Melissa Bailey Photo
After working against Mayor John DeStefano in past elections, prominent Latino politicians huddled together with their new ally in a jubilant, rain-soaked rally Thursday.
The Latino leaders proclaimed a new day Thursday, as they offered their support for the mayor’s bid for a record 10th term. DeStefano, who won the Democratic primary, faces independent Democrat Jeffrey Kerekes in a general election on Nov. 8.
The event took place Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Columbus Family Academy at 255 Blatchley Ave. in Fair Haven, in the heart of the city’s Latino community.
The endorsement featured local Latino politicians who spent years at odds with DeStefano dating back to 2005, when DeStefano backed a challenger’s bid to unseat Jorge Perez, a Latino alderman, as president of the Board of Aldermen. DeStefano’s camp won the battle, delivering the board presidency to Carl Goldfield. The Latino camp spent the next year working against DeStefano as he sought to be the Democratic nominee for governor. The dispute had repercussions for years after DeStefano returned to local politics, defeated in the general election by Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
New Haven state Rep. Juan Candelaria (pictured above), who worked against DeStefano in the governor’s race, declared Thursday he was putting those disputes in the past.
“Yeah, we’ve been on different sides,” he said, “but we are united as one city.” He spoke before two dozen Latino political and religious leaders, and neighborhood activists.
Asked about his change of heart, Candelaria said the mayor has taken a more proactive approach to school reform in the past couple of years. The mayor’s support for the Promise college scholarship program “speaks volumes” about his commitment to city kids, he said.
Fair Haven Alderwoman Migdalia Castro applauded DeStefano’s “progressive” policies, including creating an immigrant-friendly Elm City ID card and supporting the statewide DREAM Act to give the children of illegal immigrants access to in-state tuition rates. She praised Promise and the mayor’s $1.5 billion school construction program to rebuild or rehab every school in the city. DeStefano has the priorities of the Latino community at heart, she said.
From left: Ernie Santiago, Jr., 10 and Jasmine Santiago, 13.
The newest Latino alderman, Fair Haven’s Ernest Santiago, attended in support — and even sent his three kids to stand outside holding DeStefano signs.
“Go out by the street! I’m paying you,” he urged. The kids came in when rain started pounding down.
John DeStefano’s brief stump speech was interrupted by sudden gusts of wind that knocked over campaign signs and brought sheets of rain under the roof covering the entrance to the school. DeStefano gathered the group together.
No matter what the weather is, “We’re together,” he declared.
Then he took the group inside for a private meeting.
Tomás Reyes, former president of the Board of Aldermen, said the mayor told the group that he’s not taking anything for granted in the upcoming election.
“He let people know that he’s counting on all of us to get out the vote” in November. Reyes no longer lives in New Haven but works here and remains active in politics. He said he pledged to work for the mayor in Fair Haven Heights’ Ward 13, and to help set up operations in Fair Haven and the Hill.
Reyes also worked against DeStefano when he ran for governor. Reyes recounted how he came to a change of heart.
DeStefano was “very good around our support of Gerry Garcia,” a former New Haven alderman who was running to become the state’s first Latino secretary of state last year. DeStefano secured the entire New Haven delegation to cast votes for Garcia at the state Democratic party convention, Reyes said. And DeStefano helped hatch a deal with Waterbury to deliver more delegates, which enabled the upstart candidate to land a spot on the ballot.
Reyes said besides the insider political baseball, DeStefano has made himself a “national leader” on immigration issues.
“New Haven has essentially been a sanctuary city” for undocumented immigrants, Reyes said. DeStefano “caught a lot of heat for that” but he “courageously championed” the issue.
Reyes said this year’s endorsement represents a peace accord — for now.
“We’re together,” he said. “We’ve had our fights” in the past, and “we’ll probably have fights in the future.”
“You know what they say,” Reyes said — “politics has no permanent enemies and no permanent friends — just interest at a certain point in time.”
Reyes also worked against DeStefano when he ran for governor. Reyes recounted how he came to a change of heart.
Change of heart.No it is call Judas.