Third CD also had an eventful Monday night. Challenger to DeLauro won 13%. Rice protests convention procedures.

While former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin was making history by tipping over veteran Democrat John Larson at the First Congressional District nominating convention, challenger Andrew Rice scored 13% of the delegate votes against 18-term incumbent Rosa DeLauro.

Rice enjoyed strong showings in the Hamden and Wallingford delegations. Connecticut nominating conventions are how parties enforce the states anti-democratic ballot access laws. They can be cruel to the uninitiated and inscrutable to the most enthusiastic newcomer.

With 13% of the votes at the end of the submission of delegation tally sheets—there was no roll call—Rice might have been able to persuade 2% of the delegates to join him during the unsavory 10-minute switching period built into the party rules for nominating conventions. That 2% would have allowed Rice to qualify for the August 11th primary ballot.

Instead, Rice and his supporters will need to collect thousands of signatures from registered Democrats in the district to win a spot on the ballot and continue his challenge to DeLauro. He believes the rules were not followed on Monday night and will fight a two-front war. He’ll continue collecting signatures of course, while he pursues the complaint he filed today with the state Democratic Party dispute committee.

The party regularly appoints committees to hear complaints and resolve them. Rices detailed complaint is below:

To the Executive Director of the Connecticut Democratic Party Sarah Locke, 

I am submitting a Formal Complaint requesting an investigative process, including protections under Article V of Connecticut Democratic State Party Rules, looking into violations of “Agenda 2026 US House of Representatives Endorsement Convention” and “2026 Democratic Party Congressional Convention Rules” approved by the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee. These violations undermine the legitimacy of the results for the May 11th 2026 Democratic Party Congressional Convention for Connecticut’s Third Congressional District. Therefore, I am requesting a new Congressional Convention for Connecticut’s Third Congressional District be held. 

Link to Agenda: https://www.ctdems.org/2026-congressionalconvention-agenda.pdf

Link to Rules: https://www.ctdems.org/2026-congressional-convention-rules.pdf 

The above files were emailed to CD3 Convention Delegates on 5/10/26 from the email address: conventions@ctdems.org 

The following list describes violations of “Agenda 2026 US House of Representatives Endorsement Convention”

1. After the Temporary Chair Kristen Malloy-Scanlon called the convention to order (Agenda Item 1), the temporary chair invited Reverend Abraham Hernandez from Grace Fellowship Church in East Haven for a prayer. This item was not on the agenda and no motion was made to add to the agenda. 

2. The Convention Chair, Vincent Mauro Jr, failed to call for the appointment of a Parliamentarian for the Convention (Agenda Item 6). There was no motion to exclude this agenda item nor any reason or context given as to why this agenda item was excluded. 

3. The Convention Chair, Vincent Mauro Jr, failed to call for the Adoption of Rules for the Convention (Agenda Item 7). There was no motion to exclude this agenda item nor any reason or context given as to why this agenda item was excluded. 

4. The announcement of the presumed winner (Agenda Item 10), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, was to be immediately followed by an acceptance speech of the presumed winner (Agenda Item 11). The Convention Chair, Vincent Mauro Jr, called for a campaign style video of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro lasting 6 minutes and 13 seconds to be presented to the Convention. There was no motion to include this agenda item nor any reason or context given as to why this agenda item was included. 

The following list describes violations of “2026 Democratic Party Congressional Convention Rules*”

*No rules package was approved or adopted by the delegates at the Third Congressional District Convention. The following violations are of the presumed rules drafted and approved by Democratic State Central Committee. 

1. The Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr violated Rule 6, Section a, subsection iii by allowing nominating and seconding speeches for Rosa DeLauro to last a combined 12 minutes and 14 seconds versus nominating and seconding speeches for Andrew Rice having only 8 minutes and 25 seconds combined. The rules stipulate these combined lengths shall not exceed 8 minutes. 

2. The Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr violated Rule 6, Section a, subsection iv by allowing presumed endorsed nominee Rosa DeLauro to deliver an acceptance speech lasting 13 minutes and 45 seconds. The rules stipulate the acceptance speech shall not exceed 5 minutes.

3. The Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr violated Rule 7 by not holding a roll call vote by town delegation. The vote was conducted by a final tally. There was no motion to amend this rule nor any reason or context given as to why this rule was ignored. 

4. The Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr violated Rule 10 by not providing delegations with a 10-minute period to change their votes at the conclusion of a roll call vote. There was no motion to amend this rule nor any reason or context given as to why this rule was ignored. 

5. The Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr violated Rule 1, Robert’s Rules of Order, by failing to properly recognize and give the podium, microphone, or quiet chamber to Hamden Delegates Taite Lipchak and Bradford Picarello when they raised a “Point of Order.” The Chair failed to provide a ruling of “Well taken” or “Not well taken” to the points of order and instead called on the delegation to vote in favor against the point of order on Taite’s Point. Robert’s Rules of Order stipulate a chair provides a ruling, the ruling can be appealed, and then a vote is called. The point of order should have been determined by the parliamentarian. However, since the agenda item of appointing a parliamentarian was omitted by the Chair, the Chair did not consult with anyone, and decided to take an out of order voice vote.
   
6. The Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr violated Rule 1, Robert’s Rules of Order, by ignoring Tiffany French Goffe when she raised a “Point of Order” and instead unilaterally instructed a campaign style video of Rosa DeLauro to be played. 

Given the experienced nature of the Convention Chair Vincent Mauro Jr, who chairs the New Haven DTC, the largest DTC in the Third Congressional District, and has chaired committee and conventions for years and the presence of senior Democratic State Central Committee members, it is difficult to comprehend blatant violations of Robert’s Rules of Order, “Agenda 2026 US House of Representatives Endorsement Convention” and “2026 Democratic Party Congressional Convention Rules.”

The actions of this Chair casts doubt on the ability of the Convention to remain neutral and impartial during the convention. A new Congressional Convention for Connecticut’s Third Congressional District must be held to ensure the legitimacy of the Democratic Party in accordance with the Connecticut Democratic Party rules as authorized by the Democratic State Central Committee. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to resolve these violations of Connecticut Democratic Party rules as authorized by the Democratic State Central Committee.

Best,  

Andrew Rice | Candidate for Congress

Connecticut’s Third Congressional District

(he/him/his)

Published May 13, 2024.