Brackeen Endorses Stark

Fish Stark, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Yale Alder Sarah Eidelson, has picked up an endorsement from another one of Eidelson’s colleagues.

The endorsement comes from Upper Westville Alder Darryl Brackeen.

“I’ve lived in New Haven all my life, and I’ve never seen a Yale student who cares so much about our city,” Brackeen said of the Ward 1 candidate, the son of a former U.S. representative from California, Pete Stark. ​“Fish’s vision for a Yale student body engaged in New Haven, and the work that he has done and will do to get students involved in our city, will be a boost for all neighborhoods, including Westville, as students come from downtown to shop in our stores and volunteer with our schools and nonprofits.”

Brackeen’s endorsement shave cut across factions on the board: Stark’s opponent, Eidelson, works for UNITE HERE, the Yale unions who provide the most vote-pulling muscle in local elections. Brackeen has backed Jill Marks, the endorsed labor-backed challenger in Beaver HIlls’ Ward 28, as well as labor-backed incumbent Newhallville Alder Delphine Clyburn in Newhallville’s Ward 20. He endorsed incumbent Alder Santiago Berrios-Bones in Fair Haven’s Ward 14, too.

The Democratic Town Committee did not endorse a candidate in the War 1 and 14 primaries.

Fish Stark previously received endorsements from four alders associated with a short-lived dissenting faction called the People’s Caucus: Newhallville’s Brenda Foskey-Cyrus, East Rock’s Anna Festa, Bishop Woods’ Richard Spears, and West Hills’ Carlton Staggers.