City Councilman Ernie says elections officials notified him that he secured sufficient certified signatures of Democrats in Bridgeport and Stratford to primary State Senator Herron Gaston on August 13, an effort return to the legislature’s upper chamber 20 years removed.
Newton came up one delegate vote short to qualify for the primary at last month’s convention so he and backers took to the streets.
From Newton’s Facebook page:
First I want to thank my Team for a great job. Mr. Gaston and his People may have denied me from getting the one Vote so I didn’t have to go out and get Signatures. Today the Voters of Bridgeport and Stratford said with a loud voice. We qualified by getting 1603 Signatures to be on the ballot.To God be the Glory. Once again thank you for your support. Newton for State Senator 2024.
Gaston cried foul last week when officials with the Connecticut Secretary of the State admitted Newton was granted two extra weeks to secure signatures, citing they had followed an old statute. Gaston had threatened court action to invalidate Newton’s candidacy but it’s unclear if he will follow through.
In the larger picture, however, Newton says the signature route was beneficial.
“This gave me an opportunity to talk to the people,” he says including Stratford where he spent his early days prior to moving to Bridgeport. “It’s a lot of work but it paid off. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to taking my message to the people. Bridgeport got a lot of money when I was there.”
Gaston will enjoy a heavy financial advantage through Connecticut’s Citizens Election Program of publicly funded races that will avail roughly $110,000 for the primary. Newton argues he doesn’t need nearly as much because of his name recognition, setting a goal of $50,000 to raise.
Newton is barred from the clean-money program because of his federal conviction 20 years ago. Newton nearly reclaimed his old seat in 2012 losing a tight primary to then State Rep. Andres Ayala with incumbent Ed Gomes also in the field.
Several years ago Newton returned to the City Council, representing the East End, where he got his start in 1981 becoming the first black to serve as City Council president. Years later he was elected to the State House prior to the upper chamber.
Gaston, a city faith leader and executive at the University of Bridgeport, defeated incumbent Dennis Bradley in a 2022 primary.
Connecticut’s 23rd Senatorial covers about two thirds of Bridgeport and western Stratford.
Bridgeport’s other senate district, the 22nd, will also feature a primary among four candidates: former Mayor Bill Finch, Trumbull resident and law professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, City Councilman Scott Burns and ex councilman Tyler Mack, a staffer of Congressman Jim Himes.
The other legislative primary August 13 pits veteran incumbent Andre Baker versus Newton’s council partner Eneida Martinez in Connecticut’s 124 Assembly District.
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