Challenger Hamid immigrated to the U.S. with his family from Pakistan when he was 3 years old. He has lived in Hamden for 24 years and has long looked for ways to give back to the community. He became a teacher for that reason, he said, and now is running for mayor to have a bigger impact.
Leng won a special election in May 2015 after former Mayor Scott Jackson went to work for Governor Malloy.