2022 Campaign Activists Recognized At New Britain Working Families Party Celebration

WFP Ballot Line Boosted U.S. Rep. Hayes in 5th Congressional District

Staff Reports

NEW BRITAIN – The Connecticut Working Families Party (CT-WFP), the union-backed third party instrumental in U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes’ (D-5) narrow victory in November, celebrated election year wins across the state at a fundraising reception on December 20th at the Five Churches Brewing on Arch Street.

The end of the year “22 for 2022 Awards” recognized 22 community and political activists for work on key legislative campaigns and social justice issues. State Attorney General William Tong keynoted the reception and thanked the WFP for helping in his re-election and that of other Democrats at the top of the Democratic ticket this year.

State WFP Director Sarah Ganong told attendees at Five Churches that “every single WFP cross endorsed incumbent” won re-election on November 8th. In New Britain, State Senator Rick Lopes (D-6), State Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-24), State Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) and Newington’s State Rep. Gary Turco (D-27) received the WFP nod along with their Democratic Party nominations.

The Working Families Party has long used its ballot line to strategically endorse progressive candidates (usually but not always Democrats) in local, state and federal elections allowing candidates to appear on more than one ballot line. In the 2022 Election Democrats maintained their majorities in both the 36 member state Senate and and 151 state House for the General Assembly session that begins in January.

In a post-election CT Insider story in November Ganong cited WFP’s involvement in the hotly contested 5th CD race between Hayes and Republican George Logan that involved heavy spending from dark money-funded political committees outside of the district: ““I think a lot of folks pulled together in the last couple of weeks across the progressive movement and Connecticut. I’m glad some of the voters that we turned out were able to vote for her and win it on the WFP line.” In the 5th District New Britain gave Hayes the highest percentage of votes of any city although urban turnout was less in the 2022 mid-year election compared to the last gubernatorial election in 2018. The 3,982 Working Families votes for Hayes in the district avoided a recount and gave Hayes her narrow margin of victory.

The 22 for 2022 award presentations were an acknowledgement of “the work of volunteers and activists that have been critical in this election. For the past few months, we have built a grassroots effort across the state that has reached tens of thousands of voters knocking on doors, phone calls, and text messages. Each voter contact, each conversation, has made a difference.”

Proceeds from the New Britain reception will support canvassing, communications, and organizing work to help elect progressive, pro-labor candidates. Contributors had a choice of donating to either the WFP’s state or federal political action committees.