Dems Endorse Elicker, GOP Orosco For Mayor

Contested November elections loom after New Haven Democrats and Republicans endorsed candidates at dueling conventions Monday night for mayor, Board of Education and city clerk.

At a convention attended by 70 party members at the Betsy Ross Parish House on Kimberly Avenue, Democrats endorsed Mayor Justin Elicker for a fourth two-year term, City/Town Clerk Michael Smart and Board of Education member Edward Joyner for re-election, and alder candidates in 29 out of 30 wards. The party did not make an endorsement in the race for Ward 1 alder, in which three Yalies are competing for the position.

In an acceptance speech, Elicker detailed progress he said the city has made in his five and half years in office, citing 10,000 units of housing built or underway, ​“rejuvenated” parks, an ​“improving” school climate, increased financial contributions from Yale, and — so far this year — the lowest number of reported shootings in a decade. (Click here to watch the full speech.)

To each cited accomplishment, he added, ​“We have more work to do.”

He noted that his probable Republican opponent endorses the policies of Republican President Donald Trump.

So, Elicker told the crowd, the Democrats must not just ​“beat this guy,” but ​“crush this guy.”

An hour later, ​“this guy” — Steve Orosco — also referenced the Trump administration as he accepted the Republican Party’s endorsement at a parallel convention held in the basement hearing room of the 200 Orange St. municipal office building. At this point, neither Orosco nor Elicker faces a challenge within their parties for the nomination.

Fourteen people showed up for the GOP convention, where the party also endorsed five candidates for alder along with party Chair John Carlson to run against Joyner for the Board of Education seat. The party endorsed Deborah Quinones to challenge incumbent Democrat Smart for city/town clerk. (Watch the convention here.)

“We need to mini-DOGE this city,” Orosco, a mixed-martial arts promoter with an active social media presence, said during his remarks, referencing the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, which has slashed federal department budgets.

Taxes are too high, Orsoco said. ​“We’re going to find out where all the money is going.”

Orosco said the city should do a better job than the Elicker administration has in negotiating with Yale, citing Elicker’s original 2019 campaign vow to wrest $50 million a year in voluntary university contributions. He also called for building more affordable housing and promoting more business development.

The Republicans endorsed five alder candidates: James Whitfield in East Rock’s Ward 10, Robert Vitello in the Heights’ Ward 12, Anthony Acri in Morris Cove’s Ward 18, Perry Flowers in West Rock/West Hills’ Ward 30, and Miguel Pittman in Ward 3. 

Pittman — who had filed papers to run as a Democrat, and had rushed to make it to the Republican convention after attending the Democratic convention — thanked the Republican party for their support. 

Afterwards, he criticized the system in which ward co-chairs get to decide the Democratic Party’s official convention endorsements. He vowed to work across party lines if elected. Pittman said being a Democrat in New Haven feels ​“clique-ish,” adding that he did not know about the party convention until late Monday. Five people who nominated him were also not informed of the meeting and therefore not in attendance, he continued.

The Republicans last won a New Haven alder election in 2009. They last won a mayoral election in 1953.

What It Means To Be A Democrat

Democratic Town Chair Vin Mauro Jr. was asked what all the campaigning and jockeying add up to in New Haven — what values New Haven’s party stands for.

He responded that as the national Democratic party engages in soul-searching, New Haven Democrats — from alders to state legislators to the mayor — have a clear sense of party identity: ​“Sticking up for immigrant’s rights, and trans kids, and people who are struggling economically, emotionally.” 

He gave credit to Elicker — whose administration sued the Trump administration for withholding federal funds over New Haven’s immigration policies — for ​“putting his neck out” and ​“doubling down” on those issues when some Democrats leaders elsewhere have hesitated. ​“You don’t back away from the fight, whether people agree with you or disagree. There is a respect that people also have for saying the things out loud.”

Elicker said in an interview that being a Democrat means ​“caring for working class people, caring for democracy, and caring for the state of our country” — and not being in Donald Trump’s party.

What It Means To Be Republican

When asked similar questions about the Republican Party’s identity after the convention, Orosco observed that ​“it’s tough being a Republican in a city like New Haven.” 

“I’m stepping up because Republicans gave up on places like this — they thought it was unwinnable,” he said. ​“That’s exactly why our cities are failing. We need accountability, not one-party rule.”

He argued that one-party rule is ​“why all these cities are failing.”

Asked the same question, GOP Town Chair and Board of Ed candidate John Carlson picked up on the one-party rule theme and added public safety to the mix. He said the New Haven GOP is ​“fighting for democracy.” 

As a public school teacher in Bridgeport, Carlson said, he wants to see the entire Board of Education be fully elected, ​“like basically every city and town in the state.” (The board is a hybrid of elected and mayor-appointed members.) He said he is also concerned about the misuse of funds in public schools. ​“Millions and millions are wasted on education in this city,” he said, emphasizing that money is not being spent on students but rather on unnecessary central office positions or redundancies.

“How is Yale so safe when it’s surrounded by some of the most dangerous neighborhoods?” asked Carlson. ​“Every homeowner in New Haven is subsidizing Yale,” he lamented. He added that the whole city needs more police presence, which wouldn’t ​“solve the problem” but would at least help deter further crime. ​“East Rock is a very safe neighborhood,” he said, ​“but I want it safe for everyone.”

Carlson described his views as ​“pro-police” and ​“anti-illegal immigration.” He said he prefers to focus on New Haven issues rather than on Trump, though most New Haven Republicans favor Trump and his policies.

4 Alder Primaries Loom For Democrats

In most cases the candidates endorsed by the Democrats at the Parish Hall Monday night faced no opposition. In three wards, more than one candidate is running, which means the wards will have party primaries assuming the non-endorsed candidates submit enough petitions by an Aug. 4 deadline in order to qualify for the Sept. 9 primary ballot. 

In Monday night’s contested alder races, the party Monday night endorsed:

• Incumbent Angel Hubbard over challenger Miguel Pittman, who separately was endorsed by the Republicans Monday night in the Hill’s Ward 3. Pittman said he will petition to run in the Democratic primary. Pittman and Hubbard competed in a 2024 primary as well.

• Incumbent Jose Crespo over challenge Magda Natal in Fair Haven’s Ward 16.

• Leland Moore over Zelema Harris in Morris Cove’s Ward 18.

Incumbent Fair Haven Alder Jose Crespo received the endorsement over challenger Magda Natal, who had decided not to attend the meeting.

Crespo said that the Ward 16 ward committee did not meet in person, but rather, committee members cast asynchronous votes by phone or email. A majority of the committee voted to issue a non-binding endorsement for Crespo, and the two co-chairs reflected that vote in their official endorsement on Monday.

​“He’s a hard-working person,” co-chair Victor Ramos said of Crespo.

​“I’m delighted to receive the endorsement,” said Crespo. ​“It is an honor and a pleasure to serve.”

Natal said later that she decided to knock on doors rather than attend the convention. She expressed frustration with the virtual, asynchronous committee process. ​“I’ve been asking them for months to meet,” she said. She said that after she made repeated efforts to find out information about the ward committee’s meeting, only one co-chair ever responded to her, the day before the convention, to indicate that the vote had already taken place.

“I’m not worried” about gathering enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, she said. ​“I don’t fear going out and meeting the community and getting the petition signed. … I’m here to represent the community.”

Several wards in town will see new representation because of retiring alders.

For instance, in Ward 8, which encompasses Wooster Square, Mill River, and Jocelyn Square, the sole candidate in either party to file candidacy for the seat so far is Democrat Amanda Martinelli. 

Incumbent Alder Ellen Cupo wrote in a text message on Monday, ​“I will not be running for re-election and I am thrilled to support Amanda Martinelli. She is a tireless advocate for our Ward 8 neighbors and all New Haven residents and I know she will continue that work on the Board of Alders.”

Incumbent Kiana Flores, representing Downtown/Yale’s Ward 1, has also decided not to run for re-election, while the alders currently representing Fair Haven Heights (Rosa Ferraro-Santana of Ward 13) and Morris Cove (Sal DeCola of Ward 18) had not filed for re-election as of Monday. 

Below is a list of candidates who have filed to run for alder as a Democrat and have not indicated an intention to withdraw their candidacy; or who were endorsed at Monday night’s convention (even if they hadn’t yet filed papers). Candidates listed alphabetically by last name. Incumbents are underlined; party-endorsed candidates are starred.

Ward 1 (Downtown/Yale): Norah Laughter, Rhea McTiernan Huge, Elias Theodore (no endorsement)

Ward 2 (Dwight): Frank Douglass*

Ward 3 (Hill): Angel Hubbard*, Miguel Pittman

Ward 4 (Hill): Evelyn Rodriguez*

Ward 5 (Hill): Kampton Singh*

Ward 6 (Hill/City Point/Long Wharf/Downtown): Carmen Rodriguez*

Ward 7 (Downtown/East Rock): Eli Sabin*

Ward 8 (Wooster Square/Mill River): Amanda Martinelli*

Ward 9 (East Rock/Fair Haven): Caroline Tanbee Smith*

Ward 10 (East Rock/Cedar Hill): Anna Festa*

Ward 11 (Bella Vista): Henry Murphy*

Ward 12 (Quinnipiac Meadows): Theresa Morant*

Ward 13 (Fair Haven Heights): Mildred Melendez*

Ward 14 (Fair Haven): Sarah Miller*

Ward 15 (Fair Haven): Frank Redente*

Ward 16 (Fair Haven): Jose Crespo*, Magda Natal

Ward 17 (Annex): Sal Punzo*

Ward 18 (Morris Cove): Zelema Harris, Leland Moore*

Ward 19 (Newhallville/Prospect Hill): Kim Edwards*

Ward 20 (Newhallville): Brittiany Mabery-Niblack*

Ward 21 (Dixwell/Newhallville/Prospect Hill): Maceo Troy Streater*

Ward 22 (Dixwell/Yale): Jeanette Morrison*

Ward 23 (West River): Tyisha Walker-Myers*

Ward 24 (Edgewood): Evette Hamilton*

Ward 25 (Westville): Adam Marchand*

Ward 26 (Westville): Amy Marx*

Ward 27 (Amity/Westville/Beaver Hills): Richard Furlow*

Ward 28 (Beaver Hills): Gary Hogan*

Ward 29 (Beaver Hills/Newhallville): Brian Wingate*

Ward 30 (West Hills/West Rock): Honda Smith*