New Haven Independent: Holder-Winfield Makes Ballot

Holder-Winfield Makes Ballot

by Paul Bass | June 20, 2008 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

A challenger has catch-up to do on the street against Charles Blango.

Gary Holder-Winfield (pictured), a 34-year-old political activist, has qualified for a spot on the ballot for an Aug. 12 Democratic primary for the 94th District seat in the state House of Representatives. The city clerk’s office validated 417 signatures on petitions Holder-Winfield submitted, more than the 346 required by law.

Holder-Winfield is taking on Charles Blango, the party-endorsed candidate. They’re both running to replace State Rep. Bill Dyson, who’s retiring after 30 colorful years in the legislature.

The district covers portions of the Newhallville and East Rock neighborhoods. The primary takes place in the sleepy days of late summer, with many people away. No major election is simultaneously taking place (for mayor or president, for instance). That means the election will be determined solely by each campaign’s ability to turn out voters — to identify them in advance, nudge them on election day, and in some cases transport them to the polls.

While Holder-Winfield can celebrate his achievement of making the ballot, he at this point is way behind on that ground game.

Asked how many people are working on his campaign at this point, he said, “We have about seven right now. We’re forming jobs. My wife is going to be for now handling the press. I brought in a young man to get him trained in running a campaign. Whoever is the campaign manager will work with him.”

Holder-Winfield said he hopes to have named a campaign manager by Monday. One of his goals in the campaign is to foster such pairings between political veterans and young newcomers — to fit into his campaign platform of advocating for “the young people in the city.”

Asked if any staffers have been going door-to-door to identify likely supporters, Holder-Winfield said, “A lot of that will be done by me” so voters can meet the candidate.

Meanwhile, Charles Blango (pictured), who’s a Newhallville alderman, said he’s been busy scouring the district’s neighborhoods with dozens of volunteers, knocking on doors and identifying likely voters.

Blango said he and some “30 people” start door-knocking for four or five hours as soon as he gets off work each afternoon from his job with the Board of Ed. They hand out campaign flyers, chat with voters, then mark down on lists whether they’re “yes” votes, “no,” or undecided.

Holder-Winfield, a former legislative intern for Bill Dyson, is often at the state Capitol representing the American Association of University Professors union at Southern Connecticut State University, where he went to college. He said he hopes to focus on criminal-justice reform, an issue he has been involved in as an activist in town.

Click here to read a previous story about his and Blango’s campaigns.

Blango said he has nothing critical to say about his challenger. He doesn’t know much about Holder-WInfield, he said. He said he focuses his campaign on himself — as someone whom people already know, as someone with a track record on local issues like taxes, youth development, and social services. Blango chairs the Board of Aldermen’s Human Services Committee and vice-chairs the Tax Abatement Committee.

“When they shot up my house, I stayed,” he said he tells people, referring to an incident last September at his Newhallville home. “I stand up.”

Democratic Town Committee member and former Alderman Willie Greene has also said he plans to run in the primary. He could not be reached for comment about the progress of his campaign.

Share this story: digg / newsvine / facebook

Comments

Posted by: jeffreykerekes | June 21, 2008 6:44 AM

We have attempted to keep track of Alderperson's votes on important issues related to taxes. So when an Alder refers to their track record on taxes, people can see their votes on those issues we track. While it is not every vote on every issue before the BOA, you can get a look here at some of the major ones:
BOA Accountability Project.

Posted by: facChek | June 21, 2008 1:01 PM

Blango said:
"He focuses his campaign on himself -- as someone whom people already know, as someone with a track record on local issues like taxes".

Blango do you really want to go there, your record on taxes?
OK.. I'll accommodate you on this one!
In case you forgot Blango, you were on the finance committee for the 07/08 budget. In that budget you sponsored the ordinance to increase licenses fees and permits, to the all time high it is today. You also introduced the ordinance to increase parking meters fees while also increasing the graduated per minute rate. Both ordinances passed the full board of aldermen with your recommendations.

Oh.. and let's not forget you voted for the ID cards, voted for city managerial rate increases to $125K, voted for police chief salary to 160K,
voted for the Mayor's salary increase 16% to 130K,
All the while accepting a $10K raise for yourself to $55K as Assistant dropout coordinator for the BOE. As a result of your position, you are forced to abstain from voting on the budget of the BOE, which represents 40% of the entire general fund budget. Apparently, there is no tax increases you did not favor.

Note: Verification of your voting record may be obtained in the Office of legislative services.

No Blango, I don't think you want to run on your record of taxes. You might be able to away from your record on "roller skates".

P.S.
You served as the Mayor's re-election treasure and you are commonly referred to as the administrations " water boy".

Posted by: In The Hood | June 21, 2008 1:15 PM

We recently had a 13 year old shot right down the street from Blango's house and we did not hear "boo" from him.

We recently had public hearings at city plan commission on parking garages and parking lots in East Rock and Newhallville neighborhods and not a peep from Blango.

Foreclosures and absentee landlords are rampant in Newhallville creating increased erosion in the 'hood.Any ideas from Blango?

What is Blango doing as alderperson to stop the drug dealing on streetcorners right down the street from his own house? And, what is he doing to engage his neighborhood's families in their children's education?

If he can't significantly engage in problem solving in just a tiny city ward, how is he going to engage on a state-level?

I don't know this other guy, Holder-Winfield, but at least I have seen him show up at some of these community events and he is knocking on doors in the 'hood on his OWN behalf.

Unlike Blango who is sending 30 people out to campaign for him.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | June 21, 2008 5:30 PM

Congrat's Gary!!! This is what democracy is about!

Posted by: donna | June 22, 2008 9:04 AM

Gary
you got my support...everyone knows most of the board of alderman are the mayors puppets..he tells Susie Voight who he wants and she goes full steam ahead to get them elected...it happens all over the city...Mayor goes Susie Voight goes...if it.s time for a change for our country it sure is time for change in New Haven

Posted by: Gary Holder-Winfield | June 23, 2008 8:56 AM

I hear the people who are asking who I am. I have been around for a while (a quick search of this site will indicate that) but I get that people may not know who I am. I am working to change that. I am out walking for myself and available to speak to those that want to know. I can be reached directly by phone at 687-1582. A quick bio (not complete) can be found here.

Posted by: dixwell livin | June 23, 2008 11:45 AM

Gary you live two doors down from the taurus club. where was you in all that fight the neighborhood had to go through?

Posted by: Gary Holder-Winfield | June 23, 2008 12:20 PM

At that time I was not living there at the time. I have lived in different parts of New Haven.

New Haven Independent

Holder-Winfield Makes Ballot

Comments

Sorry, Comments are closed for this entry

Sections

Neighborhood News

Special Sections

Legal Notices

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links

Legal Notices

Flyerboard

Sponsors

N.H.I. Site Design & Development

NHI Store

News Feed