Jillian Gilchrest has endured nine disappointing months as a candidate for Congress. The West Hartford state representative has raised little money and was able to attract the support on her own of only 37 delegates of the more than 400 at the Democratic nominating convention early this month.
Thirty-seven was a little more than half the number Gilchrest needed to qualify for the August primary for the Democratic nomination in the state’s First Congressional District. The winner of the primary will, barring some unimaginable intervening event, be elected in November. Incumbent John Larson, seeking his 15th term, thought it would help him in August if Gilchrest joined former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin on the ballot. Some Democrats disposed to change might vote for Gilchrest instead of Bronin.
Larson lent Gilchrest enough delegates from Manchester on the convention’s first ballot to allow her to qualify for the primary. The other half of the deal was for Gilchrest to deliver her delegates to Larson on the convention’s second ballot, pushing the East Hartford Democrat ahead of Bronin and crowning him with the party endorsement for the primary.
Choreography in a closely fought contest often includes some missteps. The Larson people fatally underestimated the independence of the Gilchrest delegates. More than half of them switched to Bronin, giving him the party’s endorsement on the second ballot by 10 votes.
The unexpected never gets an invitation but always occupies a seat...
Jillian Gilchrest has endured nine disappointing months as a candidate for Congress. The West Hartford state representative has raised little money and was able to attract the support on her own o...