This week we’ll learn about Joe Ganim’s initial fundraising strength, Mary-Jane Foster edging closer into the race for mayor while Mayor Bill Finch goes about his business leveraging the power of incumbency in pursuit of a third four-year term with more than $400,000 in his campaign account. All of this appears to be headed for a September Democratic primary.
Thursday night Ganim, in an exploratory stage, will host a fundraiser at Vazzano’s Four Seasons in Stratford. Why not a fundraiser in Bridgeport? The former mayor writes on his FB page that “We originally booked Vazzy’s in Bridgeport but had to move to Stratford because of the size of the turnout!” Vazzano’s Stratford is a larger banquet facility.
With that kinda build up, the turnout and moolah better be mighty good. Ganim is requesting a minimum contribution of $50 with a suggested personal check $375, the maximum allowed in an exploratory stage for mayor. What will prove a strong loot showing for this event? Likely the vicinity of $30K. Ganim will need $150-200K to wage a competitive race against Finch in a September primary. Let’s do the math: $30K per month gets Ganim into that range, but the early money is always the easiest loot. Can he average $30K per month? This exploratory stage allows Ganim funds to conduct a public opinion poll, as well as going back to his maxed-out $375 contributors for another $1000 in a full-blown candidate committee. Bridgeport municipal campaigns do not rely on public financing available on a state office level, so what’s ponied up comes from private dollars.
Foster faces the same fundraising challenges as Ganim. Why hasn’t Foster, Finch’s 2011 primary opponent, entered the race officially? She’s tightening up her own fundraising infrastructure in support of a September Democratic primary. A lot of the work Foster is doing now could have been done six months ago to build fundraising strength and campaign viability as the chief opponent to Finch. Her late entry has allowed Ganim and even Finch to poach some of her peeps. Now she’s playing catch up. But politics is a kooky business and this is potentially the craziest election cycle in a long time.
Look for Foster to form a candidate committee within a week. She’s betting she can position herself to be a viable alternative to Finch and Ganim.
School board member Howard Gardner and East End Democratic Town Committee member Charlie Coviello are also in the race. Neither has a history raising the kind of money required for citywide strength. We’ll see.
Meanwhile Finch will use the power of incumbency to elevate his status and raise additional campaign funds poised in support of another term. Bridgeport’s mayoral race will be the key election to watch in Connecticut this year. It’s gonna be a wild ride.
So it seems Charlie Coviello and Howard Gardner have been dismissed. What about David Daniels? If Mary-Jane Foster does not run this time, will she run again in four years? Will there be a primary between her and Marilyn Moore in 2019? I say yes. Politics does make strange bedfellows, no? If Mary-Jane does run and loses, will she get a third shot? Only in Bridgeport. If Ganim wins will he only get a shot at four years with the new law leaving an opening in 2019 for two women. Bridgeport politics is going to be a snore this year with an upcoming Presidential election. I see Finch being the lucky recipient of hosting Clinton the way Joe Ganim did hosting Bill Clinton and supporting Bill Curry. I was there at the airport. Those were exciting times. One thing is certain with this election. It could be a yawn or a media circus. I would prefer a yawn.
Steve Auerbach, please, take your meds. Mary-Jane Foster and Marilyn Moore are friends so that subject is dead. MJF will run this time. Coviello, Gardner and Daniels will not be able to raise the type of money that is needed to run. More importantly, Bill Finch knows he will be out of office this election, he’s hoping MJF doesn’t run and he is scared as hell of Ganim, Finch knows he can’t beat either candidate. Hopefully Tippy can get Finch a job after his loss.
Ron Mackey, what does the fact that Foster and Moore are friends have to do with it? Look at Bob Halstead, he supported Foster and he is now saying go Ganim, you are supporting Ganim. Maria worked for Gomes’ election and she is supporting Ganim and Gomes is supporting Foster. What does friendship have to do with it? Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush are friends and they are running for President. Do you believe Marilyn Moore after experience as a Senator is going to give up a chance to be the city’s first black Mayor? One of us is naive and Ron Mackey, I can assure you it is not me. I admire and respect Mary-Jane Foster. I would not want a friend to run just to humor a few lackluster sycophants who hate Finch. Oh yes, then there is Lisa Parziale, once a Foster supporter and now one of Gani’s lead cheerleaders.
Oh, then there is the real icing on the cake, Ganim and Foster getting together to unseat Finch. I would vomit, you know, Moore, Gomes, Hennessy dare I say Foster supporting Ganim. No, she has too much integrity but this is Bridgeport politics.
Oh yeah, Coviello a Foster supporter waiting for Ganim to do something and of course Daniels and Gardner cannot raise the money, they also are probably waiting for Foster or Ganim to do something. If Finch is running scared then the future of Bridgeport is scarier than you think, Mr. Mackey.
Mr. Mackey, how is it possible you are asking Foster to run but you are supporting Ganim as well as your counter persona Donald Day? You are friends, working on different campaigns are we? Who is really confused here?
Steve, has Ed Gomes announced he has endorsed or will be supporting Mary-Jane Foster for Mayor?
If he has or does, that will not bode well for him in the future.
Maria, stick your threat where the sun don’t shine.
Andy, I didn’t threaten anyone. The vast majority of black political leaders in Bridgeport have already committed to Joe Ganim. Many of these same people worked to help elect Ed in February.
The facts are that Mary-Jane, Marilyn Moore, Rob Traitor, etc. cannot deliver a single school in Ed’s district should he seek re-election. It just wouldn’t be wise for Ed to endorse an opposing candidate when we have all decided to support Joe Ganim.
Ed is in a difficult position. It would just be best that he not endorse or support any candidate so he doesn’t face future political consequences.
I absolutely adore Ed Gomes and I would hate to see us on opposite sides of such a critical election.
Maria, was that a threat to Gomes? Do you expect him to support Ganim?
Steven Auerbach, I understand you are confused. First when OIB first ran the topic about Joe Ganim was thinking about running for mayor and the question of his past came up I said, run Joe, run. At that time the topic was should he run and could he beat Mayor Finch. I said he should run and I said Ganim was well-liked by the black community and when I was President of the Firebird Society, we found him to be honest and he didn’t lie to us, that’s something I can’t say about Finch, he’s a out-and-out liar.
As for Mary-Jane Foster, whom I support for mayor in the last election, when OIB brought her name about a possible run again for mayor I said run Mary, run.
Steve, you just don’t hear the level of distrust and people being tired of Mayor Bill Finch’s lies. As far as MJF and Senator Gomes, they understand being loyal, being friends and how to do what’s best for Bridgeport and there must be people in place on the State level as well as on the local level to turn Bridgeport around, that’s what friends do and leaders do.
Well Ron, maybe you should talk with Maria. Apparently Ed and Marilyn should support Ganim as they would not be able to get votes on their own. Ron, there is nothing wrong with friends sharing the same dream and going after it. If Marilyn makes a name for herself, her charisma and eloquence will position her well. I find it amazing Ron, that you supported MJF last time and I have no idea who you are and I was everywhere.
I was everywhere, Ron. I am not questioning your loyalty to Mary-Jane, it is just you and I go at it a lot and I am amazed our paths have not crossed on the campaign trail.
Steven Auerbach, during the past two years I’ve had knee replacements for both my knees, the operation were nine months apart so I couldn’t cross paths with a number of people, especially OIB readers.
Steve, you really need to stop posting about what others do or do not support. I have not written one word about who Marilyn Moore should or shouldn’t support. Your statement is completely false.
Except when I sent emails to Marilyn Moore to please remove me off her campaign email distribution list in the fall, I haven’t had a single exchange with Marilyn Moore. I believe I have made my position on Marilyn Moore quite clear.
I have always had a good position with Ed Gomes and admire him. Ed Gomes has every right to support whomever he ultimately chooses to support. In turn, I and everyone else in Bridgeport has a right to decide whom they choose to support in this upcoming election, and any future elections.
Steve,
I am not threatening Ed, or anyone else for that matter. I would hope Ed either endorses/supports Ganim, or not endorse anyone and just remains neutral.
As I stated earlier, Ed is in a difficult situation because he has friendships with Mary-Jane and many of her most ardent supporters, however none of those friendships will deliver him a single school in his district should he seek another term.
It is something any savvy politician must weigh.
I was told by an individual heavily involved in Bridgeport politics, he/she contacted Andre Baker to see if he would consider supporting Joe Ganim for Mayor. Andre Baker stated he has committed his support to Mayor Finch.
What else needs to be said?
Love Andre Baker.
Steve, even Andre Baker needs at least a few people to love him. 🙂
Maria, I love you too. Go figure!
One of the most motivating reasons not to vote for Finch is if he wins, nothing changes. He will not make the serving the constituency the centerpiece of his next term. We have seen that in the past, he will have no reason to conduct his business differently. He will continue to push agendas that serve him. We have already seen that.
He will gloat. Maybe not in ways that will be splashed across media venues, but in ways that make anyone who supported another candidate suffer. Roads will not get paved if a strong supporter of another candidate lives there. Homes will receive blight notices if the homeowner supported another candidate. The garbage will be sub-par, lawn clippings will stay on front sidewalks waiting for removal. Cars will get ticketed. Folks who supported different candidates will not get considered for any type of City job nor will their relatives. We have seen that too.
Businesses will still not come in. They will have no reason to believe things will run any differently. Why should they?
If we want change, we have to be the change. We need to vote differently this time.
Funny you should mention that. I just received a Certified Letter citing me as being in violation of Zoning because I am sanding and refinishing the front door of my house! No Certificate of Appropriateness for Historic Compliance it says. The head of Zoning, Dennis Buckley himself, came out to inspect. He reported I was putting in new doors and windows. A call to the Office and to him got the response there was an anonymous complaint with a private number that prompted them to this action. So yes, Wicca, you are NOT exaggerating at all! $14,000 a year in taxes, $2000 more than anyone on my street, and I get harassed. GO GANIM!!!
Yes, the Mayor is really that small-minded. This type of temper tantrum is one of the hallmarks of his mayoralty (yes, temper tantrum). While the ability to rise above personal feelings is an essential trait of an effective leader, Finch cannot even approach that ability. One only needs to look at the relationship he refuses to repair with the University that bears the name of this City. Bears the NAME. And this is the absolute least of our troubles with the current Mayor. Our mayor is a bonafide brat.
This primary turnout will be the largest in our city history! Black Rock and Brooklawn will come out of the woodwork against Finch for sticking us with a mammoth eight-year tax bill that will take decades to retire. On the state side Malloy has pissed away over 22 million for a Bass Pro shop and Finch keeps spending our tax dollars like a drunken sailor. Our public schools have been shortchanged by Finch for the last three years, while the state BOE keeps pumping new money into charter schools.
Bridgeport is a giant pothole with dirty streets and bad services. Finch has done nothing for the last seven years but run for reelection with bullshit projects and $700 green signs on every corner, if Finch gets reelected he’ll go back into hibernation for another three years like he has in the past.
Joe Ganim has a great record of holding the line on taxes!
Maybe they could hold a debating event in Trumbull with Tim Herbst being the M.C. “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble … in Trumbull!”
I think the Finch Campaign is starting to Fumble.
Lennie–Could you also give us a post primary scenario depending on who wins the primary?
Finch loses. He most certainly can raise the cash for an independent run. Would he try to re-invigorate the Cougar Party?
MJF-WFP?
Joe-WTF??
Yes, would be a cluster if Joe ran on the WTF line!
I think the Nightline, 60 minutes and 20/20 piece on Joe Ganim just might make this an interesting race. HBO and Turner broadcasting will bid for the rights to a movie if he wins. Good for him. The are using the song Jim Dandy for the piece changing the lyrics to Joe Ganim and it does work and is quite infectious. Good luck!
I have American Pharoah to win the Triple Crown. That’s a race worth watching at 10 to 1.
Everybody is going in circles in Bridgeport without one idea to make this city better. Maybe it’s perfect now so we don’t need any change, just keep the same government.
Finch needs no money because he embezzles the treasury for his propaganda ads explaining this economic wonder city.
A movie about Joe Ganim? If Joe wins? Why vote for Joe? What will Joe do now? It must be a secret.
Steve Miller … Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’ slippin’ into the future … 1976-77.
Sing it, brother Steve.
How can the public access channel be used for people seeking the nomination? Show the nation ideas might win instead of bribes. There can be announcements by WICC, WPKN, The HCC paper Horizons, and the mighty Post telling people a schedule for them to be able to listen.
I have ideas for a Bridgeport mayor to bring in at least two huge industries. Also when I go to court I see a huge number of black people going to traffic court. Either black people are terrible drivers or cops are racially profiling them. Is this our tax system? Arrest black people to steal their money with bogus fines. Make them take days off work to pay their fines. The mayor needs to fire those cops and the first one to go is Chief Gaudett.
She will talk about it a lot, maybe yes maybe no???