Saying that she has, “a passion to serve and a commitment to lead,” Democrat Veronica DeLandro formally announced that she is running for Mayor of New Britain.
“I believe, just like you,” DeLandro said, in making her campaign for Mayor official, “that we need to take our city in a new direction. A direction where there is room for all who are here to prosper, to thrive and to enjoy the honey,” recalling New Britain’s motto, Industria implet alveare et melle fruitur, which means, “Industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey.”
DeLandro said that, in her exploration of whether to run for Mayor, she sought out the opinions of people in the city and that, “residents of New Britain want change. They want a government that works for them, that represents them and that will speak up for them.”
Pledging to represent everyone in the city, DeLandro pointed out that, “New Britain is changing, and our city government must reflect that. Our government should reflect the diversity and energy of our community, and it should not be a place where certain people take care of their friends and good ideas go to die.”
“I feel energized by the overwhelming support I have received so far,” DeLandro said, announcing her campaign at Franklin Square, “especially from New Britain residents, many of whom did not know me before I came knocking on their door.”
DeLandro said she wants to lead the city in prioritizing COVID-19 response, “to reduce cases and increase vaccination rates,” as well as increasing city funding for New Britain schools, “reducing property taxes, supporting local businesses, reducing blight and focusing on affordable housing and home ownership.”
DeLandro’s campaign says that she,
has worked to lead systemic change in Connecticut through various roles in government and the nonprofit sector, and will seek to unify New Britain voters around the core issues that affect all residents, including economic opportunities, health access, better schools, and safe and affordable housing.
DeLandro reported the highest amount of fundraising among the three Democratic candidates for Mayor in the reporting period that ended March 31st. Last week she announced that she raised $45,000 in that reporting period, and has reportedly raised additional funds since.
“I look forward to building on this momentum and to growing our team so we can continue to engage with and hear from the residents of our city and build a truly people-centered campaign,” DeLandro added.
DeLandro has been exploring a potential candidacy for Mayor of New Britain since she announced in January that was forming an an exploratory committee. She has been been doing a “listening tour” of different constituencies in the city, including businesses, CCSU students, faith-based leaders, community based organizations and parents. After her official announcement today, she continued that listening tour, visiting Main Street businesses.
“People want a government that works for them,” DeLandro said, “but here in New Britain we continue to hear about the same issues year after year, with no real solutions.”
DeLandro organized a program in March — a “Vaccine Hesitancy Campaign” — in which her campaign said that she and volunteers would, “visit various neighborhoods throughout the city and talk to residents about the importance of getting the Covid-19 vaccine, while providing them with specific information on where they can schedule an appointment and noting who is eligible.” In April, DeLandro announced that she was continuing that informational canvasing, and today, she said that she plans to continue that effort.
DeLandro said that her campaign would be honoring Earth Day and working to improve neighborhoods with a volunteer community clean-up on April 24th.
“I’ve always been a problem solver, and as a non-profit leader, volunteer, and community organizer,” DeLandro said. “I know how to bring people together to advance common goals.”
The $45,000 in fundraising DeLandro has announced is considered a large total for a potential challenger for Mayor to report so early in the campaign. DeLandro’s fundraising, which her campaign says was from 500 donors, was for her exploratory committee, which had a donation limit under election law of only $375. Republican Mayor Erin Stewart announced that she raised $70,000, but Stewart already had an official Mayoral campaign, with a donation limit of $1,000. Now that DeLandro is forming an official Mayoral campaign committee, she will have the same, higher donation limit as Stewart.
DeLandro has served as District Director for Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-5) and now provides consulting, training and coaching to nonprofit organizations at VTD Consulting Group, which she founded. She previously had a career at ESPN before she began working with organizations with a focus on philanthropy, college access and mentoring.
DeLandro ran for City Council in 2017, very nearly winning an upset victory in an uphill race in the City’s First Ward, where Republicans have historically had the advantage in city level elections, and then was selected as the City Council’s first woman and first African American Clerk of Committees. She has also previously served on the city’s Youth & Family Services Commission and the school system’s Graduation Odyssey Task Force.
A longtime community leader, DeLandro is on the Executive Board of the NAACP New Britain Branch and serves on the Board of the YWCA New Britain, co-chairing the YWCA’s Policy Committee. Her campaign says that, “Veronica is a proud member of National Hampton Alumni Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, The Links, Incorporated and 2018 graduate of the Inaugural Emerge CT class,” adding that,
Veronica earned her undergraduate degree with honors in Mass Media Arts with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism from Hampton University in Hampton, VA., and her Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from the University of Connecticut. She’s a proud mother to two beautiful children.
