Florsheim wins Middletown’s Democratic mayoral primary election

Democrat Ben Florsheim is running for mayor of Middletown. Democrat Ben Florsheim is running for mayor of Middletown. Photo: Hearst Connecticut Media File Photo Photo: Hearst Connecticut Media File Photo Image 1 of / 21 Caption Close Florsheim wins Middletown’s Democratic mayoral primary election 1 / 21 Back to Gallery

MIDDLETOWN — Ben Florsheim sailed to victory in Tuesday night’s primary election, securing the Democratic nomination for mayor in November in unofficial results.

A Wesleyan University grad, Florsheim garnered 1,359 votes.

Public Works Director Bill Russo garnered 1,181 votes.

Common Council Deputy Majority Leader Mary Bartolotta garnered 926 votes.

Parking Director Geen Thazhampallath garnered 602 votes.

Florsheim will face off against Republican Sebastian N. Giuliano in the general election Nov. 5.

“I had the best team I could possibly imagine,” Florsheim said after the results came in.

“I’m incredibly humbled and gratified,” he said.

“The race was about the potential we had as a city because of who we are and what we are as a city, something that will make people feel optimistic about what Middletown is,” he said.

There are about 12,433 active Democratic voters in Middletown. By 4 p.m. Tuesday, 20 percent of registered voters — or 2,582 — had visited the city’s 14 precincts. By 6 p.m., 26 percent — or 3,260 — had voted.

DTC chairman Rob Blanchard said, “I think the endorsed council slate won handily. I think voters want a combination of experience, new ideas and taking the city in a new direction.”

Blanchard was pleased to see more participation in the midterms.

“Voters are enthusiastic about picking new local leaders who have experience, energy and fresh ideas. I think we’ve seen an unprecedented election with unprecedented enthusiasm,” he said.

“I gave it a good try. If you see [the winners], shake their hand, congratulate them, and be gentlemen about it,” Russo told his supporters gathered at the Cantina restaurant at about 9:05 p.m.

“I feel that I tried. We left everything on the field so that’s all you can ask for. The Democrats have spoken and I respect that. I’ll be back at my desk tomorrow,” Russo said.

If the mood at Russo headquarters was somber, it was joyous at the Florsheim office.

Mary Bartolotta emerged from the backroom of her headquarters on South Main Street at 8:55 and called the 25 or so people to the room to silence.

“Unfortunately, I did not win,” she told her supporters.

Fighting back tears, she thanked them for their support and more.

“You should be very proud that you ran a clean campaign” and did not descend into the negativity of other, unnamed candidates, she said. “I’m proud that even though that meant we couldn’t win that we set an example to the citizens of Middletown.”

She paused, and as she did so a male supporter cried out emphatically, “We’re proud of you, Mary!” igniting a standing ovation for her.

For his part, Thazhampallath said he had called Florsheim to congratulate him and to offer his assistance in any way he could help.

“On a personal level, I’m disappointed, but I’m not sad because of how we ran this campaign,” he said.

Throughout the campaign, Thazhampallath had committed himself to work to “bring civility back to Middletown.”

As for himself, Thazhampallath said, “Tomorrow is the beginning of another phase in my life.”

He promised that he would remain active in the public life of the city, explaining “Middletown is in my heart.”

The day began at 5 a.m. for Bartolotta. By 7 a.m., she had begun what would become a 13-hour game of leap-frog, stopping at first one and then another polling place. By mid-afternoon, she was in the rear parking of the South District Fire in the company of campaign volunteer/driver Steven Fontana.

“I’m very excited and very optimistic,” Bartolotta said, adding that she had been “energized” by all the support. “Today has been a great experience and it’s been great talking with everyone and hearing what their concerns are and what they love about Middletown.”

Close to 4 p.m., Russo had arrived and spoke briefly to Bartolotta, and then found a spot 25 feet or so away to introduce himself and ask for the votes of people who were beginning to arrive in larger numbers.

“It’s been very interesting and very rewarding,” Russo said. “I try to not get too high and not get too low, just keep working. It’s a marathon. Each day we try and do a little bit better than yesterday and keep going in a forward direction. That’s what I preach to my staff; just be out there for the community, be out there for the 48,000 people that live in Middletown. That’s what I ran on for becoming mayor.”

“I believe in her. She’s got the right vision from the city. She’s got a plan. And I think she’s the right leader,” Fontana said.

Wesleyan University student and Wesleyan Argus co-editor Sasha Linden-Cohen wrote a piece about Florsheim, after following his campaign, with co-editor Luke Goldstein.

She’s concerned about sustainability, the environment and issues affecting the North End of the city.

“I have learned a lot about Middletown activism in the last year or so, and I feel like there’s a lot of momentum in the North End, but that hasn’t been backed by the establishment necessarily, because there are all these grassroots efforts,” such Middletown Green Community Center and the North End Action Team.

“I don’t feel that has necessarily been the city’s priority. The whole waterfront development is really important in terms of not acting too quickly to perpetuate these divides and isolate people further,” said Linden-Cohen, who voted for Florshiem.

“It could so easily turn into this haven for super wealthy people. I feel like he’s trying to distribute power to people who haven’t had it. In addition to looking at the now, he’s trying to imagine what the city’s going to look like in decades to come, which is something that is often overlooked,” she added.

Democratic Registrar of Voters Lisa Santangelo ordered enough ballots to account for 50 percent of registered voters showing up at the polls.

By 4 p.m. Tuesday, 20 percent of registered voters — or 2,582 — had visited the city’s 14 precincts. By 6 p.m., 26 percent — or 3,260 — had voted.

“I’m not sure how to read this,” she said.

Numbers varied throughout Middletown’s 14 districts at that time, with 33 percent voting at Wesley Elementary School (Bartolotta’s district) and 10 percent at Wesleyan University’s Fayerweather - Beckham Hall.

“Last time we had a mayoral/council, it was 24, 26 percent, so we’re going to exceed that by 8 o’clock tonight,” Santangelo said, comparing this year’s primary turnout to the general election four years ago.

Officials had anticipated a lot of turnout at Wesleyan’s district, because Florsheim is an alum, but workers there said a good number of students aren’t registered to vote in Middletown or even Connecticut.