Election Day 2019 will feature mayoral races in Connecticut’s biggest cities. Candidates challenging established incumbents are beginning to emerge.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin recently announced he’ll seek a second term and another man has come forward to publicly challenge him – State Representative Brandon McGee.
McGee, a Democrat, is the chairman of the state house’s Black and Puerto Rican caucus. At an announcement this week, he said he wants development in the capital city to be the cornerstone of his candidacy. That, he said, will involve improving the local housing stock and working with small businesses to get them the resources they need to grow.
“Potential and possibility lives in every resident here in the city of Hartford,” McGee said. “I am running for mayor because I want to create a city that embraces each and every resident and creates the conditions for them to succeed.”
Democrats Aaron Lewis, J. Stan McCauley, and Craig Stallings have also filed the necessary paperwork to run.
Meanwhile in New Haven, Justin Elicker will run against Democratic Mayor Toni Harp for a second time.
He said that urban blight and poverty are major obstacles facing the city’s residents.
“New Haven, as a city, has a lot of opportunity to crackdown on absentee landlords that are not up-keeping their properties properly, addressing issues like high levels of lead content in the paint in properties around New Haven,” Elicker said.
Elicker got 45.3 percent of the vote when he lost to Harp six years ago. Wendy Hamilton, an independent, has also declared with the city.
Marilyn Moore is calling for integrity and transparency in Bridgeport’s city government. The Democratic state senator from the 22nd District will run against Joe Ganim.
“I have a vision for our city that is inclusive, transparent, and lifts up all the people of Bridgeport,” said Moore. “I believe that government should work for all people--not just the few at the top--and that the voices of our city’s most vulnerable populations need to be heard and addressed.
Primaries for mayoral races will be held on September 10.
