on the same day he took out petitions to get his name on the primary ballot and back on the council. Debeathman-Brown said the issue was investigated and how she never saw any issues. Wong’s administration argues that it was not political and an attorney found the complaint to be substantiated. In addition, Kingland asked if Kirton had completed sexual harassment training earlier that month. The dispute is ongoing.

What to Expect?

I don’t see this conflict between the Council and Kirton/Debeatham-Brown ending soon. The conflict has grown by the day. Recent events surrounding the budget referendum will likely last past the primary.

For the primary, I expect Kirton and Debeatham-Brown to run a full slate of six Democratic candidates similar to 2023. I think they might fare a bit better this time around, as the tax increases and budget referendum showed that many people are not happy with the current councilors. However, they still have strong support among many voters and will still likely come out on top. In addition, they are supported by the town committee’s endorsement.

How long will this bitter conflict continue? I have no idea. I do know that with Mayor Wong stepping down, though, I don’t think it will end any time soon.

We will have more on the expected primary as we get closer to September.

Thanks for reading!

Legislative Council President Dominique Baez at the Town Committee Convention last Tuesday.

Source: Jim Michaud, Hearst Connecticut Media

Overview

Hamden is home to a large progressive base of politicians. They are ready for a fight for the voters. The competitive Democratic primary for the mayor of Hamden and State Rep. Josh Elliott’s primary campaign for governor has brought much attention to the liberal town.

In the Mayoral Race, Lauren Garrett informed the town’s electorate on Monday, July 8th that she would not run for a 3rd term. Her tenure has been praised for its updated fiscal polices, fiscal stability, and infrastructure projects.

However, she has faced scrutiny over the town’s budget from the town council which voted to override her veto of the town’s spending plan. In addition to a recent state-mandated tax assessment evaluation, which has led to residents with highly increased tax bills. Disagreements have led to a large field of primary candidates before she dropped out. Even if she stayed in the race, she would have easily won the DTC’s endorsement, but the number of competitors demonstrated her vulnerability to an upset.

Additionally, this is the first time a mayor will be elected to a 4-year term. This has intrigued and attracted many of the candidates as they will not face reelection in the shorter 2-year period. They will have longer to carry out their agenda before they face voters again.

As expected, Council President Dominique Baez easily won the Democratic Town Committee (DTC)’s endorsement last Tuesday, positioning herself as the frontrunner for the September 9th primary. However, many of her competitors say they will garner signatures for the primary.

The Frontrunner

Legislative Council President Dominique Baez won the nomination at the DTC easily by a vote of 39-11 over Democratic Registrar of Voters Lushonda Howard.

Baez, who if she wins, would be the first women of color elected to Hamden’s top position.

She in running on a platform of affordability and an administration built on “transparency, inclusion, and sustainable growth“. She works as a director at a construction workforce development nonprofit in New Haven.

Her large platform found on her campaign website, lists priorities including economic development (business development, smart planning), supporting local farms, food truck parks, university collaboration, affordable housing, infrastructure, public services, and more.

Baez was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2019. With the DTC’s endorsement, she will appear first on voters ballot, with a * next to her name noting her endorsement. This is advantageous, though not tantamount to winning a primary. However, she was outraised by every other candidate in the field during the second quarter, raising about 8.4k.

Previous Democratic Primaries in Hamden

This will be the 4th straight election where Hamden has had a Democratic primary for mayor. Former Mayor Curt Balazo Leng faced Garrett in a 2019 Democratic Primary where he won 61-39. He lost resoundingly to Garrett after she challenged him again in 2021 primary, losing 28-56.

Garrett faced her own challenger in Walter Morton IV whom she held off 56-44 in 2023. The field this year looks much larger, but it is hard to know who will make the ballot until everyone turns in their signature petitions. But I would it to be at least a 3-way race.

Former Mayoral Candidates Attempting a 2nd Chance

Garrett’s 2023 primary opponent Walter Mortion IV filed for an expected rematch against Garrett all the way in November. He now faces multiple challengers in his second attempt for mayor.

Morton IV is US Army Combat Veteran, a former member of the Hamden Board of Education, and was the town’s Director of Legislative Affairs. He is currently the Director of Government and Community Affairs at the CT Energy Marketers Association. His platform includes how to spur the town’s economic development, education, transportation, and sustainability.

Due to his previous run receiving more than 40% of the primary vote, and led the race in total campaign donations (23k) as of July 12th. I expect him to make the ballot and place him in second behind Baez due to his name id from his past run.

To make the ballot and force a primary, each candidate must gather signatures of 5% of registered Democrats in Hamden and file their petitions by August 7th.

Another previous mayoral challenger is also making his second attempt for the mayoral office. 2021 Mayoral Candidate Peter Cyr placed 3rd with 16% of the vote, behind incumbent mayor Leng and Garrett. Cyr said he planned to petition his way onto the ballot.

Cyr, a clean transportation advocate, who leads the Clean Transportation Communities of Southern CT was also a former political organizer. He serves locally on the board of Hamden Alumni Association and the Farmington Canal Commission

His platform includes 3 million in cuts, generating more revenue for the town, and selling town assets. From his background, he also has a plan to implement electric school buses to reduce carbon emissions. He has raised more than 10k for his campaign, solidly in the middle of the pack of his fellow competitors.

Other Notable Challengers

Round out the field includes Democratic Registar of Voters Lushonda Howard, real estate agent Jameka Jefferies, and former Board of Education chair Adam Sendroff. All three plan to petition their way on the ballot.

Jefferies led the field in fundraising in the second quarter, raising 21k. Howard raised 12k, with Sendroff back at 8k. Jefferies and Sendroff were not nominated at the convention, with Sendroff asking party members not to nominate him.

Howard entered the race late in April, hoping her experience as one of the town’s top officials could give her an edge. She has an extensive background ranging from the US Navy, a Department Corrections Officer, and her position as a professor at Naugatuck Valley Community College. Her platform also includes how to boost economic development, for example bring back New Haven’s Black Wall Street Festival to Hamden. She also has platforms on community support and restoring fiscal management.

Howard has also clashed with Garrett on a variety of issues, including accusing her of spreading misinformation about her own handling of the local primaries in 2024.

Jefferies, who entered the race in February, is the founder and owner of Diamond Realty Partners and Diamond Consulting Firm.

Her platform includes an 8-point revitalization plan for a Stronger Hamden. This includes sections on Housing Revitalization, Career Preparations, and Housing Growth.

Finally, Sendroff, a longtime board of education member, was the final candidate to enter the race in May. He cites his local ties as his family has resided in Hamden for six generations!

His platform similarly includes how to manage the city’s taxes and fiscal stability. He has a section on public safety by investing in emergency management infrastructure. He also has a section on housing and how to help others buy houses.

Recent Election Results

I believe all six democrats have a good chance of making the ballot. Though we won’t know for sure until the deadline. If all make the ballot, the race becomes more unpredictable as a low turnout frequently plagues these races. However, an open race and high Democratic enthusiasm for a new mayor could bring more people out. Who they will vote for, though, is up for grabs.

Though Democrats are heavily favored in a town that Kamala Harris carried in a landslide 73-25 margin. It should be noted that on the local level, Republicans have done much better in mayoral races. Fiscal concerns have led to a lot of split ticket voting from residents who vote Democrat across the ballot, except for mayor.

2023 Mayoral Results. Source CT Secretary of State Website.

in 2023, Incumbent Democrat Mayor Lauren Garrett won a 56-44 victory against Republican challenger Crystal Dailey. Though she won easily, the 12-point victory is much lower than Kamala Harris’ 48-point victory last year. She also only had a 54-43 victory in her first race in 2021 against Republican challenger Ron Gambardella.

Republican Opposition

Dailey introduced the Republican endorsed nominee at the Republican town committee meeting last week,  U.S. Trademark Prosecution Paralegal Jonathan Katz.

Katz, a political newcomer, is only 24 years old and faces an uphill battle in the liberal town. Katz told the committee after he was nominated, “Hamden is ready for change and that change starts with leadership that’s accountable, forward-thinking, and focused on results.”

Town Republicans say that Katz represents the future of the party and many feel the new generation of leadership will help them in the race rooted in “fiscal responsibility, innovation and grassroots engagement.”

Katz doesn’t face any opposition so he will likely be the Republican nominee. Town Republicans feel more confident than usual as Democratic infighting between multiple challengers might give them an opening as they present a united front. However, they have the town’s partisan leaning to contend with.

Manchester Mayor Jay Moran. Source: CT Post

Overview

Since our last edition in February, there have been many retirements and announcements of runs for candidates across the state. With 169 municipalities to cover, we can’t cover everything, but I will try my best to get some notable ones out of the way.

Next week, from July 15th to July 22nd, town committees, caucuses, and conventions will announce endorsements for municipal offices at their respective events for each party. We will learn more about endorsed candidates that are on the ballot, and over the following weeks, we will learn more about who will try to petition for the primary ballot.

The petition deadline in the state is pretty short, as petition must be submitted to the registrar by August 6th. The primary is scheduled for September 9th, with early voting days from the 5th to 7th. Only if the candidates are opposed will that town have a primary. So it will depend on the town and position.

Let’s get to some of the mayoral/selectman/selectwoman developments of the last couple of months.

Note to readers: if there is no recent developments in certain towns on challengers, who haven’t been heard from for a while. We will wait till the following weeks for official primary challengers, and go from there. In addition, many races have had opponents in for a few months, we not much news since than, so we will wait for the next few weeks to see if they continue their campaigns past the convention. At the moment we will cover the largest cities/towns for now. But I will try to cover others in the next few weeks.

Norwalk

In March, after 12 years in office, Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling announced he would not seek reelection in November. The state’s 6th largest town has many people geared up for the open race.

Thanks to recent publications by Norwalk’s local publication Nancy on Norwalk , we have good detailed information about candidates gearing up to be the next mayor.

In the Democratic side, Common Council Members Barbara Smyth and Darlene Young are facing off against one another. Both have a lot of experience in city government.

Smyth has been a member of the common council for 8 years, elected president twice. Her priorities includes investing in public education, growing city as a responsible rate, and improving infrastructure and flooding issues.

Young has worked in the community under four different administrations, a member of the common council, elected president once. She is a founding member of Norwalk’s Community Health System. Her top pritories as mayor are addressing affordability, resolving budget process challenges, strength blught enforcement, and diversifying our housing options.

On the Republican side, Businessowner Vinny Scicchitano is the only person declared for the nomination. He has owned and operated a small business for over 40 years. His priorities include fiscal responsibility, educational excellence, and improving traffic and infrastructure.

Unaffilated candidate, Erik Vitaglione and Orion Party member Scott Merrell are also candidates for mayor, but they have to get on the ballot, and neither responded to the questionnaires from the publication.

Greenwich

First Selectman Fred Camillo announced on Tuesday that he will announce his re-election bid for a 4th term on Monday the 14th.

Camillo in his announcement, noted his good relationship with top legislators including State Sen. Bob Duff and State Rep Jason Rojas. He also noted the city’s gains in affordable housing stock, noting the importance of debate.

Hamden

Despite her announcement of seeking re-election earlier this year, two-term incumbent mayor Lauren Garrett announced on Monday she would not seek re-election to a third term citing a desire to be with family and friends in addition to mental health.

Garrett leaves offices with accomplishments ranging from stabilizing the town’s finances by securing more than $50 million in grants for community projects. She has faced challenges recently concluding in the town council overriding her veto of the town’s budget and some residents complaining about financial transparency.

Garrett’s exit means there are multiple candidates now vying for the Democratic nomination, the largest in at least 35 years. The large field is likely due to frustration over expected property tax hikes, in addition to appeal of a four-year term, which is longer than the previous two year term, giving candidates more time to carry out their agendas.

Democrats competing for the nomination include Legislative Council President Dominique Baez, Combat Veteran and Board of Ed member Walter Mortion, Businesswoman Jameka Morrison-Jefferies, Clean-Transportation Advocate Peter Cyr, Vet and Registrar of Voters Lushonda Howard.

In this open race, in a liberal city, hard to say who is favored here. Though I would think Legislative Council President Dominqiue Baez is favored here for the endorsement next week, she has many opponents who can all make the ballot, so hard to say what can happen. The winner of the primary will likely win the race in a town Kamala Harris carried 73-25 in November.

On the Republican side, 24-year-old, political newcomer paralegal Jonathan Katz has been running since last month, and seems to have the nomination to himself.

Manchester

Incumbent Mayor Jay Moran announced he would seek re-election as mayor. He has been mayor for over a decade, but Manchester started electing their mayor directly in 2023.

Though unopposed in 2023, Moran will have a republican opponent this time around. Manchester Republicans announced that Board of Directors Member Zachary Reichelt will oppose Moran. They expect he’ll get the nomination next week.

West Haven

West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer. Source: CT Examiner

Incumbent Mayor Dorinda Borer announced she would seek re-election for a second term early last month.

The city was greatly mismanaged in previous years including stolen pandemic relief funds, behind on audits, and having no bond rating for the city. Former State Rep. Michael DiMassa was also arrested for stealing COVID relief funds from the city.

Borer has been credited by the town’s Democratic chair for restoring the city’s finances and massively improving transparency.

Stratford, East Hartford, Trumbull

Incumbent Republican mayor Laura Hoydick announced she would run for a third four-year term early last month in Stratford.

Incumbent Democratic Middletown mayor Connor Martin announced he would run for a second term in mid-June. He has noted in making investments to help families and improve quality of life. The Republican Town Committee said they would announce a candidate to oppose Martin during its caucus on July 17th

Incumbent Democratic First Selectwoman Vicki Tesoro announced last month she would run for re-election.

Middletown

In Late May, Demoratic Incumbent mayor Ben Florsheim make the surprise announcement that he would resign office and will leave his position as mayor on June 16th. Florsheim was in office since 2019.

Common Council President Eugene Nocera will be Acting Mayor until the special election is completed on the same day as the city’s municipal election.

Acting Mayor Nocera will run for the Democratic nomination. He seems to be the only one on the Democratic side. He is a former two-term Board of Education member and an educator who worked for nearly 40 years in the school district.

Four members of the town’s Republican party are vying for the committee’s mayoral nomination. Former Mayor and councilmen Sebastian Guiliano, Council Minority Leader Linda Salafia, Greater Middletown Military Museum president Ken McClellan, and Business Manager Konrad Lenart. It is unknown if any of them would continue to the primary ballot if they don’t receive the nomination.

Torrington

Republican incumbent mayor Elinor Carborne announced in April she would not run for re-election for a fourth term. She cited her age (68) noting the importance of passing the torch to a new generation.

Both Democrats and Republicans have chosen a candidate to run in the general election. The Torrington Democratic Town Committee are behind City Council member Stephen Ivain. Republicans are behind fellow City Council member Molly Spino.

Ivain lost his first attempt at the mayoral race when he lost to Carborne in 2021. He cites increased costs of living and the “challenging moment” as reasons to run again. He also wants to lead with economic development and attack the rising taxes.

Molly Spino, a marine veteran and paralegal, cites her experience and the importance of building relationships across the city to take the office of Mayor.

Spino is favored in the city where Trump won 56-42 in November.

Conclusion

There are many other cities to cover, and much drama is occurring across the state across the ballot. We will be sure to cover more races, especially of smaller towns in future editions. They are some open-seat in smaller towns and cities we want to highlight, as well as some competitive races. We will definitely provide updates next week following town conventions and caucus, and look towards the primaries in September. Thanks for reading!

Rep. John Larson at a Press Conference. Source Peoples

Overview

A quiet beginning to the election season in Connecticut came to an end after the state legislature ended its session on June 5th. Ned Lamont’s vetoes of a housing bill angered state progressives and much of the caucus. Over the July 4th Weekend, State Rep. Josh Elliott has opened up an exploratory committee, but seems ready to launch a primary campaign against the two-term incumbent Governor.

Also over the weekend, longtime Congressman John Larson (CT-01) received a primary challenge from Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune.

Old Prediction

In my March article, I predicted that Ned Lamont would likely run for a 3rd term, and that he doesn’t seem to face a strong primary challenge. Turns out I was half right.

Lamont looks like he will run for a third term, but hasn’t conclusively stated he will run. However, I was incorrect in my lack of a strong primary challenger. I was correct in stating his fiscal moderation was his biggest vulnerability; well, the tension has broken completely and the state’s progressive faction seems to be ready for a battle against the incumbent governor. I didn’t expect it would come to fruition, but we will have to see how the race develops.

Governor

in June, Lamont vetoed bill HB 5002, a landmark housing bill. Lamont noted he wanted more “buy-in” from local communities before the bill could be passed, likely at a special session later in the fall. He noted his dislike on some of the parking provisions that were in the bill . Some local leaders disliked the bill, though the bill received widespread support in the Democratic caucus after months of negotiating.

The usually calm state Democratic caucus was not happy. State legislative leaders were certain that the bill would pass and Lamont would sign it. It was a surprising pushback for the largest housing bill the state has passed in years. Lamont also vetoed Senate Bill 8, a bill that would provided jobless benefits to strikers in Connecticut. This veto was expected, but also increased tension with state leaders.

The criticism of Lamont’s moderate polices on housing and finances has long been a criticism hurled at him. However, at a time when the base of the Democratic Party is looking for change at leadership, Lamont who has been in office since 2018 is seen at staying the same, and not in fighting shape.

This change in leadership and people in power came in a powerful shift late last month in New York City, where State Rep. Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for Mayor of New York City against political titan and longtime former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani, without a doubt, inspired some primary challenges, as there seemed to be some evidence of a base willing to make a drastic change. It didn’t help the perception of Lamont when he said, after being pressed by a reporter, that he would have ranked Andrew Cuomo first on his ballot.

Many state progressives note that they want someone fighting Trump strongly, and with polices that better reflect the Democratic base of the state. Lamont’s adherence to taxes on millionaires (he himself is very wealthy), and his insistence of keeping the state’s fiscal constrains despite funding decreasing in many sectors of the state’s economy.

State Rep. Anne Hughes (D-Easton) shares the sentiment, saying the ” party needs a more aggressive approach to a Trump administration that she says is promoting “a police state” and dismantling the social safety net, and there is a desire for generational change.” She additionally explained, “The governor doesn’t understand the urgency”.

The Challenger to the Governor

Rep. Josh Elliott at Best Video Film and Cultural Center in Hamden. Credit to Madeline Papcun / CT Mirror

State Rep. Josh Elliot (D-Hamden), deputy speaker of the Democratic caucus, opened an exploratory campaign on Tuesday, but has announced an official campaign launch for Monday, July 14th at 1 pm in front of Hamden Town Hall.

Rep. Elliott had an op-ed a few weeks ago announcing that the governor will not go unchallenged at the next election. It was unknown at the time of his op-ed if Elliott was the one too take on the challenge, but the time has come and he decided he is in. His platform won’t be known in detail for at least a few weeks, but he is expected to give some of his positions to the left of the governor on Housing and Taxes.

Rep. Elliott will definitely have some allies in his uphill battle against Governor Lamont. Two of his colleagues, State Sen. Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) and State Rep. Nick Gauthier (D- Waterford) have both released op-eds discouraging Lamont from running for a 3rd term (Anwar’s op-ed here and Gauthier’s op-ed here). This public act of rejection against Lamont shows that Elliott will have some support in the legislature. The scale of this will be hard to tell until his challenge is more cemented.

Elliott a member the state’s 88th Assembly district in Hamden came to office when challenging than speaker State Rep. Joseph Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden). Sharkey did not end up running for reelection and Elliott won the open seat. This is not the first time Elliott has aimed at higher office; he attempted a run for Secretary of State in 2022, though he dropped out at the convention after State Rep. Stephanie Thomas won the party endorsement. Elliott’s seat is very liberal. Kamala Harris won the district 70-28 in 2024.

He argues that Lamont doesn’t have what it needs to face Connecticut’s crisis and issues. “We have a housing crisis he blithely ignores, and he is so focused on the state budget he ignores the fact that people’s property taxes are skyrocketing. CCM is screaming about this.” Lamont welcomed him to the race on Tuesday noting “he’s a nice guy” and “welcome to the race“. So Lamont clearly does not seem too worried, and said this won’t change when he makes a decision on running for a 3rd term likely later in the summer or early fall.

What to Expect in the Governor’s Race

With no public polling, it is hard to say how Lamont will fare defending his record. Taking out an incumbent governor in Connecticut in a primary has not been attempted in recent memory.

State Rep. Josh Elliott has a long way to go to make his case to the voters. He does have at his disposal an energetic base that will likely be on his side. He is however not well to voters, and holds low name ID.

Elliott also needs to raise a lot of money to compete with Lamont who has spent his large fortune on his statewide campaigns. The Democratic base of the state would need to come to his aid. Elliott does likely benefit in a hypothetically closed-primary race, as more partsians might be more appealed to his campaign than the 40% of state voters who aren’t registered to either party.

Elliott also has to commit to a full run. It is not guaranteed that he will stay in the race to the ballot. He explained that Lamont will not go unchallenged, but rhetoric vs ballot are different things. Elliott could be gauging interest in a run, but could easily run for another term in the legislature by the state convention next year if he decides too. He did the same thing during his attempt at Secretary of State in 2022. He also notes that, unlike Andrew Cuomo, “… Ned is a nice guy and is really likable”.

Lamont, however, has been etched into the minds of Nutmeggers since his upset primary victory over Former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) in 2006. Though he lost the general election, and lost a close primary in 2010 for Governor to Dan Malloy, eventually getting the nomination in 2018 easily over Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. Lamont also has a record of some progressive wins to help him defend himself, but his age and the changing Democratic base leave him vulnerable. Lamont will also have multiple statewide members endorse him, including many leaders. Though he will need to reveal his plans for a 3rd term to show a vision he has for the state.

However, it should be noted that Lamont is still popular. The state is not exactly known for electing progressive democrats to statewide office and is well known for its political establishment. The state has been famously in the center of the Democratic party, despite Democrats having a stronghold of power across the state. His fiscal moderation has changed the state’s finances dramatically to a much better place.

If this challenge convinces Lamont to retire, then we got a wide-open race, and would have a long list of challengers, including multiple statewide officeholders.

Lamont who is essentially the only person to have been on the ballot against an incumbent Democrat for federal office in recent memory will have to get back his base of voters if he wants a third-term.

At a time of uncertainty and numerous political challengers, it is definitely time for everyone to pay attention to your local offices, as a lot can and will happen.

Lamont is heavily favored in a primary, but we have to see what happens.

CT-01

Far less dramatically, over the 4th of July weekend, Longtime Democratic Rep. John Larson received a primary challenge from Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune.

Fortune’s challenge to Larson was seen as a surprise to the man who appointed her to the Board of Education last year, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arunanpalam. “Somebody texted me about it,” Arulampalam said. “I was surprised. It was the first I heard.”

In a summary from the publication, the Downballot, Larson’s last few months in office have been up and down. Larson recieved attention earlier in the year after suffering from a “complex partial seizure” on the house floor in Feburary. He got positive coverage a month later for a speech where he denounced Elon Musk. And again a second episode in April of a seizure the coverage went negative again.

Fortune told CT Mirror’s Mark Panikoas that she has nothing against Larson persay, just that “my reasons for running are my reasons for running” and “I want to bring my voice, my lived experiences, my fierce advocacy, and really try to do as much as I can to support people as they try to aspire to whatever it is that their dream is and their goals are.”

Fortune has no elective experience, but an interesting personal story . She arrived to the US as a tourists, and became an undocumented immigrant from Haiti. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut Law School and is currently an associate at Wiggin & Dana, specializing as a Trust and Estate Lawyer. She currently lives in the West End of Hartford with her spouse and three children. She testified to the legislature in 2016 in favor of financial aid for undocumented students noting how it helped her as a young immigrant for a better future. More of her story can be found from Mark Pazniokas’s article at the CT Mirror, found here.

How Fortune intends to beat the longtime representative. we will have to wait and she currently has no campaign website or positions. But as a resident of the district, I’m curious what kind of angle she will take on against the longterm incumbent, and how she will raise money.

CT-03

Immigration Attorney Damjan DeNoble filed against incumbent Democrat Rosa DeLauro in the state’s 3rd district. DeLauro, a powerful Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, has received some attention as she will 83 during her re-election.

DeNoble told the CT Mirror that he would have a website and video announcement out next week. He is a New Haven-based attorney, and currently lives in Guilford with his wife and three kids. He interestingly noted that his campaign strength is going to be media. He will definitely need it against someone whose been part of state politics for 30 years and is one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress. I’m interested to see how his campaign goes, he seems committed based on the interview, but it’s a huge uphill battle.

Similar to Ruth Fortune in the first district, he didn’t have criticisms of DeLauro specifically, but talked more about passing the torch to the next generation. DeNoble who is 40, is less than half DeLauro’s age. Similar to Larson’s campaign, DeLauro’s campaign manager said they welcome anyone who wants to run for a seat.

DeNoble had criticisms about the Democratic’s party branding and believes someone younger can do better “whole bunch of things that need to be done to bring our democratic system in balance and lower the temperature”.

Both Rep. Larson and Rep. DeLauro have never faced a primary challenger on the ballot during their entire tenures in Congress since their first victories (DeLauro 1990, Larson 1998).

CT-02, CT-05

Even more under the table, everyone but Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04) has a primary challenge on paper. But severely underfunded challenges don’t spell upset against longterm incumbents.

Jackson Taddeo-Waite of the town of Washington has filed for a primary against Incumbent 5th District Congresswoman Jahana Hayes. Kyle Gauck of the town of East Hampton has filed for a primary against Incumbent 2nd District Congressman Joe Courtney.

Filings are not perfect in saying a candidate is officially against an incumbent. And many of these challenges are on paper, with minimal funds and no campaign websites to speak of. Until that, we will refrain from going further here until these challengers rise a bit in prominence and/or funds. New people can also jump in so we will have to see what happens.

With the level of enthusiasm for challengers against longterm incumbents, it is possible that the state delegation, which has 3 members over the age of 72, receives at least one challenger on the ballot. But none of the challengers to members of Congress have our full attention yet, we will stay glued to the news for new developments, and if anyone raises enough money for a proper challenge.