Monday, July 23, 2007

The Rematch

Two years ago these two people faced each other in a competitive race for City Clerk. This year they are at it again.

Incumbent Jean Natale is facing Democrat Eileen Coladarci. Natale, who was elected in 2003 when the Republicans cruised to victory, is trying to be elected to her third term. Coladarci, as mentioned ran for City Clerk two years ago. She was on the Common Council for nine years representing the third ward, from 1989-1997. She is also a very active member of the Danbury Democratic Town Committee.

Many believe that this is the race to watch this year. Coladarci came within less than 400 votes in 2005, and did far better than what then-City Clerk Helena Abrantes did when she lost to her in 2003. Natale beat her by about 1,700 votes.

It appeared as if the Democrats would focus most on this race so that they could pick up the seat. However, this is still probably very true, but the Republicans have put up an interesting choice for Town Clerk, which could make the Democrats work harder than expected, so that they could keep that seat.

It appears though that Coladarci is not going to let the media attraction and the hype of the Town Clerk’s race get in her way. A few days before the official nominations took place, Coladarci put up her campaign website. On it she is already asking for people who are interested in emailing her to get magnets, lawn signs, and even T-shirts. She is definitely making this a very competitive race, and this is just one sign of that. This race is going to be one of the best races to watch.

Right now, no clear person has the upper hand, this race is a toss-up.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jean Natale has earned another term. This is not a toss-up. Natale will win easily.

Anonymous said...

No she hasn't and no she won't. Eileen is very focused and will win by about the same margin that she lost by in 05

Anonymous said...

The Republicans have to make sure that they don't lose this seat because they may be to focused on the race for Town Clerk.

Anonymous said...

Jean has been a horrible City Clerk who never seems to be in her office and is more interested in spreading rumors than actually doing her job.

The City of Danbury will be better off with a new person running the City Clerk's office.

As for the Town Clerk's seat, the only person hyping that match-up is the owner of this site. Everyone knows that the REAL race to watch will be in the second and third wards.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Ken, you will be loser on election day. Go Jeanie!!!

Anonymous said...

Jean Natale is ten times better than any other City Clerk including anyone that has worked in that office. She does a great job.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Ken, you will be loser on election day. Go Jeanie!!!

Anonymous said...

“Sorry Ken, you will be loser on election day. Go Jeanie!!!”

I find that last comment (noted above) very interesting; being that this is the first time I have responded to this post, and yet I am being called out for things I have not said.

If you do not believe me, then look at my ip address.

People should know for certain who is responding, and who is not, before calling someone out by name. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not have a problem identifying myself, as I am not ashamed of my beliefs. You can ask both the Republicans and the Democrats, as I have butted heads with members of both parties.

The real Ken

Anonymous said...

I am not sure what office you think belongs to the City Clerk because with the exception of the 3 months she missed for a broken leg I have always found Jean in her office (often times until 8:00 PM or later). Remember that her office says "City Clerk" not the one next door that says "Common Council"

Anonymous said...

"I am not sure what office you think belongs to the City Clerk because with the exception of the 3 months she missed for a broken leg I have always found Jean in her office (often times until 8:00 PM or later)."

You have to be kidding right? Only a fool, a Republican hack, or a person who works at City Hall hoping to keep their job after the election would say something so outlandish.

If Jean is EVER in her office past 8 P.M., it's because she's trying to finish up the work she blew off during the day. That woman has turned the City Clerk's office into the one stop shop for spreading rumors and gossip.

Horrible, horrible, City Clerk.

Anonymous said...

Right now: Coladarci 52% and Natale 48%

Anonymous said...

ken is a lying democratic hack.

Anonymous said...

I just hate people who publish statements and make them sound like they are fact without an ounce of accuracy.

The fact is Eileen Coladarci lost by 375 votes not less 200 as reported by you.

Eileen has lost the last two elections in which she was a candidate.

It does not matter how close the election is - it only counts on who wins.

Ask Grace Scire who only lost to Jan Giegler by 16 votes in 2002
or Richard Antous who lost my 2 votes or Dean Esposito who lost by 4 votes

If Jan Giegler had you handicapping her 2004 race - you would have had her a loser but she went on to sweeping victory.

Eileen is not that popular in her own party. In fact, her running mate, Lori Kaback, opposed Eileen's renomination to the Town Committee.

Before you make your postings do your homework. Get the facts. You may be a friend of Eileen's but you should really report honestly

DP said...

Well, you got me. Coladarci did lose by 375 votes. The numbers I got where from the News-Times the day after the 2005 election. Sorry about that mistake, I have fixed the post. Thanks for ponting this out.

Secondly, though the only thing that really matters is the final result, how close you come to winning can in fact depend on what the political future of the candidate may be. Foe example, Grace Scire could have come back to run again, and Esposito ran for Mayor in the next election.

Also, I never would have said that Jan Giegler's 2004 election results were bad. First because I happened to have been involved in the campaign, but also because she totally creamed her opponent winning by more thn 1,500 votes. She also did fairly well in 2006, considering the big Democratic movement.

And, Coladarci isn't really Kaback's "running mate". Don't expect either one to talk about the other. They will each focus on winning their race. Oh, and just to clear the air, I am no friend of Eileen Coladarci.

Anonymous said...

DP you don't get it. What I said was that if you use the same logic and applied it to Giegler, you would have predicted a Geigler loss in 2004. After all, Geigler only won by a handful in 2002, so following your logic, 2004 should have been a loss for Geigler, it wasn't, Geigler blew out her opponent. The same thing will happen with Natale. Past performance is not a predictor of future events.

DP said...

No, I do get it. Giegler did not run against an impressive candidate in 2004. I never expected her to lose that year, and she didn't. You are right she did great, something we all thought would happen. My logic is nothing set in stone. It really depends on who the opponent is. Natale is facing the same person who gave her a scare in 2005. Any person who analyzes politics would tell you that this would be a race to watch. Races that are close, and then has a rematch against the same two candidates who ran in that close election, are always looked at as competetive, and this is just an example of that. (oh boy...can't wait to see what you think of tomorrow's post on the Council races.)

Anonymous said...

DP- OK let's take Mark Nielsen. Lost to Maloney in a tight race for Congress in 98' by less than 1500 hundreds tighest race in the country. Following your idiotic logic Nielsen should have been a shoo in on 2000 against Maloney right? Guess what- Nielsen got killed in 2000 by Maloney. Past performance does not indicate future results. For whatever reason, you don't like Natale. Coladarci is a nitwit who can't get elecetd.

DP said...

It is so funny that you brought up Neilsen because I did think of him when I posted that last comment. To tell you the truth, many people thought Nielsen would do well, maybe not win, but have a very good chance in 2000. But you are right, he did lose bad. May have been a CT movement for Gore, or it may have just been a good year for Maloney. Past performances do not always predict the future, you are right, but rematches are typically very competetive. Neilsen's race was in 2000, despit the outcome being worse for him. Let's face it, Natale won by about 1,700 votes in 2003 against Abrantes. She slipped in two years to win by only 375. She was helped by a strong Republican tide in 03 and managed to keep her seat in 05 (I never expected the race to be as close as it was). Depending on what the tides are here in November may very well be what makes her stay in office or even have Pudgie win as well. Only time will tell. And lastly, I have nothing against Natale. You are totally wrong on what you think I think of her, but I'm not going to let my personal political views get in the way here. Let's just say you are wrong.