Primaries are all about identifying your friends and dragging them out. By most accounts the Democratic State House primary in the 126th Assembly District between incumbent Charlie Stallworth and school board member Maria Pereira could go either way next Tuesday depending on the efficiency of their respective turnout operations. This is a battle between the party establishment backing Stallworth and insurgents supporting Pereira, a stick in the eye to insiders.
Stallworth recognized the serious nature of the campaign when he took a two-week leave from his paid city job as an appointee of Mayor Joe Ganim overseeing the small and minority business office.
Stallworth’s first mail piece features City Council members Nessah Smith and Anthony Paoletto who represent the Upper East Side 138th District (the mailer has a typo citing them representing the 128th council district that does not exist) where Pereira enjoys a mighty base of support in the Hooker School precinct that carried her Democratic Town Committee slate to a nine-seat, clean-sweep victory in March over a slate that included Smith and Paoletto.
Smith and Paoletto had been short-term allies of Pereira in support of Joe Ganim’s mayoral primary win over incumbent Bill Finch last September. The irrepressible Pereira had a falling-out with them over their support of Tom McCarthy for another term as City Council president. Paoletto is an active supporter of McCarthy’s State Senate run against incumbent Marilyn Moore.
Stallworth won his seat in a 2011 special election after Chris Caruso left to accept a gubernatorial appointment from Dan Malloy in the Department of Labor. This race is new territory for Stallworth who has never faced a high-energy campaigner such as Pereira. On the surface it would appear the district is teed up demographically for Stallworth in a region that includes two strong African American precincts, Wilbur Cross and Hallen. If history repeats itself, however, Pereira’s base of support in Hooker could offset Stallworth’s margins in those precincts depending on vote splitting. The House district is split among two State Senate districts so Pereira will be on the same line (B) as Marilyn Moore in Cross and the same line as Ed Gomes in Hallen. State Senate incumbents Moore and Gomes were not endorsed by the party so they will appear on the second line.
In recent years primary voters have rejected a number of party-endorsed candidates.
Pereira is campaigning in Stallworth’s base area, but she’s also banking on strong support in the Park City Magnet precinct that features voters from the active Lake Forest area. Two smaller precincts Read and Beardsley fill out the six voting areas. The district covers portions of the Upper East Side and the Whiskey Hill section of the North End.
So far Pereira also appears to be holding her own based on operatives who keep score of absentee ballot returns.
In his first mailer Stallworth highlights his vote to cap the mil rate on car taxes, his support of additional state aid to the city and backing of a second-chance initiative on behalf of ex-offenders. Pereira’s campaign focus is her strong advocacy of education issues while contrasting her school board attendance record with what she asserts is Stallworth’s poor attendance record on key state issues. Stallworth operatives are also contrasting his ability to work with the city’s legislative delegation against Pereira’s relationship challenges.
Of the four legislative primaries on the line August 9, this race is arguably the most personality driven given the breakup of political alliances and Pereira’s recent campaign successes against the party establishment.
If Smith and Paoletto can keep Hooker close that leads to a Stallworth win, it would be a piece of revenge against Pereira. If Pereira wins it’s certainly another major victory against local political power.
I will say this, neither candidate will do much to help us here at Hooker school. Stallworth has done nothing for us and I don’t remember seeing him at the polls the last time he ran.
Maria P is a hard campaigner but she is always or so it seems at the center of controversy. She has been on the BOE and seems to cause more problems than she solves.
I have lived in the 138th for more years than anyone who still lives up here. I will only be voting for Ed Gomes. I will not vote for the other two.
Andy, we’re in the same boat here in the 130th, state Rep. Steve Staftrom (129) has to recuse himself every time there’s a vote on bonding. Now that’s never happened in the history of Bridgeport. You can miss any vote, but not when it comes to bonding!
Stafstrom sits on the finance, review and Bonding committee.
Talk about a huge conflict of interest.
I got this mailer and I live in the 135th. What do Smith and Paoletto have to do with the 135th? Does no one proofread? Check addresses? Your tax dollars at work. SMH.
Ben Walker, you border Stallworth, no? I drive down Frenchtown Rd, by your home en route to Planet Fitness. I see Stallworth signs everywhere! I do not think it is a mistake you received the mailer. I on the other hand have been receiving mailings from Moore nearly every day. I am supporting McCarthy, go figure.
I am sure if you read her mailers, you will see the way, the truth and the light and vote for Senator Moore.
Steve, what Ben is trying to say is: what the FUCK do Nessah and Paoletto II have to do with his district? The answer: NOTHING.
Frank Underwood, Anthony Paoletto and Nessah are local celebrities. People like them. I think they are nice people. They have friendly faces. They are elected officials and they support Charles Stallworth because they believe the entire city matters! I would like that picture autographed and sent to me. Celebrities, I tell ya!
Celebrities? Whatever you need to convince yourself of. So ludicrous it’s actually tee-shirt worthy. Get your Nessahletto shirt here before they sell out. No one even knows whom they are outside of political circles.
Ben,
It sounds like Stevie A is stalking you. Be careful.
Just got in from knocking on doors. One of my canvassers brought in a door hanger stating the following:
“Charlie Stallworth has proven he can get the job done … as a State Representative for the past four years.” He has been a State Rep. for over five years.
“Improving Bridgeport’s public schools and fighting to get our fair share of education funding.” The “public schools” he has been fighting for are charter schools.
“Bridgeport has big problems–Increased taxes, high unemployment, closing schools, aging roads and bridges, and more.” I am on the school board and I don’t know of any schools closing.
Now we have to read the fine print.
“Paid for by Charters Care. This message was made independent of any candidate or political party. Contributions from Real Reform Now Network, Steve Mandell And Jon Sackler.”
Steve Mandell is the Greenwich billionaire who was heavily involved in the takeover of the Bridgeport Public Schools and primary funder of Ex$ell Bridgeport. Jonathon Sackler is a founder of Achievement First Charter Schools and donated $50,000 to Mayor Finch’s Charter Referendum to take away our right to vote for our school board.
Spread the word far and wide, these are the individuals supporting Charlie Stallworth.
How to you respond to criticism of the body shaming you did to our newest member of the BOE, Annette Segarra-Negron? You mocked the hair color of a cancer survivor. Some have even gone as far as to characterize you as the BPT BOE’s version of Donald Trump.
It figures Nessah Smith and Anthony Paoletto would be standing with Mr. Stallworth. Those two knocked on my door a few times last year campaigning and every issue, every idea and every word they spoke didn’t amount to a damned thing and I mean everything was a freaking LIE. The ethical, moral and the violations of the city charter, all of it meant NOTHING. FREAKING LIES piss people off.
So Mr. Stallworth, the picture above speaks great volume about you, the old saying, “you are judged by the company you keep,” nailed it for all three of you. PS, I wouldn’t brag too much about being the “endorsed Democrat candidate,” there is no real value(s) attached to such a claim.
I will not be voting for Mr. Stallworth. I will be voting for the candidate who has morals and ethics, the candidate who stands for and fights for the heart of the city, THE KIDS. The candidate who will represent and fight for resolving and improving Bridgeport’s issues and matters and who will not be on Mayor Ganim’s payroll or his go-for.
I proudly will vote for Maria Pereira and will look forward to Maria going to Hartford to represent Bridgeport.
This Independent Expenditure called Charters Care is being led by the Director of Northeast Charter $chools Jeremiah Grace.
They have raised $15,000 from Jonathan Sackler, etc. to fund a State Rep. in Stamford and Charlie Stallworth.
They have rented a room at the Holiday Inn to store supplies and hold meetings.
They have purchased sound equipment to attach to vehicles.
These white billionaires and millionaires just never go away, and they never learn their lesson.
We believe we have solid evidence to support Charlie Stallworth coordinated this expenditure with Charters Care.
We will be filing a formal complaint.
Pereira’s got this. Stallworth is just going to have to struggle by with two six-figure salaries instead of two and almost a half. Poor, poor Charlie. We know your reverse Robin Hood act is so “taxing.” = Stealing from the poor to give to the rich has got to be exhausting. Using Bridgeport taxpayer funds to finance your slap in the face life style takes a “toll.” We know, Charlie. Relax and have a glass of altar wine. It’s likely a great vintage considering your allies.
But the Dr. Rev. said voting for Ganim last year was like “voting for Jesus Christ.”
Egregious.
CT Post: Ganim supporter compared election to freeing the slaves
www .ctpost.com/news/article/Ganim-supporter-compared-election-to-freeing-the-6591866.php
George Mintz, president of the local NAACP branch, called the statement by Rep. Charles Stallworth, D-Bridgeport, “outrageous,” but said that much bigger issues are at stake in next week’s mayoral election.
“For too long the African American community has been used for the political purpose of others at election time and has yet to fully enjoy all the freedoms offered by the Emancipation Proclamation,” Mintz said in a statement.
“He was comparing an election to something that is somewhat sacred,” Mintz added in a later interview. “When you compare an election to the Emancipation Proclamation, it kind of irks people.”
Thank you, George Mintz.
Great find, Pete!
George who? What does he do, he comes out once a year to make a statement? What is the NAACP doing about anything in Bridgeport?
Ron,
We have our first newsletter, which would be in your hands already were you attending a meeting occasionally as is your right. Instead, I shall deliver a copy to your home since it has been so difficult for us to meet anyplace else in the City except by accident.
As communications director I invite your participation as a man of color with great City experience and broad opinions to comment, ask questions and get responses out on the firing line, publicly. George Mintz has been active beyond the local geographic base of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Stratford and Fairfield as well as in the City with representation, speaking truth to power, building relationships that have been allowed to decrease in recent years, and more. Ready to write your thoughts? Time will tell.
JML, our organization, the Firebird Society of Bridgeport is a Lifetime member and I have not renewed my membership and I don’t plan on renewing it.
JML, George took the only expression of our Blackness and of our ethnicity, The Juneteenth Parade, a celebration of the last slaves in America who heard about the Emancipation Proclamation. He took our celebration and renamed it the Juneteenth and Caribbean Day festival. What in hell does the Caribbean have to do with Juneteenth?
I have nothing against my Caribbean brothers, but Juneteenth is a Black American celebration and its name should have remained the same.
They don’t do altar wine at East End Tabernacle. Maybe in the Mayor’s office, though.
Nessah Smith is a political waste of space. During the past two City Council meetings she did everything but pay attention to those who were speaking. At times, it even looks as if she closed her eyes for a brief nap. It starts by taking out Stallworth; Smith and Paoletto will be next.
She’s “volunteering” on the City Council. What do you expect?
*** THE MORE I LISTEN TO MS. PEREIRA, THE MORE I LIKE WHAT SHE’S SAYING IN GENERAL, EVEN THOUGH SHE’S A HOTHEAD! ***
CT Mirror reporting the Greenwich Charter School Billionaires and Millionaires are behind the Independent Expenditure to help Dennis Bradley defeat Senator Ed Gomes and Charlie Stallworth over me.
Send out an email blast to every registered Democrat in Bridgeport you know! Educate, inform and motivate your friends, family, and colleagues to vote for Ed, Marilyn and myself because these elitists are intent in taking over our schools and getting their greedy little hands on the BOE’s $245 million dollar budget.
ctmirror.org/2016/08/04/charter-school-advocates-playing-in-general-assembly-primaries/
Having them or anybody take over our schools would be bad how??? Could they get any worse???
Listen to MP. She tells no lies, although at times as Mojo states, a hothead!
Some of us sometimes do not know how to handle the truth. Maria Pereira, keep doing what you are doing. Much success on Tuesday!
She may tell no lies but she exaggerates all the time. She should keep body shaming cancer patients?