Paul Bass photo
Steve Orosco, at right, filing campaign papers with City Clerk Michael Smart.
(Updated) An east side Republican jumped into New Haven’s mayoral race Tuesday with a mission to bring Donald Trump’s political momentum to the city’s low-income neighborhoods.
The Republican, Smash HQ mixed-marital arts gym and league owner Steve Orosco, filed paperwork at the City Clerk’s office to run for mayor in the Nov. 4 general election as a Republican. Three-term incumbent Democratic Mayor Justin Elicker has also filed to run for reelection.
Orosco announced his candidacy earlier in the day on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program. He said New Haven needs an alternative to one-party rule.
“I want to create change. I want to be the first person to decrease crime, better our education system and actually create economic vitality for this city,” he said in the “Dateline” interview.
Orosco, who is of Trinidadian descent, said he plans to focus door-knocking on low-turnout low-income neighborhoods.
He noted that Republican President Donald Trump increased the party’s support among urban Black and Latino voters in the most recent election.
“We had a lot of shift voting for Trump. Now, the biggest shift was the Black male vote that we know. That’s where my target is going to be.
“Do I support Trump? Absolutely. I support disruption.”
To that end, Orosco said he disagrees with Elicker’s decision to join other cities in suing the Trump administration to free up Congressionally-approved clean-energy funds and to block an order to withhold Justice Department funding for “sanctuary cities” that don’t enlist local police in helping federal agents round up undocumented immigrants.
Orosco said he supports clean energy but questioned the high cost and argued that government needs to better prioritize how it spends money.
And “I am not for being a sanctuary city in the first place. Most of them are going in the inner city. Our classroom sizes are 29 to one. How do you expect a kid to learn?”
Orosco, who is 44 and lives in Morris Cove, previously ran twice for the State Senate seat held by Democratic Martin Looney. He also challenged Morris Cover Alder Sal DeCola. He lost those elections.
City GOP Chairman John Carlson called Orosco a “great candidate” who’d be a better mayor than the incumbent. He said “several other” Republicans are considering mayoral runs. Orosco welcomed a primary, arguing that it would generate enthusiasm.
Republicans face long odds in New Haven elections. The party last won a mayoral race in 1951; Elicker beat the Republican candidate in the last mayoral election by 79.7 – 18.4 percent. The party does not currently hold any contested New Haven municipal or state legislative seats.
“When one party rules for too long, no one holds themselves accountable. They don’t call each other out. As the city keeps falling apart, people still keep on voting Democrat, and these politicians don’t hold themselves accountable. I think that’s a problem,” Orosco argued.
In his campaign, Elicker has defended his administration’s record in supporting new affordable housing and a new schools superintendent. In regards to public safety, Elicker said his administration has invested in “increased supports for young people” as well as in violence intervention programs, street outreach workers, and improved police technology — from surveillance cameras to stop sticks. He pointed to task forces on violent crime and stolen cars for helping with the city’s “efforts around accountability” and “to make sure, when there is violence, we get people off the street.”
Update: Reached Tuesday afternoon, Elicker called it “mind-boggling” that Orosco “would support terrifying New Haven families and children with the threat of ICE raids” and Trump’s canceling $30 million for “programs and institutions that help New Haven families.”
“New Haven’s booming. We certainly have our challenges. But when you look at the amount of construction, the number of affordable units we’ve borough online, the progress we’re making on reducing crime and improving our public schools, it’s clear to anyone who’s paying attention that New Haven is making progress,” Elicker argued. Elicker sent out a campaign fundraising email referencing Orosco’s support for Trump within hours of the filing.
Orosco said he’s leaning against participating in the public-financing Democracy Fund. He said he thinks he can raise more money by looking outside the city for some donors and without worrying about the lower contribution limits. Elicker is participating in the fund this election cycle, as he has in the past.
Click on the video below to watch the full conversation with Republican mayoral candidate Steve Orosco on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.” Click here to subscribe or here to listen to other episodes of “Dateline New Haven.”
