Who the heck is Lamond Daniels? you may ask.
As city politics goes he’s the classic addition by subtraction candidate overperforming the optics of this early mayoral cycle.
Past supporters of State Senator Marilyn Moore, seeking another run for the mayoralty after coming close in 2019, are leaving her for Daniels, a sensible place for them to land given his social service background, her tin ear to maintaining political connections and her disorganized run last time.
His genial personality contrasting Moore’s aloofness is winning him liberal fixtures opposed to incumbency. That alone is not enough to transcend a well-financed incumbent Joe Ganim and insurgency of John Gomes, other pieces must come together, but it certainly signals a new candidate to watch as well as Moore’s thus far underperformance.
Money and a salient rationale for running are still works in progress that must mix with the campaign stew. Still, Daniels’ emergence has Democratic insiders talking and now an early endorsement from the political arm of the Connecticut National Association of Social Workers that brings money and campaign workers to the table.
Daniels, a former Finch administration staffer, serves as Norwalk’s chief of Community Services overseeing the city’s departments of health, human services and library.
The licensed clinical social worker launched his career assisting at-risk kids on the East Side.
A key campaign-strength indicator will surface in April when first quarter finance reports become public.
From the news release endorsement:
“I want to thank my brothers and sisters at NASW for this important–and humbling–endorsement,” said Daniels. “I became a social worker to help our community, give people fair opportunity, and provide at-risk families and youth with the support they need to succeed. Since then, I’ve built a career in government management, overseeing multiple departments with multi-million dollar budgets. Right now, city government needs to do better by Bridgeport families. We need more housing, cleaner and safer streets, real justice, and stronger schools. I believe in Bridgeport and I love our people, but we’re never going to get the change we need with the same old faces pushing the same old political agendas.”
“We’re proud to endorse our fellow social worker Lamond Daniels for Mayor of Bridgeport,” said Stephen Wanczyk-Karp LMSW, of Executive Director of NASW. “We are an organization dedicated to securing social justice for everyone who is struggling, no matter what the reason. Bridgeport needs a new leader who can lift every community, tackle the root causes of poverty and crime, and embrace new ideas. Lamond Daniels is the right person for the job, and we will be mobilizing our members, reaching out to voters, and doing everything we can to help Lamond win.”
Lamond Daniels is a 30-year resident of Bridgeport, a husband, and a father to two who firmly believes that together, we can build a better city for everyone who calls Bridgeport home. Lamond started his career helping Bridgeport children and families impacted by the state’s child welfare system, advised State governments on youth and family policies, organized and led a North End resident coalition, and served as Director of Neighborhood Initiatives under former Mayor Bill Finch.
