Josh vs. Josh: Democratic Face-Off Looms

The director of New Haven’s Community Soup Kitchen is challenging the owner of two natural foods stores in a race to represent Hamden in the state legislature — setting up the latest potential face-off between the two wings of the town’s Democratic Party.

That contest shaped up Wednesday as Joshua Watkins became the second foodie — and the second Josh — to announce plans to fight for the Democratic nomination for the 88th District seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

His opponent is incumbent Josh Elliott, who has held the office since 2017. Elliott is currently eyeing a campaign for Secretary of the State while keeping open the option to run again as a representative as well.

Elliott first won the state spot six years ago by competing with then-House speaker Brendan Sharkey for the Democratic nomination. Sharkey ultimately decided not to run for reelection, and the endorsement instead went to Jim Pascarella, whom Elliott easily defeated in a primary with the backing of fellow veterans of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential primary campaign.

Now Elliott is the incumbent whom Watkins is looking to beat — or see take a new career turn.

The Democratic Town Committee will endorse a candidate on May 24. Depending on the outcomes of that DTC meeting, the Secretary of the State nominating convention, and either candidate’s desire to petition for places on a primary ballot, there could be three Hamden Joshes in August’s primary — two Josh Elliotts and one Watkins. 

“What would you do if you couldn’t fail?” Watkins asked his audience at his campaign kick-off Wednesday night at Eli’s On Whitney.

“Failure is a word that is not in my vocabulary. I was not allowed to fail. My entire life, I have only had one shot to get it right … coming from a family where my father was a garbage truck driver and my mom was a line cook… My family lived paycheck to paycheck, as many families in Hamden do,” Watkins stated.

Elliott, a Guilford native who attended Hamden High, graduated from Quinnipiac Law School, and began two businesses — Hamden’s Thyme & Season and Shelton’s Common Bond Market natural food stores — with his family, is currently preparing to take his secretary of the state bid from exploratory to official, pushing for incarcerated individuals’ right to vote, ​“vote at home” rules and ranked-choice voting. 

As a state representative, he has helped successful quests to give people in prisons access to free phone calls and advocated for equitable legalization of recreational cannabis.

He is currently working on pathways to fund free period products in public spaces; require that doctors ask for consent before performing pelvic exams; abolish solitary confinement; establish aid-in-dying measures; and legalize psilocybin.

While Elliott has more political experience, Watkins, who moved to town roughly two years ago, is pitching himself as a true representative of Hamdenites — from the homeless to homeowners — by highlighting his dedication to community service.

Watkins said his top priorities if elected would include combating food insecurity, bolstering programming for homeless people, investing in trade school training, expanding elderly services, and lowering local taxes by securing state funds to low expenses and bolster revenue in Hamden. 

Watkins became the new director of CSK roughly over a year ago following an earlier career running senior citizen programming in New York City. Since he took over CSK, Watkins has expanded the number of meals served to New Haven from 74,000 a year to 340,000, while further upping the total area around New Haven, and now Hamden, that CSK reaches.

Over the summer of 2021, Watkins got involved in local politics by managing former Mayor Curt Leng’s reelection campaign and running for the Board of Education. He and his team lost to Lauren Garrett’s ​“change slate,” whom Josh Elliott endorsed and supported.

On Wednesday, Watkins was back on the political path, surrounded by old slatemates and supporters, like Melinda Saller and Elliott’s past rival Jim Pascarella, as well as CSK employees and family members. 

“He’s a hardworking, honest person who’s already built something that serves the community,” said Saller, who served for years on the Board of Education.

“I’m not one of those politically inclined type people,” shared Winston Sutherland, the kitchen manager at CSK. ​“But I’m always going to support his endeavors. He wants to affect change right here in Hamden.”

“I can see his drive,” added CSK employee Cameron Random. ​“He seriously cares about people,” he said, pointing out how Watkins gave salaries to long-standing volunteers, increased the quality and quantity of CSK’s meals, and invested in upgrading 30-year-old, failing equipment upon taking on the new job.

In other words, his staff said while they munched on bruschetta, Watkins is loyal, listens and is accountable.

Watkins sold himself in those same terms during his first campaign event, promising to create a community advisory board with district representation if elected to ensure he engages with and listens to the views of individuals all across town.

“A state representative. Everyone used to laugh if I would proclaim a dream as grand as that,” Watkins stated during his speech. ​“But I stand here today, proud and ready to represent the unheard, ready to move us into a new direction, ready to even the playing ground.”