Markeshia Ricks Photo
Megna: Riding off into the political sunset.
Maybes: Egan, Lee, Antunes, Paolillo.
The race is on to fill a vacant state representative seat — or it will be on once a presumed frontrunner decides if he’s in.
The seat represents the 97th General Assembly District, which covers the Morris Cove, Annex, Fair Haven Heights, and Bishop Woods neighborhoods on New Haven’s East Shore.
Robert Megna announced Monday that he will not seek reelection for the seat, which he first won in 2000.
That was the last time anyone ever beat an incumbent New Haven state legislator — and that incumbent was a rare Republican. Scientists postulate that the last time a challenger beat an incumbent New Haven Democratic state legislator was sometime around the Oligocene Period, when South America moved toward North America after detaching form Antarctica. Once Democrats win state House or Senate seats, they generally serve in them as long as they like, only occasionally facing primary or general election challenges, and then handily beating them back.
Megna, an insurance adjuster by trade, focused on consumer protection and environmental issues in office, such as “Sooty Six” legislation targeting emissions at the state’s dirtiest power plants. “I intend to continue to be part of the solution to make my little part of the world a more sustainable and fair place to live,” he stated in a release issued Monday.
Meanwhile, potential candidates waited to see if Annex Alder Alphone Paolillo Jr. would pursue the Democratic Party’s nominating convention, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 21, at the Betsy Ross School parish house on Kimberly Avenue.
Paolillo, who has in the past expressed interest in the seat, declined to answer a question about his intentions when asked at a Board of Alders committee meeting Monday night, then failed to return repeated calls and text messages seeking comment.
He’d clearly be the frontrunner if he does seek the seat, said Democratic Town Chair Vincent Mauro Jr. “He has spent a decade on the Board of Alders. He’s really been a voice for the east side of the city,” Mauro said.
Bishop Woods Alder Gerald Antunes told the Independent he had been weighing a challenge to Megna and has eyed the seat for years. But now that Megna’s retiring, Antunes plans to wait to see what Paolillo decides. “I don’t need to take over all the jobs,” he said.
Recently retired Assistant Fire Chief Pat Egan, who lives in Morris Cove and formerly ran the fire union, said he might run.
“It is certainly something that I am considering,” Egan said. But “I have supported Al Paolillo for over a decade as an an alder and I would be more than happy to support him for state rep if that’s what he chose” to pursue.
Former Heights Alder Robert Lee said Tuesday he too is “considering” a run, though he said he’s concerned about whether he can still raise enough support after being “out of the game for a while.”
John Cirello, a Republican who did run against Megna two years ago, said he does not intend to seek the open seat.
The last time a state representative seat became vacant was when Gary Winfield moved up to a vacant State Senate seat in 2014 and Robyn Porter became the new 94th District officeholder. Roland Lemar won the then-vacant 96th District seat in 2010. Pat Dillon has represented the 92nd District since 1984; Juan Candelaria the 95th since 2002; and Toni Walker the 93rd District seat since 2001. Martin Looney has held the 11th State Senate District seat since 1993. Toni Harp held the 10th State Senate seat for 21 years before vacating it to serve as New Haven’s mayor.
Markeshia Ricks contributed reporting.
The first political campaign I worked in as a high school student in 1970 was Joe Lieberman's primary defeat of then incumbent Democratic State Senator Edward Marcus (Later State Party Chairman).
So much for your scientists and there postulates.
[Ed.: So true! What do scientists know, anyway?]