Mia Cortés Castro Photo
Downer makes her pitch Monday night.
A challenger to an incumbent Board of Education member won a ward committee endorsement Monday night in her quest to win the Democratic nomination.
Making bold strikes, Ward 19’s Democratic Town Committee placed their votes on challenger Andrea Downer, rather than on incumbent Darnell Goldson, for the Board of Education membership race.
The challenger, Andrea Downer, won 17 votes at a straw poll held at a Ward 19 Democratic committee meeting held at Celentano School. Incumbent Darnell Goldson, who is seeking a third four-year term, won 10 votes after 30 Prospect Hill/Newhallville Democrats listened to pitches from both candidates.
Goldson at Monday night's ward meeting.
The ward committee also voted to endorse the reelections of two Democrats running unopposed for the party nomination, City/Town Clerk Michael Smart and Alder Kimberly Edwards. Two mayoral candidates were present, Mayor Justin Eicker and Tom Goldenberg, but were not permitted to pitch at the event. The committee voted on the mayoral race, anyway, with Elicker receiving 26 votes, Tom Goldenberg receiving two, Shafiq Abdussabur receiving two, and Liam Brennan receiving none.
This meant the Board of Education race was the only truly contested one at the meeting, witht he only presentation of positions.
Members of the Prospect Hill Democratic Town Committee getting ready to vote.
Both Downer and Goldson are lifelong New Haven residents and products of the New Haven Public School system.
Goldson, a former alder, drew in his remarks on his political experience and his experience on the board to stress his knowledge of the job and how the political process works.
With 65 percent of students reported as chronically absent last school year, Goldson said he plans to ensure that students are showing up and have the resources they need to be ready to learn.
“I believe the Board of Education is the next civil rights movement in our community,” said Goldson. “We need to focus on academic achievement, which is one of the things I’m disappointed we haven’t gotten a handle on.”
Downer argued that her lack of experience on the Board of Education sets her apart as a candidate in a positive way. She said will bring her experience in the financial sector and her volunteer work with children to the board. Having experience with students who have struggled through the New Haven Public School system, she said, she hopes to find equitable ways through which to help the system thrive.
“I’m here for solutions,” said Downer. “I’m committed to supporting and defending our students, especially those from underrepresented areas.”