The holidays invite reflection and inventory. Especially if you’re a pol analyzing the next move in 2022. The election calendar dictates the noodling.
At least two state constitutional offices will be open for Democrats to navigate: comptroller and secretary of the state.
Close to home, winter Democratic Town Committee primaries are on the horizon to solidify the party infrastructure and officials that endorse candidates for public office.
Around the same time State Senator Dennis Bradley is scheduled for trial to defend federal charges he manipulated Connecticut’s public financing program during his run for state office in 2018.
In March delegates will be chosen to endorse candidates for public office at local and state conventions in May fronting August primaries.
All of the above creates a domino effect tethering candidate to candidate.
The gossipy nugget that’s slowly adding zest to the political party punchbowls is the future of State Senator Marilyn Moore who was a whisker from winning the mayoralty in 2019. Does she seek another reelection where she’d be an overwhelming favorite to capture a fifth term?
Or does she go for a bigger prize, albeit as an underdog which is something her political career has thrived upon?
Moore has built prestige as a gladiator for the progressive movement in areas of inequality, healthcare, minimum wage, food insecurity and government reform.
Pols to the left of Governor Ned Lamont assert that he and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz aren’t coughing up the goodies to fulfill a liberal platform such as a public health option, property tax reform and soaking the rich.
As a black female in a position of influence, Moore beholds the profile liberals enjoy wedging for a power play–urging her to wage a challenge of Bysiewicz in a Democratic primary.
Moore earned her political stripes in 2014, taking out incumbent Anthony Musto in a primary largely on a government reform message. She’s no stranger to primaries. Still, going after Bysiewicz, a statewide political figure for more than 20 years, requires a major undertaking of money, organization and message. Can she rally enough serial liberals to turn out in an August primary against an incumbent? Party regulars are familiar with Moore, Dem primary voters outside of her city-suburban district not so. Moore has shown she knows how to work with a diverse constituency.
By 2018, Moore had already built enough prestige to make the short list of candidate Lamont’s lieutenant governor considerations. A run for mayor, however, inspired her.
She turned down this chance in 2018, you say? That was then, this is now. Priorities change. Nothing beats timing like politics. There is food for thought that the time has come for a woman of color to be at the top of a statewide ticket.
Just the notion of this threat poses a political toothache for Lamont who’d like to quash this thing before it catches potential fire. Things are nice and peaceful for Lamont as he heads into reelection seemingly in good shape. The last thing he wants is a chewy primary to gum up his reelection. Talk about dropping a turd in the party punchbowl. If he hasn’t already, this is a conversation he’ll have with Moore. And maybe multiple times.
Moore has a lot to consider this holiday season. For one thing, why give up a safe seat?
Moore is extremely choosy with whom she discusses her political future. Her persona ponders not only what is best for her but also weighs a potential movement. A number of political libs are rooting for her to go for it.
Will she?
Politics is all about disturbing the peace to exact a piece of flesh. Maybe just the threat of running accomplishes the task. Did someone say state comptroller?
For political junkies it’s fun just thinking about it.
Run Marilyn run!!!
A bit off topic…No the council hasn’t had a public meeting for close to a year because it’s not safe yet.However gathering at the Klein for swearing in celebration,and SURPRISE,SURPRISE,evidently it is safe to gather at Vazzy’s 19th Hole for a Xmas party and you can even bring a guest!!,..And of course,the party is Taxpayer funded…So,in a nutshell,all events are “safe”,except in person council meetings,they aren’t “safe”
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BRIDGEPORT — The all-Democrat City Council has not held an in-person meeting since the coronavirus pandemic struck Connecticut, but Saturday the legislative body will gather for a taxpayer-funded holiday party.
Council President Aidee Nieves said Tuesday the social event will help “build trust and open channels of dialogue” among the 20 members — mostly incumbents but also a handful of new faces — sworn in at the Klein Memorial Auditorium Dec. 1.
But news of the party comes days after Nieves, responding to some criticism that the council should have already returned to conducting business face-to-face rather than online, said committee meetings will still be held virtually in part because of rising COVID cases and Bridgeport’s sluggish vaccination rate.
Nieves last week had said the plan is for the full council to re-convene in its City Hall chambers in January, but for the seven committees where much of the actual work and debating occurs to keep convening online for convenience and to protect members’ and the public’s health..
Nieves, who works for the state Department of Public Health helping to organize vaccination clinics, said at the time, “I do this work every day. … It just makes me more aware of why some things can happen full speed and some we have to do in a measured way. … We’ve had a rise in cases and not a high number of people getting vaccinated and getting the booster.”
But Nieves confirmed Tuesday she is using a maximum of $2,000 from the council’s budget to organize a holiday party at the Vazzy’s 19th Hole restaurant at the city’s golf course with food and a disc jockey. Each council member can bring a guest and the just-departed members were also invited. Alcoholic beverages are not included on the city tab, she said.
She said similar functions have been held in the past, prior to the global pandemic, which struck the state in March 2020. It was at that time that the council and Bridgeport’s other boards started to meet virtually. Some, like the nine-person school board, have gone back to in-person gatherings.
“We cannot hold in person City Council meetings or committee meetings due to Covid-19 … but we can expend tax payer funds for a holiday bash to place at least 40 people together at the 19th Hole,” Councilwoman Maria Pereira, a vocal critic of Nieves’ leadership, said in an email to their colleagues Tuesday.
Nieves said last week — and reiterated Tuesday — that she intended the full council to begin meeting face-to-face again this month but it has taken longer than anticipated for municipal staff to upgrade City Hall so those gatherings can be available for viewing online. That so-called hybrid model was not available to the public in Bridgeport before the pandemic.
She also stuck by her decision to keep the committee meetings remote, arguing it was not just for health reasons but because it helps promote attendance and “streamlines” the work.
Nieves also said the difference between holding council meetings and a party during the ongoing pandemic is that council members are required to attend the former, but not the latter.
“If you choose to attend this holiday event, that’s your free will,” Nieves said. “We’re not taking attendance. That’s the difference. … If you don’t feel safe going, you have the choice. But you have to show up at meetings.”
Politics is all about disturbing the peace to exact a piece of fleshUh-uh.
Politics is all about joining the status quo to extract as much debt as you can.
Nobody disturbs the peace — they’re too busy preening.
This blog is full of pols who do just that!
Senator Marilyn Moore, here is a very strong reason on why you should run to be the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut.
Ron Mackey says:
December 2, 2021 at 7:33 pm
Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz doesn’t know what she wants to do, she previously served as the secretary of State of Connecticut from 1999 to 2011. She was briefly a candidate for governor of Connecticut in 2010, before dropping out to run for Connecticut Attorney General. She was disqualified from running for the office by the Connecticut Supreme Court and announced in 2011 that she was running for the United States Senate in the 2012 election to replace the retiring Joe Lieberman. She lost the Democratic primary to U.S. Representative Chris Murphy, who went on to win the general election.
Why not leave after reaching your political pinnacle?
As a public service, I think Marilyn Moore should exit elected office.
Her benefits are difficult to measure and her damage easy to define.
She has costs that exceed their value and she always uses the most expensive money on the planet : 20-year bond money!
Those who disagree can use these pages to express their views.