Allan Appel Photo
The candidate leans in at Crown Street bash.
Mayoral candidate Justin Elicker raced to the end of the campaign’s first financial-reporting period with five events in one day, capped with an open “BAR” for 60 volunteers, donors and friends.
The event at BAR on Crown Street Sunday night was one of two pizza party campaign gatherings this past weekend. Mayor Toni Harp, whom Elicker seeks to unseat in a Democratic primary, held a pizza party for young people at Whalley Pizza.
In his campaign against Harp, Elicker is seeking to distinguish himself in part on the money-in-politics issue: Raising questions about her campaign filings while seeking to qualify for the city’s Democracy Fund public-financing program, which offers money to candidates who swear off corporate and PAC (political action committee) donations and limit themselves to $370 individual donations. (Harp is not participating in the program, meaning she can accept donations up to $1,000. She argues that the program doesn’t work as intended.)
Like some national candidates using the same strategy, such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Elicker has sought to demonstrate grassroots support through donations by the end of the first financial reporting period. That period ended at the stroke of midnight for both New Haven’s mayoral candidates and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. In repeated online appeals as well at house parties (like this one), Elicker has set $30,000 as the goal for demonstrating campaign momentum.
The combined email-small gathering strategy was on display with this message Elicker sent out mid-Sunday: “Just wanted to send a quick email as we drive from event to event today. Would you believe we have five events today alone? The responses have been incredibly positive. I know the campaign has sent a lot of fundraising emails lately: the reason is tonight at midnight is our first fundraising deadline of the campaign, and I need your help. Can you chip in before the deadline?”
At the campaign party at BAR Sunday evening, Elicker wasn’t ready to report on whether he’d met the goal; he and Harp have until April 10 to file their reports.
As Elicker schmoozed with the crowd, his campaign manager, Gage Frank, said only that the fundraising is going “phenomenal,” with a groundswell of support from throughout the city.
Admission to the event was free, with the campaign collecting some checks from supporters present as well as email addresses on clipboards that somehow survived among the pizza platters.
Elicker supporters Patricia Shea and Kerby Long at BAR.
In brief remarks after stepping up onto a BAR bench, the candidate assailed Mayor Harp’s administration for misusing credit cards, taking an official trip to China, and a general lack of financial transparency. (Harp has said her administration has put strong financial controls into place in response to individual employees stealing money, and characterized the China trip as a chance to create jobs by luring employers here.)
“We need to think a lot about inclusive growth” by “investing in the neediest communities,” Elicker said. He cited as examples a land bank started by officials in Detroit as well as New York’s universal child care efforts.
“You do it by having a government that doesn’t spend money taking trips to China or is misspending on credit cards. From nuts and bolts things like dirt bikes to wealth inequities, we can do better,” Elicker said.
“We need a mayor who gives you his cell phone number” — which he then did — “and who also rides around on his bicycle to show you he’s not better than you.”
His fighting words were enthusiastically received by a crowd that included many supporters of Elicker’s last run, six years ago.
Bill Saunders and Gary Stewart chat at the Bar Elicker fundraiser.
They included east siders Carolyn and Ian Christmann and Kerby Long and Patricia Shea, who were Elicker supporters as well as Marcus Paca supporters, in the latter’s attempt to unseat the mayor two years ago.
Artist and activist Bill Saunders was in attendance and chatting with Gary Stewart, a former Democratic Town Committee member .
The candidate with supporters William Ruiz and Laura Jimenez.
Carolyn Christmann said it was different or odd to be with Elicker when he is no longer a “newbee,” and yet she said her enthusiasm is undiminished. “He’s a guy of integrity and the city could use someone fresh,” she said.
Christmann’s children, Sawyer and Rowen, have spent the last two summers going to Schooner Camp, which Elicker revived as head of the New Haven Land Trust.
Peter Deczi, foreground, and Tommy Joe enjoyed the mashed potato pizza.
Tommy Joe volunteered for Elicker in 2013. Asked if he plans to do so again, he responded, “Hell, yeah!” He cited Elicker’s ability to bring people together and his honest communication.”
Christmann family support.