Just over one week left until the August 9 Democratic primaries featuring races for state legislature that includes four incumbents fending off challengers. What’s in your candidate crystal ball?
Candidates and operatives are working in earnest kicking out mail pieces, knocking on doors, phone calling and canvassing neighborhoods. And let’s not forget a rite of passage in city elections, oh those absentee ballots. Some of these races could come down to abs.
In Connecticut’s 22nd State Senate District, City Council President Tom McCarthy, the party-endorsed candidate, faces freshman incumbent Marilyn Moore. This is one of the most diverse senate districts in the state featuring three communities, all of Trumbull, the north and western portions of Bridgeport and southern Monroe. Moore won the seat two years ago defeating three-term incumbent Anthony Musto in a primary on her way to a general election win. The winner of the primary faces Republican Elaine Hammers in November.
Moore’s friend, veteran State Senator Ed Gomes is trying to fend off Board of Education chairman Dennis Bradley in Connecticut’s 23rd District that covers about two-thirds of Bridgeport and a portion of western Stratford. Gomes’ candidacy had been blocked from the ballot due to a paperwork filing controversy but Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis ordered state elections officials to certify his name.
Another battle to watch is school board activist Maria Pereira’s challenge of incumbent State House member Charlie Stallworth who has taken temporary leave of his paid city position overseeing the Small and Minority Business Resource Office to campaign full time for his seat. The 126th State House district includes a portion of the Upper East Side and runs west of the Pequonnock River to include a piece of the North End.
Multiple-mayoral candidate Charlie Coviello is challenging freshman State House member Andre Baker who also sits on the school board. The 124th Assembly District covers the East End and runs up to cover a piece of the Upper East Side.
Moore
Pereira
Baker
Gomes
By how much? You got me.
*** VOTE MOORE, GOMES, STALLWORTH AND BAKER! *** COVIELLO RUNS FOR EVERY AND ANY POLITICAL SEAT IN BPT. BRADLEY IS A NEWCOMER LOOKING OUT FOR HIMSELF WITH NOTHING PROVEN YET IN POLITICS. PEREIRA IS A DRAMA-QUEEN WHO HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE A LONG-TIME TEAM PLAYER IN POLITICS; SHE SEEMS TO ENJOY JUST POINTING THE FINGER OF BLAME WITHOUT SUBSTANCE TO JUSTIFY HER COMPLAINTS MOST OF THE TIME! AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THERE’S McCARTHY; POLITICAL VET AND ALL-AROUND NICE GUY WHO TENDS TO RUBBER STAMP MOST CITY GOVERNMENT AGENDAS, DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A BACKBONE AT TIMES AND WHOSE MAIN CONCERN IN LIFE IS HIMSELF. *** TIME TO VOTE FOR THOSE MORE CONCERNED WITH DOING SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PARK CITY RATHER THAN JUST FOR THEMSELVES, NO? ***
I received my first Stallworth mailer today.
It features a large photo of “Rev. Dr. Stallworth” with Anthony Paoletto and Nessah Smith as the “128th” District City Council Representatives. There is only one problem, our district is the 138th.
On the flipside of the mailer there is a photo of “138th” Town Committee member Dollie “Fonseca,” however her name is spelled “Fonseta” and it states she is a “128th” DTC member. Stallworth is so much taller than her, they cropped off the top of his head in order to fit the photo with the two children, too.
There is also a photo of two little kids with their backs pressed up against the brick wall with Stallworth kneeling next to them. They literally look frightened.
Apparently he accomplished a lot with an up to 63% absence rate and failing to vote on 240 Bills in his first five years.
*** NEVER SAID STALLWORTH WAS THE HEAD OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL’S MATH AND ENGLISH CLASS NOR THE SHARPEST PENCIL IN THE 138TH DISTRICT’S BOX. HOWEVER I DO BELIEVE HE REPRESENTS THE MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS IN THAT DISTRICT, WHO ARE BLACK! IF IT’S TO BE AND THE VOTERS WANT CHANGE, THEN PEREIRA WILL GET THE SEAT, NO? ***