Allan Appel Photo
Elicker with DeLauro at Bella Vista
Longtime Democratic activist — and Bella Vista tenant association vice president — Patti DiPalma was leaning toward the party’s young mayoral nominee, Justin Elicker.
But she wasn’t quite sure yet he would give him her vote Tuesday morning.
She listened to Gov. Ned Lamont and to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and to City Clerk Michael Smart, and to a host of others Democratic Party leaders urge her to select Elicker. She remained undecided.
Then she listened to U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. That made the difference.
DeLauro, DiPalma said, is like family.
That small but emblematic political — and family — drama played out on Election Eve in the community room at the Bella Vista senior complex.
There, in an annual political ritual, Democraitc candidates and officeholders bring in two dozen pizzas and jazz up the community room with an eye toward motivating the complex’s nearly 600 elderly voters to vote the party ticket.
On Monday night a two-fold challenge faced Elicker and the speakers addressing about 50 residents who gathered in Building D’s main community room: The elderly residents were used to seeing someone closer to their own age. And they were also used to someone who has worked his or her way up over the years through various positions before becoming mayor and was a known name.
To many residents, like Rita Weiss, who’s been at Bella Vista for two years, Elicker was an unknown quantity.
Rita Weiss, 92, tells Elicker she will vote for him even though he isn’t Jewish.
So DeLauro, and other speakers, both made him “family. ” They emphasized the need for Democratic Party unity. They argued that that party unity message will be critical looking forward to the 2020 presidential election.
In a Sept. 10 Democratic primary, Elicker trounced three-term incumbent Mayor Toni Harp by 58 to 42 percent. Now the two face each other again in the Nov. 5 general election, this time with Elicker as the Democratic candidate and Harp on the Working Families Party line.
A year ago, it was Harp who led the Election Eve event at Bella Vista, helping get out the vote for then-gubernatorial candidate Lamont.
Lamont did not mention Harp Monday night.
“New Haven is the future of the state. New Haven is doing pretty well, but it’s time for a change and Justin Elicker is the person to lead that,” Lamont said.
DeLauro evoked Bella Vista as her home, shared stories about her mother, and told of how she got started in politics and was now asking the Bella Vistians to give Justin Elicker his chance.
He has kids, he understands family and education— and one day he’s going to be old too, DeLauro said. “Our job is to take care of you because you took care of us.”
“Give us a chance again tomorrow as you gave me a chance. Give Justin Elicker a chance, and let’s get across the finish line,” she concluded.
After Elicker’s remarks — in which he invoked his grandfather and promised to tackle sidewalks and other quality-of-life concerns for seniors — DiPalma sought him out in the pizza-eating crowd. She extended her hand, and said, “You have my vote.”
Elicker with Lamont.
Harp: We’ll Reunite After Election
Paul Bass Photo
Mayor Harp cutting the ribbon Monday at Mr. Crab restaurant at 25 Temple St.
Mayor Harp— who held two official mayoral press events Monday — was asked by reporters after a ribbon-cutting on a Temple Street seafood restaurant about Lamont’s support for Elicker. Harp had given Lamont an influential primary endorsement in his own race, for governor, in 2018.
“Sometimes people have party blinders on and are very committed to a party rather than a person,” said Harp, who’s running against Democrat Elicker on the Working Families Party line. “When I win tomorrow, I will have a wonderful relationship” with the governor as well as other Elicker-endorsing Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro.
I appreciate DeLauro helping Elicker because I support Elicker. However, the party loyalty thing creeps me out. The last reason to vote for somebody, apart from gender and skin tone, is party. It's sad how people have been raised. It is why New Haven is so poorly served for so long and frankly, why so many of the same people get to play under the dome pretending to represent us.