It took a while for Connecticut, the land of steady habits, to join the ranks of early voting but a cardinal-drenched City Councilman Ernie Newton, decked out in top hot, shirt, trousers and shoes, voted on Monday, the first day to do so early, in advance of the August 13 Democratic primary in his quest to win back the seat he occupied 20 years ago, against freshman State Senator Herron Gaston.
The Moses of his peeps did not bring his staff to vote, but he’s hoping to part the Pequonnock River his way next Tuesday. Gaston has other ideas.
If you want to vote early in Bridgeport, the Margaret Morton Government Center; in Stratford, the Baldwin Center.
Meanwhile, Gaston, buoyed by an endorsement from Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, also is encouraging early voting, trumpeting his record for another two-year term.
Unlike the cordial demeanor on the other side of the city and suburbs between Bill Finch, Sajuta Gadkar-Wilcox, Scott Burns and Tyler Mack to replace a retiring Marilyn Moore in the 22nd Senatorial, Newton and Gaston aren’t exactly brothers in arms.
Why?
In part, this is a battle between the new guard versus old guard in so many ways: Gaston, the young city minister with more (college) degrees than a thermometer versus Newton, the once rising star that faded 20 years ago under a federal corruption plea, coveting his former seat seeking redemption.
Two years ago Gaston defeated the incumbent Newton supported, Dennis Bradley who’s fighting for his liberty, challenging federal charges that he manipulated Connecticut’s Citizens Election Program of publicly funded races during his legislative run in 2018. That was then, this is now in the peculiar undertaking of Bridgeport politics.
Gaston enjoys a major spending advantage in the final week, the recipient of $110,000 in public dough. Newton is barred from the voluntary program because of his federal conviction. He’s raising money outside the program at a disadvantage.
Still, he says, I don’t need nearly as much because of my name recognition and connection to the district.
The 23rd Senatorial covers roughly two thirds of Bridgeport and western Stratford.
Now it’s time to identify votes and drag them out.
