Gage Frank.
Justin Elicker has drawn a millennial from Bridgeport to guide his challenge to New Haven Mayor Toni Harp.
Elicker announced Thursday that he has hired the veteran, Gage Frank, to serve as his campaign manager. Elicker is mounting a Democratic primary campaign, leaving open his options for an independent general election run as well. (Click here for a full story on his campaign announcement.)
Frank has managed campaigns for Bridgeport State Sen. Marilyn Moore and State Reps. Jack Hennessy and Steve Stafstrom and co-founded an effort to revive Bridgeport’s Young Democrats group, which included helping to elect three primary challengers to incumbent City Council members. He was among a group of activists who pushed the Bridgeport’s Council in 2017 to adopt a “sanctuary city” resolution.
Elicker, who is 43, has made a generational change a theme of his campaign, arguing that Baby Boomers need to make room for new leaders in public office.
Frank just turned 27.
In a conversation Thursday, Frank seconded the youth/change theme.
“Young people are critical for the future,” he said. He called the 2018 mid-term elections “proof that young people are waking up and voting.”
And, he said, “It’s always good to have a new set of eyes on things” in public office.
In a release, Elicker said Frank “brings a tremendous amount of experience to the job and is well suited to lead our team.”
Frank grew up in Bridgeport. He attended Fairfield Prep and then the University of Scranton, after which he returned home and dived into politics.
“My single mom sacrificed a lot for us to get the education we did get,” Frank said. He said he’s “really excited to work for Justin.”