Latino group pushes gov to back Santiago for secretary of the state

Just two days before the Democratic nominating convention, Latino officials from two organizations are calling on Gov. Ned Lamont to support a Hispanic candidate for the open seat for Secretary of the State.

The officials want Lamont to back their pick: state Rep. Hilda Santiago, D-Meriden, one of two Hispanic women in the race, over Maritza Bond, New Haven’s health director.

Rep. Gerry Reyes, DWaterbury, chairman of the

Black and Puerto Rican Caucus in the General Assembly, and Miguel Castro, chair of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus, are among the group lobbying for Santiago.

“The top of the ticket has to look like a cross-section of the population,” Reyes said at the Capitol Wednesday. “We believe it’s well past time for a Hispanic to be at the top of the ticket.”

Connecticut has not had a Hispanic person elected to any statewide office, at least in recent memory.

In total, 13 people from the group, a combination of state and local legislators and members of the CHDC, have signed onto an open letter to the governor, to be published online Wednesday, underscoring the years-long effort to elect a Latino to statewide office.

“The Democratic Party has closed this door to our people time and time again,” they said in the letter. “This has to stop.”

State Reps. Minnie Gonzalez and Edwin Vargas, and Aidee Nieves, president of the Bridgeport City Council, are part of the group signing the letter. The state’s most prominent Latino elected official, House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, is not among the names listed.

“We ask that you, as our Governor, get involved in this critical race and make your preference known by endorsing Hilda Santiago.” the group said. “We had your back in 2018, and we ask that you have ours in 2022.”

In addition to Bond and Santiago, state Reps. Matt Lesser, D- Middletown, Stephanie Thomas, D-Norwalk, and Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, are running to be the Connecticut’s top election official. The Democrats’ nominating convention is Friday and Saturday in Hartford.

Castro said Santiago received 98 percent of the vote when the CHDC voted earlier this year on which candidate to endorse. He called Santiago “a trailblazer” who has an extensive history of legislation and advocacy.

“It is time for our Latino community to have a seat at the table,” he said.

Bond, on Wednesday, earned the endorsement of New Haven Mayor Justin

Elicker. Elicker and his predecessor Toni Harp plan to hold a press conference Thursday to announce their support for Bond.

When asked about his support for specific candidates in recent weeks, Lamont has said he doesn’t want to weigh in before the convention. But the governor has expressed privately that he wants a Hispanic candidate for Secretary of the State, multiple sources said.

A statement issued by the governor’s campaign Wednesday indicated he would remain neutral — for now.