The New Haven Democratic Town Committee held a Get Out To Vote rally on Monday evening, featuring Connecticut gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont SOM ’80, Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-New Haven, among other Democratic candidates running for positions in the state’s midterm elections.
Held at New Haven’s Parish House, the rally was the Democratic candidates’ final effort to mobilize Elm City volunteers, staffers and voters before Connecticut’s polls open at 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
Vincent Mauro, the chair of the New Haven Democratic Town Committee, kicked off the rally by introducing the candidates and welcoming the crowd of about 70.
“What we are challenging you to do is get out the vote and pound on every door,” Mayor Toni Harp told the crowd of volunteers. “So that once again New Haven Democrats will lead the state to ensure that the Democrats win the state.”
Harp emphasized that Democrats have historically utilized the hard work of volunteers and voters to overcome challenges to their party in the Elm City.
In his own speech, Murphy noted that the future of issues including health care, retirement plans and immigration policy will be decided by the outcome of the midterm election. He added that Tuesday’s elections could lead to a “spiritual reconstitution” of the nation.
Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, also spoke at the event, noting that New Haven has played an especially important role in leading the Connecticut delegation.
“We do take pride in being the best and strongest delegation in the state,” Looney said in his speech. “New Haven can lead the whole state tomorrow in making Ned Lamont the next governor.”
DeLauro, who is up for reelection in Connecticut’s third congressional district, spoke about the fragility of democracy, adding that people cannot “body-slam” democracy as President Donald Trump does everyday.
“What is it that we all share?” DeLauro asked the crowd. “It’s not the D after our name, it’s not the D, but it is about the democratic values and the underpinning of the party that we represent. That is what bonds us together. It is a party that has made a difference in the lives of so many.”
Lamont, who spent the earlier portions of the day at his Hartford headquarters and campaigned in West Hartford after the rally, said that he and his fellow Democrats are fighting for the future of the state, for democratic values and for “each and every one of you.” Come Tuesday, he also emphasized the importance of heading to the polls.
Shawn Wooden, Connecticut’s state treasurer, reminded voters to answer all the questions on the ballot. Some towns and cities will have double-sided ballots to fit all of the candidates’ information, he said.
At the end of the rally, candidates told the crowd to rest before the elections, urging them to cap off their efforts by continuing to phone-bank and giving voters rides to the polls.
Bob Stefanowski, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, spent the last day before elections visiting his volunteers in Old Saybrook and doing an interview with Erin Stewart, mayor of New Britain, Connecticut.
“We’re going to work in a bipartisan nature, we’re going to get everybody around the table, we’re going to listen, we’re going to make some decisions and then we’re going to move this thing forward,” Stefanowski said at the end of his interview with Stewart. “Tomorrow’s a really, really important election, probably the most important election — certainly in my lifetime — and we’re going to drive change.”
Polls in Connecticut will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Carolyn Sacco | carolyn.sacco@yale.edu
Aakshi Chaba | aakshi.chaba@yale.edu .