Campaign 2021

GOP Candidate Qualifies For Democracy Fund $ For First Time

by | Oct 21, 2021 3:10 pm | Comments (7)

Thomas Breen Photo

Mayoral candidates Justin Elicker and John Carlson, Democracy Fund Administrator Aly Heimer, at Tuesday night’s candidate debate.

The Democracy Fund, New Haven’s public-financing system for mayoral candidates, has approved distributing $31,449 to Democrat Justin Elicker and $29,148 to Republican John Carlson in the final weeks before their Nov. 2 election contest.

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In The Heights, 3 Candidates = 3 Opinions

by | Oct 15, 2021 10:08 am | Comments (53)

McFadden, Bass photos

Ward 13 alder candidates Rosa Santana (vaxed, pro-mandate), Patricia Kane (vaxed, anti-mandate), Deborah Reyes (unvaxxed, anti-mandate).

Fair Haven Heights voters have more choices than anyone else in town in this year’s general election: Three different candidates are seeking their support for alder in the Nov. 2 election, and they offer three mixes of positions on issues ranging from health care to policing.

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Garrett Outraises Gambardella $15K-$13K In Q3

by | Oct 14, 2021 3:18 pm | Comments (1)

Maya McFadden and Nora Grace-Flood file photos

Lauren Garrett and Ron Gambardella: Down to two for Hamden mayoral race.

Democratic mayoral candidate Lauren Garrett outraised Republican opponent Ron Gambardella by two to one over the past three months, based on individual monetary contributions, while Gambardella narrowed the gap with a party contribution.

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Elicker Outraises Carlson $58K-$13K In Q3

by | Oct 14, 2021 8:13 am | Comments (14)

Paul Bass / Thomas Breen photos

Mayoral challenger John Carlson; incumbent Justin Elicker.

Democratic incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker outraised Republican challenger John Carlson by four-and-a-half to one last quarter — with the former attracting large pockets of support from East Rock and Westville, and the latter tapping into the East Shore and City Point.

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Hamden Mayoral Candidates Clash On Race, Representation

by | Oct 13, 2021 11:28 am | Comments (4)

Lauren Garrett and Ron Gambardella debate with Steven Ciardiello’s oversight from a room in the Whitney Center while an audience listens remotely.

Hamden an example of systemic racism? That divisive language” from the left is creating rifts among the town’ residents.

That thinking denies historic reality as well as current segregation and violence against Black and Brown people.

Hamden’s two mayoral candidates offered those opposite positions in a one-hour online debate Wednesday that focused heavily on race, representation, and policing.

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Fear vs. Growth On The Campaign Trail

by | Oct 12, 2021 9:21 am | Comments (12)

Chris Atchley and Ted Stevens take selfie for DTC Facebook group that candidates used to encourage each other to keep canvassing.

Nora Grace-Flood Photos

Pat Destito travels door to door in his daughter’s neighborhood, looking to listen to residents’ concerns and make them feel heard.

Pat Destito knocked on just the door he was looking for: one opened by an unaffiliated voter who told him, I don’t go shopping by myself anymore. When I go to ShopRite, I go with my husband.”

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DeLauro Helps Kick Off Hamden Dems’ General Election Campaign

by | Oct 6, 2021 8:31 am | Comments (2)

Rhonda Caldwell photos

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro with campaign manager Sarah Locke and DTC Campaign Manager Brian Murphy.


This opportunity comes by once. If we don’t take advantage of it, it will pass,” U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro told a crowd of Hamden Democrats Tuesday evening.

DeLauro was rallying the faithful gathered on the back porch of Democratic mayoral candidate Lauren Garrett’s home Tuesday afternoon, officially endorsing Garrett and the Democratic Town Committee’s full slate of endorsed candidates for the Nov. 2 general election.

DeLauro’s endorsement effectively kicked off the DTC’s formal campaign to win elected offices spanning from mayor and town clerk to seats on the Legislative Council and Board of Education.

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Garrett Crushes Leng In Hamden Primary; Progressive Slate Goes 10 For 10

by , and | Sep 14, 2021 8:53 pm | Comments (17)

Nora Grace-Flood Photo

Lauren Garrett with sons Bobby and Connor and their Schitzu Maltese Penelope at home Tuesday night after winning mayoral primary.

“Row A all the way”: victorious Council candidate Laurie Sweet and Town Clerk candidate Karimah Mickens with DTC campaign manager Brian Murphy at the victory party.

Maya McFadden Photo

Leng with supporters after the results came in: Not sure if he’ll endorse Garrett in general election.

(Updated) Hamden Democrats voted for change Tuesday night, as Lauren Garrett defeated three-term incumbent Mayor Curt Leng in a Democratic primary by a 2 – 1 margin.

And Garrett had coattails: All nine other candidates running on her Town Committee-endorsed line, including town clerk candidate Karimah Mickens and a host of Legislative Council and Board of Education candidates, won their primaries as well.

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(A&B) Lines Drawn In Crowded Primary

by | Sep 13, 2021 10:06 am | Comments (9)

Nora Grace-Flood photos

Joshua Watkins and Rachel Scolnic Dobin: Row B’s a team.

Mariam Khan (center) with fellow Row A candidates Justin Farmer and Abdul Osmanu: “Vote the best, then the rest.”

When Hamden Democrats go to the polls Tuesday, they will decide among 21 different candidates seeking office — or simply between teams on two rows that will appear on the ballot. Row A and Row B.

Well, add an asterisk: Row A, Row B, and Row C.”

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Garrett, Leng Land Endorsements From Former Mayors

by | Sep 12, 2021 5:49 pm | Comments (8)

Nora Grace-Flood photos

Lillian Clayman returns to Hamden from Long Island Sunday to cheer on Garrett.

Volunteers and Row A candidates crowd around Clayman and Garrett.

Lillian Clayman, Hamden’s first female mayor, passed the torch” at spirited campaign rally Sunday to the woman she said should be the town’s next leader: Lauren Garrett.

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Mayoral Candidates Tackle Hunger, Schools, Experience

by | Sep 10, 2021 10:39 am | Comments (4)

Mariam Khan photo

Attendees and participants at Thursday night’s youth mayoral forum.

Alisha Martindale photo

Leng holds separate forum with U.S. Rep Rosa DeLauro and Hamden Chief of Staff Adam Sendroff.

What are the root causes of food insecurity, and who is responsible for combating them?

Are Hamden schools equitable? Should we sell Wintergreen?

Why should we vote for you? What makes you stand out?

Hamden’s three Democratic mayoral candidates faced that final flurry of publicly posed questions at two different forums on Thursday night, five days in advance of the Sept. 14 primary.

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Hamden Campaigns Go To The Dogs

by | Sep 7, 2021 2:43 pm | Comments (4)

Nora Grace-Flood Photo

Leonard Young, founder and director of “Gimme Shelter,” as well as bartender and dog walker. He said dogs have served as quietly communicative therapists for him after 30 years working in the noisy and oppressive food and beverage industry. He took in his own dog, Goober, after Goober’s owner received a “life changing diagnosis” and could no longer care for him. Because Young adopted her, the owner’s teenage daughters have been able to stay in touch with their dog.

If we can’t agree on the puppies, what can we agree on?”

Independent Hamden Legislative Council candidate Jay Kaye posed that question while standing outside of a bar where animal rights advocate organization Gimme Shelter” was hosting a fundraiser. A political fundraiser.

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