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Updated Story On Democratic Convention

By Jenna Carlesso

July 21, 2011

HARTFORD -- Mayor Pedro Segarra easily won the endorsement Thursday at the city's Democratic nominating convention, while the city council race was highly contested.

Segarra defeated candidates Edwin Vargas, a member of the city's planning and zoning commission, and J. Stan McCauley, a local television entrepreneur.

Vargas and McCauley have both said they would wage a primary. Segarra received 51 votes, while Vargas received six and McCauley received four. Five Democratic Town Committee members abstained.

"We knew the results were going to be in favor of the incumbent," Vargas said Thursday. "The party traditionally supports the incumbent. It's not easy when it's a foregone conclusion."

Segarra thanked his supporters and said he still looks forward to working with those who didn't vote for him.

"I know and you know that this city can be a better place," he said. "We can move our city forward, but each and every one of you knows that that's never going to happen unless we work together."

Many believed Segarra would get the endorsement. His strongest opponent, Shawn Wooden, stepped aside three weeks ago in a deal brokered by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Wooden announced that he would instead seek a seat on the city council.

Endorsed candidates for council include Kenneth Kennedy, who currently serves on the panel; Kyle Anderson, an employee in the state Department of Consumer Protection; Alex Aponte, who also serves on the council; Raul Dejesus, who ran against former Mayor Eddie Perez in 2007; David MacDonald, chairman of the city's Board of Education; and Wooden, a city attorney.

Wooden got 50 votes, Kennedy and Aponte each received 40 votes, Anderson received 38, DeJesus received 37 and MacDonald received 34.

The town committee had yet to endorse a candidate for treasurer by 10 p.m. Candidates for treasurer include city Tax Collector Marc Nelson, state Rep. Kelvin Roldan, D-Hartford, current city Treasurer Adam Cloud and Lawrence Davis, a member of the Hartford Internal Audit Commission. Sources said Cloud and Davis had strong support.