The partisan warfare of Washington D.C. seemed a world away from New Haven’s Bishop Woods neighborhood, where a Republican candidate helped a leading Democrat make the connection she needed to hit polls around town.
The connection — an electrical connection — was made shortly before 10:20 a.m. at Bishop Woods School, the polling place for Ward 12. Democratic Mayor Toni Harp returned to her Honda after visiting the polls, headed for another ward, when the battery went dead.
Observing the scene was Republican state representative candidate John Cirello, who took a break appealing for votes to dash to his car, retrieve jumper cables, and get the mayoral Honda back on the electoral route.
“See, this is how to break the gridlock in Washington: bipartisanship to get things moving again,” Cirello declared afterwards.
“He was right there. He didn’t miss a beat,” remarked Harp. “We are very grateful that he was there and such a gentleman.”