Connecticut Primaries reflect unity needed to defeat MAGA in November

By Joelle Fishman

NEW HAVEN—Connecticut labor and people’s organizations are gearing up for the November 3 general election following an intensive Democratic primary on August 11. Outstanding was the fact that candidates in all races pledged to stand up to Trump and protect people’s needs, providing the foundation for unity against MAGA.

While there are Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate and a Democratic Governor, the number of working class champions is not large enough to override vetoes on cutting-edge bills like housing relief, school funding, aid to striking workers, and taxing the rich. 

All five Working Families Party (WFP) endorsed candidates for state legislature won their primaries as part of an effort to build power “for a government that finally answers to working people, not whoever writes the biggest check.

“This is what happens when working people organize: We knock the doors, we make the calls, we show up for each other, and we win seats nobody thought were winnable,” said the WFP. 

In a Senate district spanning Hartford, Bloomfield and Windsor, Maryam Khan (SD-2), special education teacher and two year state representative, defeated a charter school-backed incumbent. She will be the first Muslim woman State Senator if elected in November..

In Glastonbury, acience teacher Moise Carelus (HD-31) beat a four-term incumbent who voted against school funding, made assault weapons easier to get, and wouldn’t stand up to ICE.  In East Hartford, Angie Parkinson (HD-10), a teacher for 25 years, ran to fund neighborhood schools.  In Milford,  Toni Lombardi (HD-118), a school secretary, ran saying affordable communities and strong public schools are inseparable.

In a Senate district including Cheshire, Meriden, Middlefield and Middletown, Jack Fazzino (SD-13) builds on his work in the House judiciary committee, protecting immigrant communities and reducing ICE presence in schools, hospitals, and houses of worship. 

“We’ve won before by building power, not waiting for permission. $15 minimum wage. Paid family and medical leave. Tonight adds the next chapter,” WFP said.

In New Haven, longtime progressive state representative Pat Dillon was defeated by a young former Alder, Eli Sabin, who moved to the district at the beginning of the year.  Also in the race was DSA member Justin Farmer.  All three projected programs to address the crisis of the cost of living and the threat of Trump.  Dillon was supported by the labor movement for her consistent support, but the wave of change prevailed.

Also in New Haven, an open seat for State Senate was won by Wildaliz Burmudez, who chairs the City’s Fair Rent Commission and ran against labor-backed Leland Moore. 

New Haven is the largest voter turnout city in the state, key to election of any statewide office, including Governor.

In the primary, Governor Ned Lamont faced challenger State Representative Josh Elliott, whose campaign centered on taxing the rich.  Lamont, a millionaire from Greenwich, has refused to consider the tax the rich agenda of Connecticut for All.  Elliott’s message got 30% of the vote, which adds to the pressure on Lamont.  

The Connecticut AFL CIO endorsed Lamont in recognition of support given during organizing drives, including highway service workers and strikes, including hotel and food service workers, even though the Governor vetoed (twice) a bill to allow striking workers to receive unemployment compensation.  He has now pledged to support the bill. 

Lamont featured his opposition to Trump, including bills he signed as a result of long and hard grassroots organizing.  As a result, Connecticut has one of the strongest Trust Act language in the country to protect immigrant families.  

The Four C’s union and New Haven Federation of Teachers broke with their state affiliates and endorsed Elliott out of frustration that their budgets were severely underfunded despite large-scale demands. 

The voter turnout in Connecticut was 23% of registered Democrats, down from the 2018 governor primary, which had 29% turnout.

Of greatest national attention was the First Congressional District primary, including Hartford and 27 surrounding towns.  The victor in the Democratic primary is expected to win the general election. 

Luke Bronin, former mayor of Hartford, defeated Congressman John Larson in a highly funded campaign riding the anti-incumbent wave. While Larson is more progressive, Bronin, who has been criticized for his anti-labor actions as Mayor, kept moving to the left in order to win votes.

Bronin had narrowly secured the Democratic Party endorsement and appeared on the same ballot line as Governor Lamont.  Their votes were nearly identical in each town.

Larson has been the leading voice in Congress for protecting and expanding Social Security.  His Social Security 2100 bill would scrap the cap so that the highest earners would pay taxes on their full income.

This was one of two races in the country where VoteVets funded a more conservative younger candidate against a more progressive senior incumbent in a majority Democratic district. VoteVets contributed over one million dollars to Bronin.

Larson’s biggest contributor was Working Families PAC along with elected officials PACs.

In addition to Bronin, two more challengers were in the field. West Hartford State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest and Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune. Both criticized the outside money calling for campaign finance reform.  

Larson, from a working-class family and passionate against Project 2025, earned support from most unions, the Alliance for Retired Americans, Planned Parenthood, Human Rights Campaign, and many more.

But the AFL-CIO stayed neutral. There were no labor walks to discuss the campaign from union member to union member, while Bronin’s large campaign funding allowed him to conduct a strong door-knocking effort. 

On election night, Larson said, “Elections are about people. Tonight the people have spoken.  Now is the time for all of us to come together. This fight goes on. Along with our Connecticut delegation, I will continue to wage that war in Washington, D.C., every day that we’re there to stand up to this President.” 

Within days of the primary, the corporate Wall Street Journal celebrated Larson’s defeat and called on Democrats to “re-think Social Security,” and oppose scrapping the cap and increasing benefits.

Social Security Works, one of Larson’s strongest supporters, responded,  “We can’t let billionaires dismantle Social Security and steal from seniors who worked hard their entire lives!” 

It will take an ongoing concerted and unified effort by labor and allies to demand Bronin delivers on his campaign promises to block the MAGA agenda and enact legislation on the side of working people’s needs, not corporate greed and militarism.

November’s general election cannot be taken for granted. The Republican candidate for Governor, State Sen. Ryan Fazio, is already touring the state and looking to peel off votes from New Haven and elsewhere. 

Conversations with voters at their homes and at work will help increase voter turnout, build support for bold working-class demands and strengthen the fight against the cruel and brutal MAGA billionaire agenda.