The three candidates seeking to fill Toni Harp’s State Senate seat have promised to fuel their campaign engines with “clean” fuel.
Three three candidates — state Reps. Juan Candelaria and Gary Holder-Winfield and former West Rock Alderman Darnell Goldson — are competing in a Feb. 25 election for the 10th State Senate District from which Harp resigned this month to begin work as New Haven’s new mayor.
All three said this week that they will participate in the state’s public-financing Citizens’ Election Program, assuming they raise enough money to qualify.
The program is aimed at limited the political influence of big money and enabling more candidates to seek office.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Candelaria said. “We have to give the power to the people.” Holder-Winfield, a longtime supporter of public financing of campaigns, agreed.
“If I can qualify, I will” participate, Goldson said. “With such a small campaign window, and without 11 years of infrastructure in place like other candidates, I’m not sure if I can can. This week I’m focusing on collecting my signatures and putting a campaign structure of volunteers in place. I will start thinking about money after that.” Candelaria has serve in the state House of Representatives for 11 years, Holder-Winfield for five.
Under the Citizens’ Election Program, which is voluntary, a candidate in the special election can theoretically obtain up to $63,750 in a public grant, as long as he raises at least $11,250 in individual contributions of up to $100, from at least 225 people who live in the district. That’s according to a fact sheet the state has issued for the special election. (Read it here.) The $63,750 number might be adjusted slightly upward in the event the Consumer Price Index rises before the election. Participating candidates may not accept any individual donations above $100 or any contributions from political action committees.
Who Gets To Decide
Meanwhile, the candidates prepared to seek the nomination of the Democratic Party at a convention at 200 Orange St. Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. Goldson and Holder-Winfield are gathering signatures on petitions to put their names on the ballot as unaffiliated candidates in case they don’t get the party nod.
A party convention for a special state legislative election draws on the same list of delegates appointed for the original convention for the seat — in this case, the 46 people who served as delegates to nominate Harp for the seat in 2012. The party’s town chair, Jackie James, selected them. Following are the names of the 46 delegates, according to a form on file in the city/town clerk’s office. (To reach the delegates, click here to find their contact information.)
Alex Simonetti
Andrea Jackson-Brooks
Arlene Davis Rudd
Audrey Tyson
Barbara Vereen
Ben Crosby
Brian Wingate
Carol Suber
Cassandra Lang
Christopher Arnott
Claudette Robinson-Thorpe
Delphine Clyburn
Dolores Colon
Dorothy Gomez
Frank Douglass
Geneva Pollock
Helen Martin-Dawson
Hilda Kilpatrick
Jackie James
Jacqueena Foreman
Jane Kinity
Jayuan Carter
Jerry Poole
Jess Corbett
Joan Jenkins
Johnny Dye
Jorge Perez
Joyce Poole
Kampton Singh
Kim Edwards
Kris Sainsbury
Lateefah Williams
LaToya Agnew
Major Ruth
Nadine Wall
Ohan Karagozian
Randy Rubin Rodriguez
Ronald Rainey
Scott Marks
Seth Poole
Sharon Jones
Theresa Jones
Theresa Morant
Tom Ficklin
Tyisha Walker
Vanessa McBride
hand picked delegates to a convention to select who has the party endorsement. does this mean if i was a registered democrat in that district i could not particpate???? the state of the democratic party in New Haven is starting to worry me. Democracy in Action it is not!!!! for a national or even a state convention i can see representative delegates but in a city convention?? hand picked by the DTC Chair, not even the ward committees??????