{news} Allan Brison loses in New Haven

[David Bedell]

Defeat in New Haven balances victory in New London.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/11/notes_from_ward.php

Board’s Only Green Loses In Landslide
by Melissa Bailey | November 3, 2009 8:09 PM

(Updated 8:37 p.m.) The Board of Aldermen’s lone Green member was 
trounced 618-320 Tuesday in East Rock’s Ward 10.

The vote total did not include absentee ballots, which were not expected 
to make a difference.

The Ward 10 election pitted one-term Alderman Allan Brison, the city’s 
only Green alderman, against newcomer Democrat Justin Elicker.

Elicker brought over 200 new voters to the polls this election. In a 
year where turnout was anemic in most parts of town, Ward 10 saw over 
900 people come to the polls, compared to fewer than 700 two years ago.

Some of the people who last supported Brison switched sides this time. 
Meanwhile, some of Brison’s key supporters most notably activists from 
Yale’s unions were stretched thin across election campaigns throughout 
the region.

And an issue that helped Brison defeat an incumbent Democrat two years 
ago may have come to haunt him this time: ongoing tensions over the new 
home of Hooker School.

The polls at East Rock’s Wilbur Cross High School drew steady activity 
throughout the day. Fueled by hot split pea soup spooned out by the 
senior class, volunteers from the two campaigns met voters in the 
parking lot by the school.

Some 20 energetic, young Elicker volunteers erupted in cheers as the 
polls closed and the results were announced. Alderman Roland Lemar of 
neighboring Ward 9 gave Elicker a bear hug. The scene mirrored the high 
spirit of the Elicker campaign, which the vanquished Brison acknowledged 
in remarks Tuesday night.

Justin ran a very good campaign, very energetic. And the results showed, 
Brison said, adding, I was a little surprised by the amount that he won by.

People feel like I can get things done, said Elicker after sealing 
victory by a margin of 2 to 1. He said he is not planning to leave the 
ward to the contrary, he plans to run for alderman again in another two 
years, he said.

On election day, Elicker got help from longtime East Rockers like former 
Alderman Dick Lyons and current ward co-chair Ray Saracco. A slew of 
Democratic politicians showed up to campaign for him, too, including 
State Sen. Martin Looney and State Rep. Cam Staples.

Looney was asked to compare this race to the one two years ago, when 
Brison surprised the city by toppling incumbent Democrat Ed Mattison by 
a vote of 393 to 304.

Elicker has one advantage over Mattison, Looney said: He is not 
connected to some of the old fighting that divided the neighborhood. He 
was referring to the battle over the new Hooker School on Whitney 
Avenue, the most polarizing issue in the ward. Mattison’s support of 
that school earned him some opposition in East Rock, Looney noted. 
Meanwhile, Elicker is coming to the table with a clean slate.

Elicker and Brison supporters camped out next to each other in two tents 
in the parking lot without incident. Brison got help from citywide Green 
Party members and a handful of union activists, including UNITE HERE’s 
Anita Seth. Seth, who lives in East Rock’s Ward 9, said Brison stood up 
for the unions when they tried to boot the Aramark company from the city 
schools. The executive boards of Yale’s unions, UNITE HERE Locals 34 and 
35, both endorsed Brison.

However, only a handful of union folks were available to work for Brison 
on election day, according to UNITE HERE state political director Gwen 
Mills. She said the low union turnout was due to a national union fight 
as well as hot races in East Haven and Hamden.

Elicker also drew support from a team of aldermen from across the city.

Vote for my friend Justin, urged Alderman Alex Rhodeen of Fair Haven 
Heights. He was one of a crew of aldermen including board President Carl 
Goldfield, East Rock’s Roland Lemar, Yale’s Rachel Plattus, Fair Haven’s 
Erin Sturgis-Pascale, Beaver Hill’s Moti Sandman who came to the Wilbur 
Cross School to campaign for Elicker. That group collaborates with Mayor 
John DeStefano more often than those on the other side of the parking 
lot, who were supporting Brison.

Hill Alderwoman Dolores Colon and Quinnipiac Meadows Alderman Gerry 
Antunes, who both tend to align with a camp that’s critical of the 
mayor, showed up to support Brison.

He’s a good man. Why get rid of him? asked Colon.

Saracco, a Democratic ward co-chair in the ward, switched camps this 
year to support a man he called a rising star in politics. Saracco 
supported Brison in 2007. This year, he followed the endorsement of the 
ward committee and supported Elicker. He said he’s impressed by how 
enthusiastic and energetic Elicker is.

I still respect Allan a lot, Saracco said. Brison did what he could in 
his first term, but as the only Green on the board he’s all alone there, 
Saracco said. We have a better chance with Justin.


 		 	   		  
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