Mayoral candidate Angela Watley said she has her eyes on New Haven. Former Mayor John C. Daniels said people in New Haven should have their eyes on her.
“We need her,” said Daniels, “I’m just somewhat disappointed that she doesn’t have much more support from our community.”
Daniels was one of around 20 people who showed up at the Elks Lodge on Dixwell Avenue in New Haven Thursday night to support Watley in her race for mayor, which lacks a campaign staff or headquarters.
Although the crowd was small Thursday night, Watley said she remains optimistic that she could make history and become the first woman mayor of New Haven. She is one of three petition candidates running as an independent in Tuesday’s election. The campaign so far hasn’t had many events, although the candidates did take part in a debate. (Click here and here to read about that and watch highlights.)
On Thursday night Watley offered an answer to a question that had been asked at that debate: “I’m excited and I’m thinking about my first 100 days,” said Watley. “I would say my prayer, and take the pay-cut and start working on school reform, getting back neighborhood schools.”
This remains the focus of her campaign—shifting from lottery-based citywide magnet schools to neighborhood-based schools. She said children should be able to go to the schools in their neighborhoods and get a quality education instead of having to travel outside of their neighborhoods.
Watley doesn’t have a team of people working with her. Her campaign manager wasn’t at Thursday’s event. But she said she hopes that people will come out and vote for her Tuesday.
“It’s real small,” Watley said about her campaign.
She said she had a group of people working with her on her campaign at one time, but “my money wasn’t large. We’d be at the house.” Watley said she couldn’t get a place to have official headquarters.
She said mayor or not, she’s ready to help New Haven. She said she’s not giving up just because some people may not think she has a chance.
“I’ve been driven by a force,” said Watley. “They wouldn’t understand. I don’t need to be out there in the front. I could work from behind the scenes.
“This is not just a title for me to say, ‘Oh, I’m mayor.’ It’s actually me wanting to help and change things.”
Watley said her pastor and church have also been supportive of her during her campaign. She said when she knew she was going to run in March, she talked to her pastor first, before anyone. Her pastor told her she was “destined for greatness.”
Watley claimed that some city aldermen are in her corner as well. But because they have to work for the mayor, she said, she won’t say who they are.
Former Mayor Daniels, a critic of incumbent Mayor John DeStefano, said he came out to support Watley because she has stepped up.
“Here’s a young lady that came forth while a lot of us males are doing absolutely nothing, sitting on the sidelines,” said Daniels (pictured). “There are a lot of things that are not happening in this city that should be happening. We all should get behind Angela to give her some support. She has a vision, she has some ideas, and we ought to be able to support her.”
“I am a believer, and when God gives me something I try to follow through with it. So far he hasn’t led me wrong, so New Haven better watch out,” said Watley. “I know I’ll have a lot on my shoulders. It’s gonna be a lot. I just need a chance, that’s all.”