More and Better Democrats: Centano and Rocha Win Ward 5 Primary

by: spazeboy

Wed Sep 12, 2007 at 07:27:53 AM EDT

A quick follow-up on yesterday's post about the primary in New Britain's 5th Ward.  Democratic endorsed candidates Roy Centano and Lori Rocha won, leaving incumbent Democrat John Carroll off the November ballot. 

An excerpt from The Hartford Courant's brief report:

Unofficially, Rocha received 349 votes. Centeno, a retired police officer and political newcomer received 328 votes.

John Carroll, the only Democratic incumbent not to receive his party's endorsement, received 245 votes.

Rick Guiness's report in the New Britain Herald this morning is much better:

Carroll campaigned with postcards and fliers, but he didn't have an army of door-to-door campaigning volunteers.
The town committee did.
"The Democratic Town Committee did me in," Carroll said after learning of the results. "I lost. No hard feelings. No remorse."
If anything, the primary resolved the question of just how powerful the Democratic Party machine really is, although Democratic Town chairman John McNamara was quick to say Tuesday that "it is not a machine; it is a group of dedicated individuals who work like a machine."

More and better Democrats for New Britain!