By: Ann Dematteo HAMDEN — Voters came out in dribs and drabs Tuesday, but in the end, Democrats chose Scott Jackson to be their standard-bearer in November by a margin of almost 2 to 1.
The mood was happy and the temperature was hot at Jackson headquarters on Dixwell Avenue, where the numbers were coming in that gave him and his supporters more good news as each moment passed.
Jackson received 2,986 votes to 1,558 for retired fire chief and Councilman James Leddy, D-9.
At the Whitney Avenue headquarters for Leddy, the mood was somber, and supporters could see by the numbers being posted on the wall that their candidate wasn’t going to make it. By the time unofficial tallies for five of the nine districts had been called in, Leddy conceded that his fight against the Democratic machine didn’t succeed.
“I want to thank everybody who gave it 150 percent,” Leddy said before he went to Jackson’s headquarters.
When Leddy arrived, Jackson said, “We have somebody here you all know. Give him a round of applause.” The revved up crowd did. Standing arm and arm with Jackson, Leddy said: “Congratulations on your win. It was a great campaign. You beat us good.”
Leddy then said that he would soon sit down with the Jackson team and “make sure the party’s united” for the November election, when Jackson will run against Republican mayoral candidate Ronald Gambardella, a former councilman.
Jackson was endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee after Mayor Craig B. Henrici decided not to seek a third term. Leddy took the direct primary route. Jackson is Henrici’s chief administrative officer.
Jackson thanked his supporters for everything they did.
“We get to relax tomorrow, and then we’ve got another race. ... There are no substitutes for hard work. We have to remember to work harder and work smarter,” he said.
The results of the Legislative Council races in districts 1, 2 and 9 patterned the mayoral results. Party-endorsed candidate Michael McGarry won over Kevin Bohan in the 1st District, 218-152.
In the 2nd District, the Rev. Anthony Brown, who was party-endorsed, beat Gina Cahill 219-191. In the 9th District, Don Werner got 341 votes to 229 for challenger Dave Howell.
Twenty-eight percent of the town’s 16,042 registered Democrats turned out.
In 2005, 36 percent of just over 13,000 Democrats voted when then- challenger Henrici defeated the incumbent, Carl Amento, in the September primary.
Democratic Town Chairman Joseph McDonagh attributed Jackson’s landslide win to the “honorable” campaign he ran.
“Jim Leddy was ill-used by his managers. The results are because of negative campaigning. Jim’s a good guy. ... I hope he comes back and continues to work for the Democratic Party and the town.”
Asked to react to McDonagh’s comments, Leddy said Jackson won instead of him because, “It’s what the people wanted.”
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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