The Ayala Family Intrigue–Angel Reyes Announces State House Challenge Against Christina Ayala

Angel Reyes
Angel Reyes, from his campaign website.

Journalist and community activist Angel Reyes is challenging Christina Ayala, the endorsed Democrat in Connecticut’s 128th State House District. Assuming Reyes successfully petitions his way on to the ballot, the heavily Latino district will sport an intriguing ballot lineup for the Aug. 14 primary.

Christina Ayala is the daughter of Democratic Registrar Santa Ayala and former City Councilman Alberto “Tito” Ayala. Christina was endorsed for the State House seat occupied by Andres Ayala who’s challenging Ernie Newton and Ed Gomes in an Aug. 14 primary for Gomes’ State Senate seat. Tito is Andres’ uncle. Christina Ayala is a supervisor for the Head Start Program at the city’s anti-poverty agency Advancement for Bridgeport Community Development.

Aug. 14 will also feature a primary for U.S. Senate between endorsed Congressman Chris Murphy and former Connecticut Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz. The ballot in the 128th District would go like this:

Line A: Chris Murphy, Ernie Newton, Christina Ayala.

Line B: Susan Bysiewicz, Andres Ayala, Angel Reyes.

Gomes will appear on Line C by himself unless another candidate jumps into the primary picture.

Supporters of both Christina Ayala and Andres Ayala must educate voters about their ballot positions. Andres Ayala has a history of running strong in the State House district so Reyes could benefit from his ballot location. Adding another intriguing wrinkle to this political family mix, Reyes is married to the cousin of Carmen Colon, Andres Ayala’s partner, and major asset to the Andres Ayala campaign operation. The State House district covers the heart of the East Side and crosses into portions of The Hollow and West Side.

Reyes told OIB he made a conscious decision not to seek the endorsement of the party establishment, opting for an outsider’s campaign message.

From the Reyes campaign:

Angel Reyes, long-time, East Side, social-justice activist, is proud to announce his candidacy for the office of State Representative, 128th General Assembly District …

Businessman: Mr. Reyes, long-time East Side resident and proprietor of a successful East Main Street business, wants the people of the East Side of Bridgeport to know that they now have a chance to bring real change to the East Side through the election of someone from their neighborhood who has lived their life and found a way to overcome the daunting, cultural and political obstacles standing in the way of the economic and social success of the poor and immigrant community of Bridgeport’s East Side.

Immigrant: Mr. Reyes, an immigrant, after successfully struggling to educate himself and establish a thriving business, has spent over a decade working to improve the lives of poor and immigrant Bridgeport residents and their children, concentrating his efforts on the neglected people of Bridgeport’s East Side.

Activist-Volunteer-Mentor: Among the nearly two dozen civic groups and causes to which Mr. Reyes has volunteered his time and leadership are: the Caribe League; the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission; Habitat for Humanity; the Boy Scouts; the Christian Brotherhood League; the McGiveney Community Center; the East Main Street Festival, and many other charitable and civic organizations dedicated to helping Hispanic youth and the larger Hispanic community …

Journalist-Author: Among Mr. Reyes’ many outstanding achievements are his journalistic accomplishments, which include the founding of the bilingual Park City independent, editorship of La Voz Hispana de Connecticut, publication of the Fairfield County Independent, and the authorship of a book The Movement …

Warrior: Angel knows how to fight for social justice and wants a chance to fight for the East Side, as state representative from the 128th, in Hartford. If elected, he’ll focus on bringing dollars back from Hartford for EDUCATION, JOBS, and SAFE STREETS on Bridgeport’s East Side …

Ø EDUCATION: Angel Reyes understands that education is the ONE thing that can create lasting prosperity for the children of working people.

Ø JOBS: Angel Reyes knows that good jobs in the community are essential for keeping families strong, healthy, and successful.

Ø SAFE STREETS: Angel Reyes knows that it will take new ways of thinking and a willingness to fight hard in Hartford to make sure that Bridgeport gets all the help that it needs to keep the East Side’s streets free from the drugs, gangs, and violence that destroy families and their dreams.

Campaign Kick-off Celebration: Meet the next State Representative of the East Side of Bridgeport, Angel Reyes, on Friday, June 1st, at The Café and Lounge, 1691 Main Street, Bridgeport, from 5-9 PM …

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9 comments

  1. Does anybody who runs for Bridgeport political seats not work for either the City or a federal poverty grant program?

    Took a quick skim through City Council and can only think of Brannelly and AmyMarie who work in the private sector. Maybe others but seems overwhelmingly to be City jobs or “grant”-type jobs.

    Time and again, I have been regaled with anecdotes of how inefficiently and foolishly the City has spent money, deployed workers or let them just laze around, or settled bullshit employee cases because they were too lazy or incompetent to address the issues (Hello McCarthy, Anastasi, et al.).

    If the the Council members, department heads, union reps, state reps, etc., had a business and their success/money at stake, none of this crap would be happening.

    With rare exception, I am now of the cynical belief the overwhelming majority of people who work for many of these “grant”-type jobs or the City are grossly incompetent and could never hack it in the real world.

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  2. PAGING ANGEL REYES, you’d better amend your filing, according to your registration form you are running in the 127th … not that it matters ’cause you don’t live in that district either … see here seec.ct.gov/ecrisreporting/pdfviewer.aspx/noscan.pdf/SEEC1A_9134_201205141501.PDF

    How sad, someone who criticized others for running for positions and not living in their district, looks like Angel is having a case of monkey see, monkey do!!!

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    1. CC, this is apparently a paperwork glitch by the SEEC that will be resolved to reflect the 128th. But nice catch by you. The law allows candidates to run in a district even if they don’t reside there. They are required to move into the district if they win.

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  3. Angel has been a businessman on East Main Street for over 20 years. He has been active in the community on every level of civic engagement. Even Senator Lieberman recognizes his leadership (see lieberman.senate.gov/index.cfm/your-connecticut/joes-heroes/cal-torres-carmen-nieves-and-angel-reyes). That is what Bridgeport needs, a person who does the hard work and gives back to the community, without looking for recognition. That is what the 128th needs, a person who advocates for the people in and out of season, not just when it is in their interest or in the pursuit of a title. Go Angel, the 128th needs you!

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