New Haven Independent

Holder-Winfield Endorses Hopkins

by Ben Johnson | July 20, 2009 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

New Haven’s newest state representative invited his former campaign manager to a backyard barbecue — to turn around and back her in her own race against the city’s Democratic machine in one of the season’s hardest-fought political races.

State Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield, a Democrat from the 94th District, held the event, a campaign fund-raiser, Saturday for Lisa Hopkins. Hopkins is trying for a third time to win the Ward 22 aldermanic seat in a Democratic primary in the Dixwell neighborhood. (The ward runs from the northwest edge of downtown along Dixwell Avenue through the Dixwell Plaza and Monterey Homes to the edge of Newhallville.)

Hopkins is running against the same person she faced the last two times — City-Hall backed incumbent Democrat Greg Morehead.

State Rep. Holder-Winfield represents the 94th General Assembly District, which includes Dixwell. Hopkins ran Holder-Winfield’s insurgent campaign for the seat last year.

About 25 neighbors and supporters turned out to Holder-Winfield’s backyard on Winchester Avenue for the Saturday event. Holder-Winfield said he wasn’t endorsing Hopkins as a return favor, but rather as an attempt to improve communication between two overlapping constituencies: city and state political districts.

“A lot of times people aren’t 100 percent sure what each office does, so they’ll come to me for things that should be taken to the alderperson, just like they’ll be going to the alderpeople for things they should be taking to us,” Holder-Winfield said.

“If we have a fluid communication, I think it’s just better for the people who are being served,” he said. “I think it’s important for people as they think about electing a person to think about that relationship and how it benefits that district and the city as a whole.”

“I would never support somebody” just as a political favor, he said. He said Hopkin’s persistence as a candidate shows the kind of commitment the ward needs.

“In New Haven, you tend to see people run for office, fail, and disappear,” he said. “Lisa has run and failed, run and failed, and she’s still here, which speaks to her commitment to doing the job.”

Heaven Sent For Teens, Seniors

This time around, in her third bid against a candidate who lives on the same street as she does (Frances Hunter Drive), Hopkins said she hopes that commitment pays off. She said she would apply grassroots strategies honed in her previous runs and through her management of Holder-Winfield’s campaign.

“I think along the way I’ve learned a lot that has been able to actually strengthen my platform and my ability to really engage people,” she said.

Among the lessons of Holder-Winfield’s campaign, she said, was the importance of engaging community young people, an effort now spearheaded by Hopkins’ 14-year-old daughter Heaven Hopkins (at right in photo).

Heaven said the campaign is focusing on issues relating to both young people and seniors, “core groups” who share common ground on some issues.

“We’ve had conversations with seniors about our issues, and we found that a lot of our issues were the same as the seniors’,” Heaven said, “because sometimes we’re overshadowed and sometimes seniors are overshadowed also.”

Just as young people may often feel disenfranchised from the political process, Hopkins said, seniors in the ward are finding themselves increasingly cut off from services.

“With the budget cuts and the closing of three senior centers, that impact has really struck a chord with seniors,” she said, “and a lot of their services and resources aren’t as accessible right now, so that’s a big issue.”

Among supporters at the gathering, the issue of independent voices in City Hall was a common point of concern. Jeffrey Kerekes, who attended the event with his wife, said the city still has “a little too much machine politics.” He expressed hope that although Hopkins, like her opponent, incumbent Alderman Morehead, is a Democrat, she would nonetheless be able to serve as “an independent voice to provide more checks and balances” in city government.

Gary Doyens, of New Haven Citizens Action Network (of which Hopkins is a member), agreed. “I think we need independent voices on the Board of Aldermen, and currently we have far too few. I think she’s going to bring a kind of fresh, honest view.”

Using her experience as a community organizer, Hopkins said she would attempt to actively engage constituents and give them a voice in the political process at it happened.

“People want to be involved in the process,” she said. “They don’t want the process to pass them by.”

Morehead: I’ve Worked Hard

Morehead, who lives across the street from Hopkins, said he has accomplished a great deal during his term in office, and has devoted considerable time to community outreach, from his efforts to secure jobs for local young people at Wal-Mart to advocating for the reopening of the Dixwell Community Q House.

“This is a full-time job for me,” he said. “In fact, it’s more than a full-time job.”

“Most people want the job for the wrong reasons,” Morehead argued. He said his quarterly community newsletter and website, and his efforts to bring Dixwell community and Yale closer together, show a strong commitment to the neighborhood beyond campaign season.

“I don’t like when people just come around at election time, when I haven’t seen them for I don’t know how long,” he said.

Although Morehead said he had not secured any firm endorsements yet, he said he looked forward to the results of the upcoming ward committee vote on Tuesday, and the Democratic Town Committee vote on July 28.

“I feel confident they’ll endorse me,” he said.

Ultimately, Hopkins and Morehead both expressed optimism about the ward’s future.

“A ward such as Ward 22 is synonymous with working-class families,” Hopkins said. “A lot of positive things have happened from the blood, sweat and tears of people who have lived in Ward 22, and as a homeowner you want to get that piece of the American dream.”

Share this story

Share |

Comments

Posted by: Darnell | July 20, 2009 11:45 AM

Lisa Hopkins is a first class person and candidate. Good luck and God Bless.

Posted by: Eva M | July 20, 2009 11:46 AM

Has Gary Holder-Winfield ever reached out to Greg to communicate? I find it hard to believe that this endorsement is about communication, and not political favors.

And Greg has been doing a great job as alderman. He is there for the seniors, helping them replace poor management at Monterey Place, and he's there for the youth planning trips to amusement parks, open mic nights, and bringing Ludacris to talk about right choices. Where has Lisa been before she kicked off her campaign?

Posted by: Edward_H | July 20, 2009 11:56 AM

Best of luck Lisa.

Posted by: MansfieldResident | July 20, 2009 12:04 PM

I wonder if Gary has ever actually contacted Alderman Morehead to try to improve communication or if he just assumes that it would be better if it was with Lisa. That's a convenient excuse for an endorsement but it rings false to me. I would respect this more if he gave policy reasons, or even personal reasons. Instead, he's hiding behind communication? Weak.

Posted by: dixwell livin | July 20, 2009 12:48 PM

"In New Haven, you tend to see people run for office, fail, and disappear," he said. "Lisa has run and failed, run and failed, and she's still here, which speaks to her commitment to doing the job."

Translation: a slap in the face to the community. she don't care what the voters think she is going to run, run and run again no matter what cause Lisa knows better than anyone else. Hardheaded and unbending. This girl is so dang angry at the doors spewing hate, im sick of it all.

Posted by: Winchester Ave neighbor | July 20, 2009 12:57 PM

Typical Holder-Winfield. He is a smart guy, will become a good legislator, but is entirely too self0involved right now. Everything is always about him and what he said and what he thinks. He is dynamic and a great political mind, but he's got to stop making everything about him. This endorsement of Lisa, too, is about him.

Posted by: Insider2 | July 20, 2009 3:40 PM

You people just don't get it. Is all about him. Secondly he is no more brillant than the next man or woman. This man drops out of no-where and people elected this man to office without knowing anyrhing about him. Oh yes I forgot Bill said was qualified.

Posted by: realdem | July 20, 2009 5:13 PM

The Ward 22 Democratic Party is the LEAST democratic organism in this city. Let's not even pretend that that endorsement is not about personal favors. The town committee chairwoman's son is running morehead's campaign, they make no attempt to include members of the community the cochairs dont even talk to one another, so enjoy that endorsement greg but that doesnt mean anything. i support lisa because ive seen greg ... is ... ABSENT (he has the lowest attendance), uninspired, egotistical alderperson. go promote your band.

Posted by: Question | July 21, 2009 2:07 AM

REALDEM
Who are you? You say you support Lisa but how can you support someone when you don't live in their district? Also have you really looked at greg's attendance record to see why he was absent from the board last year? before you start making accusations, check the facts. I have a newsletter that he distributed and from what I see, the reason that he was out was because of his foot surgeries. Geewhiz, someone can't be absent due to surgery? I am a faithful watcher of public access tv for the board meetings and this year, i haven't seen him absent.
greg is far from egotistical and uninspired. are we talking about the same person? he is always out in his community interacting with us and providing resources and activities for the community. please lets not talk about this endorsement. i believe the democratic endorsement is much better than an endorsement from gary. where the heck is he in our district? don't get me started with him. lisa really knows who to be friends with. there is an old saying that says, you are who you hang around. nobody's

Posted by: Klearvision22 | July 21, 2009 11:51 AM

A gift to all the Morehead supporters: Ray Charles Shades...Why...your all blind...where did he find all of you? Under a boulder! I read these comments and laugh at the morehead regime pushing out the rhetoric for this poser...thank goodness Gary and our other state legislatures pushed to get bill 997 passed to give the city a breather on the property re-valuations...this would not have been as big of an issue if the BOA (including Morehead) didnt vote on the 5 year phase in...all morehead has done is master the word YES and be a NO-SHOW for the vote on giving the Mayors administrative workers a raise...no one can botch up a job like the alder in 22...and if we recieve another warmed over version of what this alder has done for us in a newsletter or flyer we will all go insane...no one has mastered the cut and paste like this guy...Monterey Place/BCJ would never allow a small time alder to push their employee out...she retired with benefits and a great pension...lets see a document from them or her giving him the credit for her departure...exactly it doesnt exist...as for the seniors what has he done for them...they didnt see him for months on end and he reappeared at the begining of the campaigning cycle...I doubt very seriously that he has a firm grasp on what the people want in the community...because he cant get past the self marketing that his cronnies seemed to accuse Gary Winfield of...as for choices...I suppose his endorsement of Blango and his failure to truly deliver his amigo in ward 22 should be an example of his commitment...or the endorsement of his...co-chair Gina Jackson-Phillips who shares his vision but has failed miserably to organized any community meetings except the endorsement meeting...Its always entertaining to see how things line up...who runs for the wrong reasons? Other alders have been through major surgeries and still had the ability to conduct the business of the ward...excuse after excuse is what we have been getting...but, the celebrity photos keep coming...this campaign should be about the issues, his track record...Lisa you must be doing something right...they can't stop talking about you...continue to put in work...it will pay off...WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU!

Posted by: James FP | July 21, 2009 12:25 PM

Funny that this article references Lisa's youth "volunteers." Pretty sure people you pay to canvass for you don't count as "volunteers," even if they are friends with your kid.

Now, I don't have a problem with this practice per se, but let's face it: Lisa's campaign is more astroturf than grassroots.

Posted by: Candace FH | July 21, 2009 1:58 PM

One household; two seperate takes...I tried to find the volunteer information in this article...I couldn't find it...you are always manipulating things...I thought I told you to knock it off...I find myself always telling you to slow down and read the articles with your glasses on...I guess you will never learn...they were talking about engaging the youth in the community...lets face it...they could be doing much worse...the mudslinging on the side of my better half...has gotten really out of hand...most young people that are doing positive things in their communities with others forge friendships; what is wrong with that...I am so embarassed by James and his off the cuff comments...I told you Morehead's rubber stamp status would be limited to a handful of gullables and a caboose full of the mayor's administrators...working around the clock...on the cities dime...volunteers my ##@@@; our tax dollars are paying for these retreads to keep their offices! If this woman's campaign is astroturf than Morehead's campaign is a shot of Diprival...James I am dispapointed in you...I thought you knew...somethings are better left unsaid; especially if they are being said just to be mean spirited...your guys campaign is beginning to look like a cross between a botched up face lift and a pan handlers worse nightmare...(no cup or sign)...wolves in the wild would resort to biting their paw of if caught in a trap...get the hint and start biting!

Posted by: Peace Frog | July 21, 2009 4:11 PM

It's really OK for politicians to endorse candidates for office. This is especially true in cases in which said politicians will have to work together to advance community issues for the benefit of their constituents. I think the problem here is that Gary Holder-Winfield would choose to insult the intelligence of his constituents and those who supported him by pretending to be more righteous than other politicians--we ALL know that this is a political favor. If he was really concerned with opening communication with the aldermen, I'm sure he could pick up a phone and call them--unless it's beneath Representative Winfield to work with people he doesn't like.

Posted by: OhReally... | July 22, 2009 3:40 AM

Rep Holder-Winfield has spoken to Blango so I think he will work with anyone. As far as I know they are working together on some things in NewHallVille. Why does everyone commenting assume they know if he has or hasn't attempted to speak with Alder Morehead and has Alder Morehead attempted to speak with him? Holder-Winfield isn't perfect he will admit that but that is not what this is about. Maybe he really cares about what he sees as a lack of communication. If you don't like the guy don't vote for him but don't make stuff up either. He has been more effective than other first term legislators maybe that's why he has a lot of press. That isn't about being self important that is about doing the job he was sent to do.

Holder-Winfield Endorses Hopkins

Comments

Special Sections

Legal Notices

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links

Flyerboard

Sponsors

N.H.I. Site Design & Development

NHI Store

News Feed