Legislative Republicans want to stick Bridgeport in Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District. And why not? It would give the GOP just about a lock on winning the Republican-rich 4th Congressional District Jim Himes won in the Barack landslide of 2008. The district runs from Bridgeport to Greenwich and includes the Gold Coast of Fairfield County. Opponents to the Republican proposal, including the progressive voice Democracy for America, demonstrated at a local rally Saturday morning. This issue could be decided in court.
“Ever since the first Congressional district lines were drawn back in the late 1800s, Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford have been represented together in Congress,” said Kate Tepper, Chair of Democracy for America–Fairfield County. “Now there’s a proposal to split the district and lump in Bridgeport with New Haven. It’s unnecessary and undemocratic, and it’s motivated by a desire for partisan advantage rather than the needs of the people.”
Rally details:
Keep Bridgeport in the 4th Congressional District!
“Let the District Be Unbroken”
We need your help to show state lawmakers that we reject the Republican proposal to split Bridgeport off from the 4th CD and lump it in with New Haven. In their partisan quest to create a “safe” GOP district, they want to overturn over one hundred years of historic linkage of Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford being represented together in Congress.
We’ll gather on the sidewalk of the Fairfield Avenue Bridge separating Bridgeport and Fairfield to demonstrate our rejection of this blatantly partisan redistricting proposal. Parking is available at either end of the bridge.
Come link arms with us to show we won’t be divided!
Saturday 11:00 AM on the Fairfield Avenue (Rt 130) Bridge
(between the Black Rock section of Bridgeport and the town of Fairfield)
DFA-Fairfield County is a local grassroots activist group that supports progressive political action. To learn more check out their web site www.democracyforct.net. MoveOn is a national organization. Learn more at www.moveon.org.
Interesting no one would put their name on this item.
Could it be from Congressman Himes’ staff?
Lennie, could you tell us who is organizing this?
Mea culpa, Democracy for America.
Mea maxima culpa!
Do you really think the Democrats in Hartford will let this happen? Do you think Rosa DeLauro wants to face a primary from the state’s largest city? NO.
Just more political BS.
tc: Practically speaking, the state’s most politically dysfunctional, I mean LARGEST, city would be smeared in a Democratic primary for Congress against Rosa or anybody else the New Haven area decided to run for the Democratic nomination in the new district. Bridgeport is merely a throw-in.
Bill Finch for Congress!!!
Jim,
How much of a positive is it for us to keep acknowledging Bridgeport is the most populous City in the State? Mayor Finch doesn’t say that as often as he says we occupy only 17.5 square miles that makes it a small CT municipality, right?
Perhaps what we should claim and let listeners figure it out is Bridgeport (with the largest population of 169 cities and towns in the State and with a relatively small land area) is the DENSEST municipality in the STATE.
Neighbors please don’t build a fence,
Bridgeport should cause you no offense.
We’re green (not fiscally), that’s just a pretense.
We’re large and small, that makes us dense.
Where has Democracy for America been in our low-turnout voting this year? How about Democracy in Bridgeport where the freedom to speak (publicly to your representatives) is treated as a responsibility and a right to be heard? Time will tell.
“Bridgeport is merely a throw-in.”
We are becoming more like a throwaway.
Okay, so DFA which is based in Norwalk is coming to save Bridgeport from the GOP and meet on the Ash Creek Bridge at 11am Saturday?
Meanwhile, Beacon, here is more info on city 192 job cuts you responded to yesterday, from the Budget Summary 2012:
“Through the Finch administration, there has been a reduction of over 192 direct service positions in keeping with its mission of providing CORE services to the public, first and foremost. Additionally, this budget once again includes in every department TOTAL personnel costs such as medicare, social security, pension and health care. Although health care is determined on a COBRA basis and not true cost, as the City is on claim payout, it is a fair representation of how and where the total value is paid. This is another milestone in the Finch’s Administration philosophy regarding fiscal integrity and more transparent governance.”
Many of the positions eliminated were:
1) In the Health Department. I guess healthcare is not considered a core service to the public.
2) Many of the positions were grant funded. It is not like he eliminated expenses but he eliminated revenue also.
3) By maintaining flat funding for education, he caused the elimination of jobs and reduced services in public education. Another non-core service.
*** It’s change, no? Besides, the majority of “ZOMBIELAND” won’t know or care about the difference anyway! ***
DFA is a front for Jim Himes. They have been an ardent supporter of his.
Would DFA be opposed to moving Bridgeport into the 5th Congressional District and making that a stronger Democratic seat?
Grin,
I can assure you DFA Fairfield County is not a front for Himes. Many of the members of our group are deeply disappointed in him. The demonstration yesterday was about keeping the 4th CD competitive rather than allowing it to become a safe Republican seat. Himes would of course benefit from this because he’s the incumbent, but our focus is on making sure the progressives in the district are not completely disenfranchised.
If you have any doubts on this, I invite you to attend our monthly meeting in Norwalk at the Silver Star Diner just off I-95 exit 14. We meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm. Hope to see you January 4th.
You can also view our weekly cable access TV show “Stream of Conscience.” Search for us on YouTube using the search string “dfatvnet.”
And if Bridgeport were to move would that mean Rick Torres would be more likely or less likely to run for Congress again?
Does anyone even care?
Currently, the 4th district is a swing district–one of maybe only 60 or so out of 435 nationwide. Without Bpt the 4th becomes a safe GOP district. As a Democrat, the last thing I want to see is another safe GOP district.
More importantly though, as an American, the last thing I want to see is the loss of another swing district.
Swing districts tend to produce more moderate candidates as each party must move to the center and try to win over moderate and independent voters. This produces congressmen (and women) who tend to be more pragmatic and more capable of actually negotiating with the other side.
Safe districts are more prone to producing idealogues, as the candidates need only appeal to their respective bases to maintain or gain their seats. This produces hard right and hard left congressmen and is largely responsible for the current gridlock in Washington.
Bottom line–Bpt. needs to stay in the 4th district.
Right on, John.
*** PAE party wants its cake & eat it too! *** TEXAS HOEDOWN? ***
Why would there be any redrawing of this district? We did not lose or gain any electoral votes. Republicans wonder why 80% or more of Bridgeport voters do not vote for Republicans on the national level because of their dirty politics.
donj, no one does dirty politics better than the Bridgeport Democratic machine.
Save your breath, chs … he is in college. He still knows everything …
donj,
Even though we didn’t gain or lose House seats, our districts need to be fine-tuned to reflect small population shifts. The Republican proposal for Bridgeport is a massive change, however, and is politically motivated (as are all redistricting decisions).
If Bpt does, so should Shelton and Monroe.
donj:
The Democratic Party controls both houses of the legislature. The guv is a Democrat. The Democrats call the dance and tune. There is no reason for the Democrats to accommodate the Republicans unless they have a reason to accommodate them.
Finish out that thought and where Bridgeport fits into it.
Jim,
The redistricting rules require a two-thirds majority in both the State Senate and State House, and the Republicans can block this in both houses, so either the two parties reach a deal or it goes to the courts.
The Governor, by the way, has no say in this. He can’t veto their decision.
The rally was GREAT and Jerry Mander was there, he spoke AND he spoke against Bridgeport.
It was truly moving. Must have been a couple of thousand people there.
Lennie, are you sure the this is only a Republican idea? The idea of creating a Republican Congressional district or is it an idea to create a minority Congressional district where a Hispanic or African American can win? It looks and sounds like there is a block of Democrats who are against the idea of creating a minority Democratic Congressional district and are using the possibility in doing so, a Republican district will be created as an excuse to prevent that from happening. If creating a district where a Hispanic or African American can get elected to Congress requires creating a district where a Republican can get elected, then so be it. Lennie, have you looked into the demographics or census figures in this proposed district change? We are being told of the benefits to the Republicans. What are the advantages–if any–to the minority community?
OFF TOPIC:
Great news. Fletcher-Thompson announces it is ‘contemplating’ returning to downtown Bridgeport by 2014. They have been awarded the contract to remediate the Mechanics and Farmers building then occupy most of the resulting commercial space.
This is significant. With a prestigious firm like F-T moving in, I would expect more like enterprises to follow.
I point my finger right at the noses of Mario Testa and Paul Timpanelli. Both of you keep your greedy paws off of this project!
Good news for the theaters, too. As I recall, years ago, FT did the plans for the theaters when Caruso was lobbying for their survival and Mr. Marcinek is pretty much into saving them. Good. Let’s see …
Putting Bridgeport into the same district with New Haven will take the Congressional input and take away the corrupt influence that has ruled Bridgeport for the past 40 years. It will also allow for more substantive and legitimate representation in Congress for the two cities.
Bob–My main point in keeping Bpt in the 4th district is to prevent the loss of a swing district. Please see my Dec 9, 2011 at 6:07 pm post above.
But I am curious as to just how are Jim Himes, Chris Shays before him and Rosa DeLauro not substantive and legitimate representatives and just how were Himes and Shays products of Bpt’s corrupt influence?
You’re worried about a swing vote and Bridgeport is going down the tubes … is that it? It’s the Democratic Party in Bridgeport that has created this toxic environment. Unfortunately the Republican Party here is not much more than a drinking society without any clout or representation. Since the Democratic model in Bridgeport is a failure, perhaps another perspective would work.
One more time–please explain to me how Himes and Shays are/were products of Bpt’s corrupt influence.
John, I’ll bet the only reason Jim Himes was re-elected was because the minions who work for Bridgeport were told to make sure they vote or their jobs would be in jeopardy. The Democratic Party knows who votes from the ‘soft sheets’ and knows just by voting the flies and leeches will vote Democratic. So if someone hasn’t voted it would be reported to the powers and unless a suitable excuse is proffered, a job might disappear.
It is always refreshing to hear a new viewpoint. Thank you, Bob.
LE … the trouble with many of the bloggers here is they have been so involved with the local government they cannot think outside of the box. I watched much of the same dynamics in NYC take it down a path of corruption until Giuliani gave NYC back its soul …
I’m a lifelong Democrat who votes with my head and my heart, not with those who control my life.
Let’s hear more about this. Bridgeport going Republican? Tune in on Tue Dec 20: The Democracy for America organization will appear on Bridgeport Now TV, to discuss efforts to change redistricting and put Bridgeport in Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District.