Allan Appel Photo
Declaring “I can do math,” Gary Holder-Winfield has pulled out of the mayor’s race.
That leaves five Democrats running to succeed Mayor John DeStefano, who’s stepping down after 20 years in office.
Holder-Winfield (pictured fixing a flag at the Long Wharf veterans memorial) endorsed one of those five remaining candidates, state Sen. Toni Harp — whose own decision to run, after initially backing Holder-Winfield, left his campaign struggling to gain traction. Holder-Winfield, a state representative, serves with Harp in the General Assembly.
Holder-Winfield was asked why he endorsed someone who initially endorsed him, then ran against him.
“There’s no deal cut between us. If you want to lead, and that’s what I was trying to do by running for mayor, you divorce yourself from your own personal emotions and make the best decision. Toni Harp has experience at the city and state levels, knows what needs to get done. She’s the best candidate left,” he said.
He said that if Harp wins the mayoral election, he will “probably ” run for her state senator slot, unless another state representative, Toni Walker, seeks the position. Holder-Winfield may face a candidate for that position who, like Harp, has strong backing from Yale’s unions: Alderwoman Jackie James.
“We lose a lot by losing Toni [in the legislature]. You want the best person in the position,” Holder-Winfield said.
“I’m not sure yet” about running for state senator, said Jackie James, the Board of Aldermen’s president pro tem. “For anyone to come out publicly and have that conversation” is premature.
“I’m not talking about it until after the mayoral election,” said Toni Walker.