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.