Brackeen Breaks With Elicker, Tapped To Run Goldenberg’s Mayoral Campaign

Westville Alder Darryl Brackeen has broken ties with longtime former political ally Mayor Justin Elicker — by stepping into the role of campaign manager for mayoral challenger Tom Goldenberg.

Goldenberg announced Brackeen’s appointment as his mayoral campaign manager in a Wednesday afternoon email press release. A Democrat who most recently worked as a McKinsey & Company consultant, Goldenberg is challenging fellow Democrat and two-term incumbent Mayor Elicker in this year’s race for mayor. 

“We are excited to have Darryl as part of our team,” Goldenberg is quoted as saying in the Wednesday afternoon press release, ​“and are looking forward to making more progress talking with residents about real issues and solutions.”

The announcement marks an abrupt rupture in the heretofore mutually supportive relationship of Brackeen, a five-term alder who represents Upper Westville’s Ward 26, and Elicker, who is running for a third two-year term as mayor. 

In 2019, Brackeen backed Elicker’s successful challenge to then-incumbent Mayor Toni Harp, emerging as one of the earliest local elected leaders and one of the only alders to endorse Elicker even before he won the Democratic primary. 

Meanwhile, in 2021, Elicker threw his support behind Brackeen’s unsuccessful exploratory campaign for secretary of the state.

In Wednesday’s press release, Brackeen is quoted as sharply criticizing Elicker, raising concerns around school district-wide low reading levels and chronic absenteeism.

“I am disappointed by the current administration’s delayed action towards addressing the ever widening opportunity gap for students that has plagued the district for years and the emergent concerns surrounding reading levels,” Brackeen is quoted as saying in the press release. ​“Our students are not showing up to school, which will have long-term negative consequences, and our teaching force is losing hope. I am inspired by Tom Goldenberg’s vision which is why I am joining his campaign team.”

Asked for more details on his education-specific critique of Elicker and on what he thinks Goldenberg’s vision is, Brackeen replied by text message. He said that, as a New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) educator, advocate, and parent, ​“I have personally seen first hand the struggles of the school leaders, teachers, students and families before and after the pandemic and the opportunity gap is widening. We need a more hands on approach in this emergent moment by working with teachers and parents in addressing the dire needs of our school system.”

As for why he’s backing Goldenberg, Brackeen wrote, ​“Tom’s vision is clear that he will ensure teachers are respected and supported; also he intends to engage families and students and meeting them where they are; and lastly by ensuring that whoever the new district leadership is provides transparency and [is] accountable to the community.” 

Asked on Wednesday night for a comment on Brackeen choosing to back his opponent after so many years of political support, Elicker told the Independent in a phone interview, ​“Tom is entitled to hire who he thinks is the right fit for his campaign, and Darryl is an adult and he can make decisions about” who he thinks is the best candidate to support.

In response to Brackeen’s schools-focused critique, Elicker replied, ​“I think we all have acknowledged the education crisis that we’re facing, along with cities around the nation, and we need to work collaboratively to confront” these issues. 

The mayor added that ​“Alder Brackeen will have an opportunity in his alder role to vote on the $3 million proposal that I have submitted to [the alders] for improving literacy, reading and math scores as part of our afterschool and summer volunteer initiative. I hope his role as campaign manager doesn’t complicate that vote.”