Thomas MacMillan Photo
Back to the future: Darnell Goldson (left) and Carlton Staggers and Honda Smith (right) vied for votes on primary night.
(Updated) In West Rock, an alderman is gearing up for another chance to fend off a challenger to his seat with the help of a new “campaign guru.” In East Rock, a deposed incumbent decided to forgo another grueling campaign.
In the wake of this month’s Democratic primary election, which featured unprecedented victories by 14 of 15 union-backed challengers gunning for incumbent and City Hall-backed candidates, losing candidates for Board of Aldermen seats are considering whether to seek a second chance by running in the general election.
Fewer rematches than expected are shaping up. And the temperature on the street has dropped noticeably, as a City Hall-labor campaign contest appears basically settled for this election cycle.
Many aldermanic candidates filed to appear on both the Democratic primary and general election ballots. Some candidates who didn’t win in the primary can now take a second chance in the Nov. 8 general election. And some candidates who did win may be forced to campaign until the end, to try to ensure a second victory.
The city was originally expected to have as many as 17 contested aldermanic elections on Nov. 8, largely because of these “do-over” runs staged by candidates who’d petitioned for both primary and general-election ballot slots. But many of those candidates did win; some of their opponents, from the City Hall-backed slate, had not secured independent slots for November.
And some of those who did secure November slots are having second thoughts.
New Haven’s Board of Aldermen has 30 seats. But only one third-party candidate is running for alderman in November, incumbent independent, Maureen O’Sullivan-Best, is on the ballot in Fair Haven Heights.
Still, some of the “do over” candidates are pressing ahead. It appears the city will have four theoretically competitive aldermanic races for sure, with a couple of others possible though not necessarily likely.
In the mayor’s race, challenger Jeffrey Kerekes is resuming his quest to oust incumbent Mayor John DeStefano, who won the Democratic primary. The absence of an organized pulling effort for a slate of union-backed “change” aldermanic candidates this time may make it harder to get anti-incumbent voters to the polls than in September.
General election aldermanic contests are set in as many as four or five wards. Here’s a rundown of who’s running for alderman in November, as of this week:
Ward 1: Sarah Eidelson vs. Vinay Nayak
In Ward 1, which comprises Yale almost exclusively, a primary was not held due to the start of the academic year. Two students will face off in the November general election to replace Alderman Mike Jones.
Ward 2: Frank Douglass Takes It
Until Monday, Ward 2 seemed headed for a November’s general election match-up that would be a reprise of this month’s primary contest, in which union-backed Douglass beat City Hall’s candidate, Doug Bethea.
“Yeah; 100 percent I’m running,” Bethea said. “A lot of people don’t vote in the primaries. If that’s the case, we’ll go at it again.”
“Win or lose, I’ll still do my thing,” Bethea said. “My main concern is we don’t get out-voted by the unions.”
But on Monday, Bethea delivered a letter to the City/Town Clerk’s office officially ending his general election candidacy. Bethea couldn’t be reached for comment on that decision.
Ward 6: Norma Rodriguez-Reyes Calls It Quits
In the Hill, Alderwoman Dolores Colon, one of the few incumbents backed by unions, beat challenger Norma Rodriguez-Reyes in the primary.
Rodriguez-Reyes said she has decided not to run in November. (Note: Rodriguez-Reyes publishes the Spanish-language newspaper La Voz Hispana. She also volunteers as chair of the board of the not-for-profit Online Journalism Project, which publishes the Independent.)
Ward 9: Matt Smith Bows Out
East Rock Alderman Smith lost his primary to union-backed Jessica Holmes.
In an email to his constituents late Thursday night, Smith said he’s decided not to run as an independent in the general election.
“While my service to our neighborhood and city is unwavering, I have the chance to explore some professional development opportunities and this has now become an opportune time to pursue them,” he wrote.
Ward 11: Maureen O’Sullivan-Best vs. Barbara Ann Constantinople
In Fair Haven Heights, incumbent Alderwoman O’Sullivan-Best, an independent, will face challenger Constantinople, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Ward 14: Gabriel Santiago Is Unopposed
Union-backed Santiago ousted incumbent Alderwoman Stephanie Bauer in the primary. Reyes, who ran a distant third in the primary, had petitioned for a spot on the November ballot. Last week, she delivered a letter to the City/Town Clerk removing herself from the general election ballot.
Ward 18: Sal DeCola vs. Sarah Saiano?
DePino, the incumbent in this Morris Cove ward and the only Republican on the board, Tuesday backed out of the general election. She could not immediately be reached for comment.
City Hall-backed DeCola won the primary and faces her as the Democratic candidate in November. DeCola beat union-backed Saiano in the Democratic primary; Saiano couldn’t be reached for comment about whether she will actively pursue an independent bid in the general election.
Ward 22: Jeanette Morrison vs. Cordelia Thorpe
This was a raucous four-way primary; Morrison won it, unseating incumbent Greg Morehead. Hopkins and Thorpe also petitioned as independents for November, but expect a greater sense of quiet to descend on the Dixwell ward. Hopkins Monday officially withdrew from the general election. Thorpe, who got seven votes in the primary, said she does consider herself an active candidate for November.
Ward 26: Darryl Brackeen vs. Sergio Rodriguez
Brackeen, a challenger in Upper Westville, opted not to run in the primary, despite the fact that he’s a Democrat. He wants to compete in an election in which everyone in the ward votes, he said.
“Since day one I said I was going to be run as an Independent,” he said. “I’m a Democrat but I’d like the entire neighborhood to have a say.”
Ward 28: Claudette Robinson-Thorpe Takes It
Union-backed incumbent Beaver Hills Alderwoman Robinson-Thorpe won the primary against City Hall-backed McCloud. “Undecided at this moment,” McCloud said Thursday when asked if he plans to resume his campaign as an independent; he has the ballot line if he chooses to. Later last week, McCloud officially withdrew his name.
Ward 30: Darnell Goldson vs. Carlton Staggers
In West Rock and West Hills, first-term Alderman Goldson, an administration gadfly, couldn’t turn back a primary challenge from City Hall-backed Staggers. With the support of Goldson’s erstwhile campaign manager Honda Smith, Staggers surged to a 204 – 145 victory.
“Yes, I’m running” again, Goldson said. “I looked at the numbers. I had a lot of support that did not come out.”
After hearing from supporters both within and outside of the ward, Goldson said he’s decided to follow through with his general election bid.
This time, he’ll have the help of a new campaign manager, civil rights attorney Michael Jefferson, whom Goldson described as a “campaign guru.” A number of his aldermanic colleagues have also offered to walk the ward with him, Goldson said.
Paul Bass contributed reporting.