This week.

And the Wheelhouse.

We're talking to the candidates.

Rosa DeLauro, Michael Masi and us three.

Four Connecticut public.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

This is the wheelhouse.

It's a show that connects politics to the people.

We got your weekly dose of politics in Connecticut and beyond right here.

Today, we're talking to the candidates for Connecticut's third congressional district.

Incumbent Representative Rosa DeLauro and challenger Michael Massie, principal cities in the third Congressional District are New Haven.

Middletown is one of them, and so is Stratford.

Stratfor.

Today show is part of a series of interviews were doing with political candidates in our state, hoping that we can keep it a civil, I guess is the vice presidential debate was last night.

Maybe it will be able to something like that talking with both sides, Republicans and Democrats and some of the key races in Connecticut last week spoke with candidates for Connecticut's first Congressional district.

If you miss that live, you want to catch up.

Listen to the podcast.

Could also go to CT Public Dot org slash wheelhouse.

Up first today, Michael Massey, a Republican candidate.

Michael, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

And thank you for having me.

Good to see you.

Good to see your face this morning.

Got a question for Michael.

Give U.S. call.

Join the conversation.

888-720-9677.

Michael, Start off here.

Tell me about yourself and why are running for a seat in Connecticut's 3rd Congressional district?

longtime forever leaving resident.

running because cities.

And if a pass and I feel that.

We haven't been representing correctly.

This is where the most crime A's the most prostitution drugs.

Anything you want to named Bo?

How horrible America is.

It starts a urban cities.

a man from Connecticut I believe this is a Beth, thank world.

If city the a lot of problems out here and our leaders are trying to fix them either that or they don't know.

think some.

You want to fix it.

I understand you care very much about criminal justice reform.

You yourself?

Yes, formerly incarcerated.

I think that's part of your story.

Kind of help me understand that as well to Michael.

Yeah.

Like says, I love teen get in trouble.

I have.

5 sisters, one brother.

16 and I'm not even My dad even drugs for a long time.

My life.

All right.

The streets, It's like a big brother to me.

Growing up.

This.

on our role.

Models are.

I went to jail.

I just have I'm 2 kids I feel like we we have do better either been able we speak to people.

I know people that.

Maybe you had a fight now moves fight.

It's a wow.

How different you crop in these urban neighborhoods.

More flu neighborhoods think we representation or somebody's day and he's been through the problems that a lot of our leaders right now.

I feel like they just just guessing you help me understand how your fix it.

I was listening to you did an interview with Paul Basball Basque rate friend of ours.

He's with the New Haven Independent, a great journalist, former guests on the wheel house.

But you guys in an interview you talked about EBT.

You're trying to make sure that people have more access to the cash and the support that they get.

And you're also talking about some some some prison reform as well to make sure that incarcerated people can get more money for the jobs that they do there.

Help me understand that if you can.

I believe that the private sector.

Employ people in jail.

Even find how if you work in 40 hours a week.

At the 5 year.

You can come on.

We 40, And when couple from telling you.

Your flat broke.

You leave with nothing.

You've jail.

Probably fighting.

You just a hard life.

We've gone home.

You mother, college.

You tend go back to.

What you knew.

But if you're in jail working this whole time, even if he is not pay much still work in spirit and come home with a little bit of money.

You have a you have some breathing room.

And I think that's important.

We concentrate much on punishment, not rehabilitation.

These people come back in in our neighborhoods, our children look up.

The people do you need to see it?

Do you think, Michael, that the private sector will help out here?

Do you have any kind of relationships that you could leverage or I don't know.

It's going to be a lot of pressure on you if you can.

If you can get this job and become a congressperson.

So how you gonna get the private sector to help you out here?

I would think we need start bringing jobs back from overseas.

They they move overseas really going to pay people less.

We have the workforce Any any jail?

I mean, we have the the largest jail system in in world.

These people.

need to be rehabilitated.

They need to be in the working theory.

They need to come home with the money so we don't have to take care of them.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade in 2022.

States across the country limiting access to abortion, even in life-saving circumstances.

Would you support legislation to ban Michael or limit access to abortion care nationally?

Help me understand that one.

When eye.

I think it's the right thing to do Send it back to the states.

This could Connecticut.

And we have no problem with the abortion here.

I believe that the people.

Have a say in the matter and like I said is Connecticut abortion is not our issue.

I think saw this come up in the vice presidential debate last night.

They were it was a back and forth between JD Vance Dan.

Tim Waltz about what the states are able to do.

Some people are hurting in other states that in Connecticut, but as we said, some people might be struggling because limited access is limited to abortion care nationally.

So do you have an idea of if you were in Congress whether or not you would support a national abortion ban?

And then if you wouldn't do I'm also going back to Paul Bass interview that was a big help and preparing here.

It sounds like.

You support a person's choice to get an abortion.

But I want to understand again that that that state aspect of it does that kind of conflict with the person choice in your eyes.

It's repeat.

wasn't.

Does.

If a state says that you can only do if a state limits access to abortion.

Is that conflicted anyway with a person's Would you protect a person's choice over say a state's right to make a lot for abortion.

I believe people should be able to devote personnel and will the purse Aligned with their way of thinking.

You're running against rows of the law.

Rose the leading figure nationally in the push for a permanent robust child care credit.

Parents of Connecticut struggling to find affordable childcare.

What are your plans to improve care?

Accessibility for families across the state?

I would imagine it help a lot of people in New Haven, Stratford Middletown, people looking for access to care for kids locally for help.

How can you help these families?

I have a policy.

Scored baby.

Both a financial incentive.

I believe.

Have the people vote the D fun legal immigration.

That money could be allocated.

To get the the the single winning a But only just to have a baby bonus for married couples.

I believe this will help with in the.

Abortion debate.

so Michael, help me out understand or would you try to?

I don't know if we lost you there.

I think we still have you.

We lost Michael temporarily.

So right now we are talking with Michael Massey, who is a candidate running for office in U.S. 3 running against rows of the war.

We've had a conversation so far.

We've asked about reproductive rights.

We've also asked about it a couple of other key issues.

We've got to learn a little bit about Michael Michael, formerly incarcerated, as I understand it from watching an interview that we had with Paul Bass Paul Bass is a another local reporter that's in the New Haven Stalling for time.

little bit here, folks trying to give you apprised of what's happening.

But the in that interview we learned a little bit about Michael and that Michael was formerly incarcerated was in prison you can help me fill in the blanks here, Michael.

But it saw something on TV learned about Donald Trump.

Maybe and you got into politics.

Yeah.

That my can.

We do know I don't have you on camera right now, but we still got your iOS.

You can go ahead and talk.

Yeah.

So.

I want Donald Trump's speech.

No.

start from the beginning.

Yeah.

Go ahead.

The president.

They have a white PV black to be in a span few.

This day down from about talks were watching CNN.

And I'd like to be there watching FOX and with goal like do thank you put gently.

So I my o why over there?

about what the same thing over here.

He told me.

You just want to hear what Donald Trump had to think without being inspected.

It was like, man, just come up and take watch this with me.

So what the speech?

And he feel about it.

I thought was pretty good speed.

seemed like really cared the we want to do some well when America anything will be a watch.

Cnn.

They don't races.

It will save with divisive.

The problem say some thanks to them or or whatever.

d***** if I if I go over there and I think everything 8th that.

But thank you both.

Late night.

You would like for them not to be defined safety that I just said I might anything how terrible it how much he hates.

This person that person they They I Well, he didn't really think it with dog whistle.

Which only means this is what I want thank you with a it.

came in that day.

started you.

Voted for Trump in 20 were able to get you are able to get out of prison and then you think you voted in 2020.

So you voted for Trump in 2020 year here now your candidate, you're first, first time voted first time you ever voted.

And why I wonder.

wonder, Michael, if you gave a CNN or another organization or something like that, another shot after that because you sound kind of like you have policies on on both sides here.

Not necessarily just Republican, but you have some some ideas as an urban candidate.

I wonder maybe maybe if you are you're both sides.

Are Democrat, Republican?

Maybe you're trying to reach out to to Democrats.

How would you reach out to people in the city's on affordable housing?

Help me there.

we come to affordable housing.

I believe we get We need access to cash.

Well, more than anything.

We accept Dodgers us believe Connecticut does a pretty good job in a affordable housing.

main thing is.

These people broke so poor.

And the coach, Jerry, it's terrible in neighborhood.

I believe.

policies will help with that.

I have a pump.

The cost to investment.

We shouldn't apartment education.

And now we want.

Allocate that money.

To parents.

children.

That are getting on Earth.

So a lot So a lot of your plan is kind of similar to what we're hearing with.

I think with a Rosa DeLauro and Kamala Harris national.

We're talking about getting more money to families.

And I think some of public was that did ask Congress get money directly.

people understand that.

What about like it in terms of affordable housing like what about rent increases?

Could you go after landlords with some kind of federal policy or something like that?

Would you do that or would shy away from that?

I was out net people.

paid a Porter lives for the homes.

We needed that family from.

Restriction on.

private companies, private landlords.

That the private sector work that out.

If you If you're charging too much people a room there.

Just really quickly, can you help me understand here as we finish up the interview here, this is the end.

What you would do to reach across the aisle and maybe work with nationally.

If you're elected, help me understand how you would try to work with your colleagues and collar Congress.

I'm not extreme partisan just became a years ago.

I was.

A typical I I don't hate Democrats.

I I don't dislike our leaders right now.

I just feel that these urban communities, our underrepresented.

We need at least one person in Congress that has been through like that.

I've been through.

We're not going to fix things.

If we get have.

Leader's death, just get How fix the biggest issue in America, which is.

People getting killed cities?

Michael Massey just recently got involved politics now running for Congress.

Really exciting to have a local candidate involved in this race.

Thank you so much for speaking with me today.

Michael.

♪ Coming up, we'll hear from challenger and incumbent another local individual in this race.

Obviously was a square zone.

Incumbent representative Rosa DeLauro have a question for representative to Laura.

Give us a call.

8, 8, 8, 720-9677, 888-720-9677.

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This is the wheelhouse from Connecticut, public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

Just heard from Republican candidate for the U.S. Congressional 3rd District, Michael Massey.

Now I'm joined by challenger, very privileged to have right now on the line.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for morning.

Good morning, Congresswoman.

Good to Made to How are you?

Where are you today?

Are you in a haven, Connecticut minute and then?

Yeah, I'm in my house in New Haven.

Yeah.

Very nice to see you live from New Haven, Connecticut.

This morning.

For a listener.

Some of these questions are similar to the ones that we oppose to.

Michael Massey.

Want to just get a great idea of where these candidates fall on the issues.

Congresswoman DeLauro, great to have you on the show today.

Folks want to ask the congresswoman a call.

You get a rare opportunity to to ask a question to a congresswoman here.

888-720-9677, 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, congresswoman DeLauro.

Just incredible career here in terms of longevity, longest tenured House member Connecticut ever.

I would imagine that comes with some pushback there as well.

What would you say to people who say you've been around for a long time and maybe it's time for change.

What would you say to some of those kind of folks?

Well, I think what you have to do to take a look what's been accomplished and take a look at whether initiatives and you know, the accomplishments that I've been able to achieve over over many years, which has to do with of understanding the legislative process, which working collegiately with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and being able to pass legislation that has been making a difference in people's lives.

I think that's what people want know about.

That's what they want to see as you understand what their lives are about and that what you gonna do is to try help to make that difference for them and their families.

Collegiately is a Great $10 word there because I would imagine that it's a incredible time right now working in the United States Congress.

You guys just got the continuing resolution through on avoiding a government shutdown.

But I would imagine and I heard your speech something that you don't want.

I would imagine you'd want a more permanent resolution.

So what can you do down there at a time where it's not so collegial?

I guess what?

What can you do to try to deliver some of these permanent measures?

What will you do?

Work both sides of the aisle in need.

My counterpart, the Appropriations Committee is Congressman Tom Cole from Oklahoma.

Republican.

comes from coal and I have worked together for years not only as as the chair and ranking member of the full committee, but with the Labor, health human services and Education subcommittee, which is where all of health programs, all of the education programs work training and apprenticeship programs where all of those programs reside in both.

Tom and I have had a very and close relationship and getting those bills passed and what we need to do.

It's a continuing resolution is not a way to want to govern and Tom believes the same thing that what we need to do you know, when we get back and which is after the election is to make sure we hammer out the appropriations bills on 12 of them and passed them before the end of the year so that we can provide the American people with services that they so desperately need in lives.

Parents in Connecticut struggling to find affordable childcare.

I know this is a very issue that is a very close to your heart.

What have you been doing and what do you plan to do to improve accessibility, to care for families across the state?

Obviously not at a local level here, but at the federal level.

Well, I to areas, first of all, child care is critical today's lives.

you know, we're very easily persuaded that if you're mobile industry is in difficulty that they should be bailed out that the airline industry we should take care of then and childcare is a major industry in this nation.

And if you might recall, during the pandemic women, word pushed out of the workforce.

They did not opt out and that it couldn't.

There was no way for child care was a very, very serious issue.

And on that score, that most recently in the in the current bill, they cut in funding bill that we are living with.

Today's I was responsible for increasing and childcare.

I am billion dollars so that one we can increase the opportunity for child care that we can pay child care workers what they deserve taking care of taking care our kids to make that difference in the second piece of that is that is, as I think, you know, that I am the author of the Child Tax Credit.

I've been working on a child tax credit for the last 20 years or more.

And I and the American rescue plan.

President Biden signed into law provided the biggest middle-class tax cut in generation and including helping to lift up millions of families on poverty, lower the hunger rate.

And that would only lasted for a year.

And now I'm working very, very hard to make it permanent.

And when I listen to people who talk about the child tax credit because this was the opportunity for families, working families, middle-class families and to be able to afford child care so that they could go to work that they could afford to put food on the table.

They they and could school supplies for their so that they can deal with paying a rent dealing with housing and mortgage.

They they and is significant data that says that these are this is what they use a child tax credit for.

It is the antidote to inflation and one way in which to deal with the inflation today, a very successful program which we should make and a permanent bases.

That is what I will be fighting for.

Congresswoman, just to kind of follow up here as a journalist.

But as a parent, first and foremost, it's been quite dismaying to see at the Fed at the local level here.

At least some lot of the money, obviously with arpa dollars have gone away and that stood up kind of the childcare industry at least locally here in Connecticut.

So we here at the wheel house in Connecticut, public trying figure out and follow up, figure out how much money could come through to support childcare and early education.

But it sounds like the state and many other states are waiting for dollars at the federal level.

So it it sounds like this has become sort of a federal problem to solve.

So that I as you work here for a permanent child tax credit, do you have any kind of updates or any kind of information that might make parents that might make early educators feel better here.

That may be up.

More money will come through for families.

Well, first of all, the difference 2024, we were responsible and I was responsible for providing and additional.

This is beyond me.

American rescue plan a billion dollars for child care.

You can talk to the state of Connecticut and commissioned by.

We've worked very, very closely together and being able to increase the dollar for child care in our community.

I think it's interesting.

You know, mentioned early child education, which I've been a very big proponent of in Republican project 2025 proposal they would eliminate head start, which is early-childhood education, which is really you know, a foolish in terms of by youngsters education.

So that it's not wish for the future.

And then I've been working on but have, in fact, produced the the dollars that we need for a child care industry and as well for the biggest tax cut for middle class families in a generation.

So the child tax credit.

And if you take a look at the economic planned Vice President Harris has proposed that the top of your list is expanded and improved child tax credit, which is modeled after my legislation.

And it's the $6,000 for families, including a bonus for you know, for and for no boards not only that, but Congressman Walz Governor Walz, I said him is he's a member of Congress.

But as governor wants, he has implemented a child tax credit in the state of Minnesota.

So that issue has become a flagship issue for the Democratic Party.

And so I think it bodes well for thinking about how we provide families today.

The biggest issue facing families is cost of living.

Yep.

of living.

They may struggle paycheck to paycheck.

So programs like the Child Tax credit, like what we've done with childcare is Congressman, thank you for that confirmation.

Now we got a few minutes in this interview.

I want to make sure that I get it to him asking too many follow up questions here.

I apologize.

It is 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, You got a here.

If you want to be able to ask the congresswoman a question.

It is 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, Supreme Court overturning Roe versus Wade in 2022.

States across the country limiting access to abortions.

I don't have to tell you about this, congresswoman.

You know a lot about this.

I imagine you're trying to work to protect the right to reproductive rights.

Help me understand what you would do to kind continue on here in in the wake of the Supreme Court, overturning Roe versus Wade.

Well, what we have to do, what we can do this through the Congress is to make Roe v Wade the law of the land.

Vice President Harris says that that piece of legislation that she would support.

And quite frankly, no woman should be held hostage by their geography.

Women need to make a decision about their do that with their family, with with their conscience list the people that they have the most faith and including, you know, whenever you know their religious background is they make these they make these decisions.

You know, the fact of the matter is and what is take your You know, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle refused to respect and trust women in the decisions that they make about themselves and their families.

And there is is really, in fact, public involved to ban abortion, making it harder to access family, planning care, like birth control or idea.

And I have legislation that would expand IVF coverage.

So those who want to start a family can the win is the witness protection Health Protection Act, which I referenced earlier would once again make Roe v Wade the law of the land.

And Kamala Harris said she would sign that as president he would that legislation.

Congresswoman DeLauro, you're talking about here, if re-elected making this the law of the land, Roe versus Wade is something you'd work to do.

You're talking about the expanded permanent child tax credit.

Help me understand how to solve the great riddle.

That is affordable housing, particularly obviously at the local level issues with planning and zoning.

How does the federal government kind of counter counteract that?

Yeah, well, that that's, you know, you you've hit the nail on the head.

The housing issue is that is a serious issue, not only in community in our state, but that is Nate nationwide.

And just this very when I did was to fight against a really drastic cuts that the Republicans wanted to do relating to the home program and the home program is the only federal program that bills affordable housing and what and intended to do was to seriously cut that program.

And I fought against it.

The transportation housing Bill, which is an improper, appropriations subcommittee includes investments in affordable housing and it includes investments for seniors and people with disabilities as well.

I also have legislation that would allow people who are subject to to evictions and that mostly happens to single moms with large families.

Is that giving them the opportunity to gate legal counsel and the way that that and then, you housing employers.

do.

But there's been a lot individuals to be able to seek they kind of counsel that they need to be able to stay in their homes, cars dressed the homelessness issue.

And I know city in New Haven cities like Los Angeles.

I'm doing and great job in trying to make sure that people have a decent home.

Congresswoman, we we do have a comment here from a listener is our last question for you.

This is Jacob from New Haven, very local.

want to ask the congresswoman about what she's going to do about student loans.

I was enrolled in the same program and now it's being blocked by the courts is what Jacob said.

You have an update for Jacob.

They're Happy to do that.

Even with regard to what the courts did.

Jacob n?

You're right.

It's another issue when I say that families today are struggling.

You people like yourself struggling to try to make ends meet and then you have to deal with on student loans you've got the court to thwart that effort that the president has been engaged and even in with what the court has done, the president in fact, created opportunities for students be able to get relief from student debt.

It's a serious issue.

One that I and the other piece of this is I want to protect students from water called predatory colleges that charge people money, don't provide the kind of degree that gets them a job and takes their money, if you will, and runs.

Those are the kinds of things that have to stop.

We need to provide opportunity for people to put money back in their pocket to give people the opportunity to get an education and not be saddled with debt forever.

The courts have been responsible for this.

We need to turn it around legislatively, which is what we're working at and what the president is working at it.

Thank you to our listener there, Jacob, from New Haven.

Jacob, if you're listening to that answer, I want to give us a call.

888-720-9677, in the next segment.

Baby can react to that answer from the congresswoman.

It's always great to have somebody address a color there.

We appreciate it so much.

Congresswoman DeLauro.

Thank you so much.

Thank Thank you for being on with us live from New Haven today.

We appreciate it.

Coming up, we're going to impact what we just heard from both candidates with loss, coup associate professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford and Mercy Quay founder and CEO of the narrative Project got a question.

Give us a call.

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This is the wheelhouse from Connecticut.

Public radio on Frankie Graziano, talking to candidates for Connecticut's 3rd Congressional district, the incumbent Democrat Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and her Republican opponent Michael Massey.

And now you're looking at a lucky man.

We're going to unpack some of what was said in our expert panel with some great guests, mercy Quay, founder and CEO of the Narrative Project also teaching at Quinnipiac University.

You saw law there.

There's Thank you so much, mercy for joining us today.

Thanks for having Yeah, and thank you so much.

Thank you for coming up today from the New Haven area him.

Also with U.S. last Helier College associate professor of politics government at the University of Hartford High.

Go Hawks the Hartford hate.

I as much as I would love to talk about sports, the Hawks, maybe you're Buckeyes, whatever I want folks to know that if they got a question about something they just heard from our candidates for Connecticut's 3rd Congressional district, let us know.

Call 8, 8, 8, 720-9677, 8, 8, 8, 7, 2, 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, last we heard both candidates explain their stances on some major issues.

We got a little bit of childcare housing, criminal justice reform.

want to start well, first of all, those are really, you know, great questions.

And I think kind of questions that are on the minds of a lot of Americans, especially question around childcare and housing, which are, you know, to really critical issues.

I think we we saw sharp contrasts between the 2 candidates.

I think clearly, Mike, is, you know, someone who is out there who's running.

He's got a great story in terms of the background.

But I think, you know, was clear was that it wasn't a great interview by any stretch of the imagination.

And I think, you know, from from this standpoint going forward, you know, Rose allure, of course, who's been the House for a number of years and, you know, if you're asking me and I'm not a new Haven resident, not a part of her district that I think she's clearly on the path to being re-elected in this debate or discussion really demonstrated that there's a huge gap between the 2 candidates are C?

Yeah.

I think one thing that the just putting these 2 interview side-by-side makes me realize is there is a fleet of you know, there are of candidates on the GOP side that are just not prepared for office in any way.

I think that what we're seeing from the Democrat candidates are a Polish right preparedness understanding of the issues and understanding of the policy policy proposals.

One thing that I was really disappointed to see from Massie was, you give me a policy that I can latch on to give me something to take back to New Haven.

When my friends and family live, who are, you know that that that they can latch onto that they go back right home to say this is what I'm sending my kids to school And there just isn't enough to chew on there.

Whereas Laurel came with her record ready to speak to that record.

Ready to give you numbers have policies to think about for her next term in office, which I think we are preparing to see.

I want to take this in a positive level.

I mean, we take democracy very seriously.

We have to look at me being the unserious person all the time.

But I think in America, we don't like to expose ourselves too much.

We don't like to show our butts as we might have seen Michael Massey do here today.

But like it's OK, that think was in prison for 5 years ago, right?

So he's new to this right?

So like maybe that Polish does come with time if he sticks with us and maybe turns to a couple of news stations, perhaps and not just one, maybe you could get that, but maybe you can have an opportunity where you don't excel here in the first race or something like be get better in the future.

For You just 2 points very quickly.

One is I love his story.

And I think this is the kind of story that really needs to be heard by.

A lot of people hear someone who went to prison that's come out and wants to get back to his community, which is just an incredible accomplishment on his part nothing.

You can't take away from that.

And so certainly that's the case.

The second problem, a thing, though, is that, you know, clearly this is probably a race that not many Republicans wanted to run They came up with the candidates just to have is a place holder.

But it really just taking a step back into sort of get that would misuse.

And earlier is that, you know, you develop candidates, you do kind the training.

You do the work to do so that they're much more polish when they do the interviews.

And so clearly, this is also showing a failure on the part of Republican Party in general in the state in terms of picking a candidate doing the kind of work to really polish them up with regard to being able to talk about the issues to talk with, you know, and to be able to do that and do that effectively included.

That didn't come through.

The Lord has been in office for a long time.

She's got a long record of accomplishments then the record of activity in Congress.

And so she's just able to talk about that more easily.

And I think it clearly show on the other side of what we just talked me being positive.

What happens when you don't get policies to latch on to it, you can end up kind of arriving at dead right?

So like I got there a couple of times in the interview.

So there's there's this interesting thing where I think Michael, a lot sounds like he could be reaching out to people on both sides of the aisle.

A lot of times criminal justice reform, whatever.

But you get stopped in to this kind debt and space where as a Republican candidate, a lot of times we're hearing that you can kind of get involved in what the states are doing, right?

That's a big thing with reproductive rights or you have to bring in the jobs from overseas.

You have to bring them back home, which is a lot of things that we hear we're talking about working with private sector companies.

So you kind of get into a dead end there with criminal justice reform.

So like.

I don't know what to do.

Are we seeing this issue a lot nationally where we kind of get stuck where we have to?

feel like we have to be either a true Democrat or a true Republican or a true third-party this.

Oh, well, I mean, you know, as we don't have enough time to talk about the fact that, you know, the 2 party system is not working for us right.

But I will say, you know, the pros and cons of really the existence of a candidate like Mike Massey ease.

You know.

We are seeing an uptick.

The loud think we've talked about this before.

We are to uptick of black men in particular who were leaning towards the Republican Party because they do not see themselves represented adequately and the Democratic Party.

Right.

And so what we see and Michael Massey's existence as a candidate is really calling in a demographic of people who don't feel seen who can give them an example of listen, I don't have to be the Polish guy.

I don't have to have X Y Z degree or 40 years of experience in policymaking to know that my neighborhood is the ace and needs this right.

And I think that's the appeal of a candidate like Mike messy.

But where we the issue is right when we are stepping up to the plea or the microphone without with only talking points and no policy point, it doesn't do our communities and the service, Someone from New Haven born raised in state right.

And you know, I in my bio anywhere you see, I put in my bio that I'm the only thing that makes me different from other people from New Haven is I'm I'm just an inner city kid went to college.

All right.

So I resonate with my class the story, but I'm not seeing how we get from point A to point B where I see policies that impact my friends and family right.

And actually when you think about it, the natural progression for someone like him should have been first Step City Council, perhaps or something at the local level and then you move up to jump immediately into a congressional race is just crazy.

But at the same time and this is the other party.

I grew up like you agree and the city of Detroit.

so his story really resonates with me.

I have friends of mine.

I grew up with who went to Brazil, drug addiction.

I mean, all of those kinds of things.

But what struck me about the contrast in this and I think it's just the general focus of the current presidential election.

He is raising, I think, really important issues about our city's issues, about criminal justice reform.

These are things that really are important in communities of color and they are not a part of the conversation is so well.

Certainly childcare and other issues are things that very impactful in communities of color.

But at the same time, if you're black man and you're living and you grew up in a city like New Haven, the criminal justice system is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Not talked about the state of cities in terms of jobs dealing with crime.

so all of those kinds of issues are real issues.

They need to be addressed the state of the public schools.

But unfortunately, those are not the ones that are really being focused on this election cycle.

Let me try to recover after getting knocked on my b*** by mercy law city.

Some great I appreciate it.

But I I messed with Michael.

They're a little bit.

They're talking about, you know, you get your news may be from one source or whatever.

But I bring that up to say that I want to be able to sometimes talk about issues and in 2 different ways, right?

Like racism, for example, I want to be able to give somebody perspective, especially a black man to come on here and say that it may be racism doesn't exist.

That's why we want to be able to talk about that.

But we want to also give you the other side of that coin.

I think we do that here Connecticut public.

I think we do that PR to be able to say you have your opportunity say that you don't think that maybe racism exists, but also then have the opportunity to say that there's a lot of people out there that do think that racism exists is Lee.

I mean, let's talk about that.

So think it is an Illinois formed position, but it one that, you know, exist with reason.

I think that there is an entire demographic, an entire fashion of all, Ali, I'll just take sick to black people, even talking broadly speaking people of color, but there's an entire faction of black people who feel as though it's the inner locus of control in locus of control.

Right?

If I if I push off all of my issues on the existence of the big bad R word, right, the big bad racism, then it means that I didn't have the autonomy to make the decisions that I that could have landed me in one place or another night.

Really respect the mentality and the thinking of formerly incarcerated individuals because that comes from a place like I made these decisions.

I have the autonomy.

I chose the life path that I chose.

And it got me to the place that I there's a one-two step for that kind of thinking.

If you extrapolate that when you put that in the lens of racism, if you if there is something else that is responsible for my failure or my oppression in some I am on my poverty.

My ability, my inability to seek housing to secure housing, my inability to secure a job right?

If there's something else out there that that's unattainable, that's harder to tackle.

That's harder to solve for.

But if it's me and economy is all mine.

Then there's a little bit more wiggle that is in alignment with the idea of the American dream.

That works really well.

The American dream doesn't allow for space to think that racism is the problem because otherwise, what about those bootstraps?

Yeah, yeah.

I don't think anything more eloquent than what was just said.

I mean, I think that really captures, you know, the tension that really exists.

I think the other part of this, you know, conversation there is a segment of the black population.

I consider myself to be a part of that.

Who are middle class who are well educated, have decent incomes.

And, you know, and also that tension around structural inequality and the role this structures and institutions play in creating inequality really creates a interesting sort of discourse within the black community about to what extent it's about structures and institutions and to what extent it is about individual sort of decisions and choices that people make.

And all of that is sort of wrapped up in this broader sort of narrative about, you know, the American creed about hard working individual and so all of that tension is is there, you know, in Israel.

But I think again, what is appealing to me?

And I think very powerful about his story is that we often look at people who are formally have been formally incarcerated people who have felony convictions.

And we really discard them and we find no place for them to come back into society and to really contribute.

And he is doing.

He's defying that kind of an argument that let let me go here.

So you have Donald Trump as a as a role model to this individual to Michael Massey.

So like help me understand what to help me understand what's appealing to Michael Massey with the Donald Trump.

what's it?

What's it?

What's appealing person is not appealing me.

So can't really answer the lot.

I mean, it is messing with on.

I mean, but really bizarre to me.

But but I mentioned, you know, part of, you know, Trump's appeal and again, this gets into this large a narrative around individual person responsibility.

He is someone who is looked upon by a lot of people he's created this public image of success, you know, and again, I mean, this is it gets its challenge, but it really people are not effectively been able to really challenge that sort of illusion that he has created about his success about what he stands for, what he wants to accomplish.

And if you're someone who really is looking for that opportunity, perhaps to start a business is someone who really has so bought into that individual sort of narrative then, you know, certainly what he is talking about can be appealing.

I got to jump you because I got to have you address that, the congresswoman, because we don't have like 2 minutes left in talking a lot about Michael Massey here.

So help me understand where we could take away from the congresswoman here today.

I mean, you have someone who obviously has a record that you can rely on, right?

You have someone who understands the policies and works actively every single time that she's been elected inches.

Been a lot You can trust her to go to DC and get the job done.

The those are the pros, right.

I think the Cannes that Durham will be up against is this ongoing in justifiable conversation about their need to be a new guard of leadership our nation, right in here in Connecticut.

We understand that our leaders are aging and there's a new generation that is excited to lead.

And and probably a line out the door once belittled size that, you know, she won't be seeking another term.

She's 81 and I adore her as my congresswoman, right.

But at the same time when it comes down to it, I understand that there is an entire generation of a new fleet of of individuals who are eager to run and a new fleet of individuals who are looking for leadership that represents a new age.

Last question to get too quick here.

So you have then the choice.

So if you don't want to support an 81 year-old congresswoman did just dump her for Michael Massey.

The new shiny red to adhere do just do that.

Or do you just continue to go with somebody?

ideologically allegedly it's not.

all depends on what your motivations are for election cycle.

Right?

And I think that there are several individuals in New Haven specifically who will relate to Michael Massey story.

I understand it resonates with me.

I have friends who have been incarcerated with the high school with several people who have been incarcerated who coming out in starting lives in you.

But I don't think that the comparison is something that is a tease rise to the level of consideration of dumping Diller.

You can't judge somebody by their age.

You can't judge them by the color of their hair.

Mercy Quay, founder and of the narrative project and teacher Quinnipiac University.

Thank you so much for coming for slaying and looking great.

I appreciate it.

Glossy Curry looks great.

Thank your college associate professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford.

Thank you so much for coming on the show.

Sure.

second of 5 candidate interviews will hear from candidates for Connecticut's 5th congressional district on Wednesday.

October 16th grab the popcorn for that next week we get a break from the local races to talk about the Electoral College.

What everything's gonna look like in the country.

Thank you so much for joining the show today.

Show produced by Chloe Win.

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See you next week.