Very few in Bridgeport can rhapsodize about the nuts and bolts of campaigning like Republican mayoral candidate Ethan Book who declares in this Facebook commentary that he has submitted enough petition signatures to qualify for a September 10 primary against party-endorsed John Rodriguez.
Some Book-speak for you:
My campaign is very pleased to report that the initial unofficial word from the Registrar of Voters is that from 244 signatures submitted toward qualification to be on the ballot for the September Primary Election, 220 were determined to be of eligible voters, we have achieved the minimum required 216 signatures to qualify (subject to certification by the Secretary of State). Of the total 244 obtained, 5 were brought in by Rolando and Rosa and 239 were sought out by me.
In addition, just in case any problem is observed between now and the deadline of 4 p.m. tomorrow, we have an additional 17 signatures available with 10 brought in by Bob and 7 by me.
It’s been very hard work! Fortunately there was very little rain during the two-week petition period which allowed for several ten-hour days of campaigning and signature hunting. God has blessed! Several events are worth sharing.
Early in the petitioning process, I was walking a street in The Hollow looking for addresses of listed Republican voters. As I was doing so, I observed two ladies watching me. When I returned that route, I made it a point to greet them and introduce myself as Republican candidate for Mayor. When I offered them my Campaign Statement, they declined it saying that they are Democrats and that they are fine with Mayor Ganim. I explained that I was developing issues that would make Bridgeport better. They asked how. I said, “Taxes for starters.” They said they didn’t care about taxes because they don’t pay any taxes. Go figure!
Then there was a businessman. He is a long-term Republican and has long supported me in my previous campaigns. However, this time he said he could not sign my petition because he’s very good friends with Mayor Ganim’s father and he wouldn’t want anything to disrupt that friendship. Can you imagine?
There is also a young Black woman on the East Side. I met her in 2016 when I was the Republican candidate for State Rep in the 128th. She was registered Democrat but didn’t like a lot of what she was seeing and she wasn’t impressed with my opponent Chris Rosario. She liked what I was saying and she committed to support me.
Last month when I received of the Registrar of Voters the City-wide list of registered voters, I noticed her name. I was surprised and pleased.
Through Facebook, I contacted her and asked if she would sign my petition. She said Yes and we made arrangements to meet this morning. When we did, I asked her about her change in voter registration. She explained that she did so because she got fed up with all the failed promises of the Democrats. In her words, “They promise everything but don’t do s‐‐‐.” She also said that many other Blacks are doing the same to switch over to become Republicans. I like thoughtful voters!
Also, several months ago, I visited an established Black church on the East End. I’ve known the pastors for several years. During the service the Bishop made a statement to the congregation; “Urban voters need to re-evaluate their alliances with a political party which supports policies which are in conflict with Biblical teachings.” God is good!
Some things to think about!
Finally, I must acknowledge the patient endurance and understanding support of my significant other, Lil. She’s amazing!
Bridgeport Republicans, thank you for supporting me to take my campaign to the next level.
I continue “Fighting for the heart and future of our great City.”
Can’t say Book is running on principles. He has none.
Derek, would you please explain ?
Anyone that supports Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and the rest is morally bankrupt and lacking in principles.
Do you really think you have a snowball’s chance in hell of being elected mayor of Bridgeport? The Bridgeport GOP is experiencing intramural skirmishes and you are one of the players. So Garrett and company didn’t hand you the party endorsement. Deal with it.
Derek, Trump is pro-life! Also, the fact that I didn’t get the local party endorsement is why I’m pursuing the primary. That’s within my discretion, to give the public a say!
Derek, would you please explain ?
anyone that supports Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and the rest is morally bankrupt and lacking in principles.
Ethan Book, you said, I was walking a street in The Hollow looking for addresses of listed Republican voters. As I was doing so, I observed two ladies watching me. When I returned that route, I made it a point to greet them and introduce myself as Republican candidate for Mayor. When I offered them my Campaign Statement, they declined it saying that they are Democrats and that they are fine with Mayor Ganim. I explained that I was developing issues that would make Bridgeport better. They asked how. I said, “Taxes for starters”. They said they didn’t care about taxes because they don’t pay any taxes. Go figure! Go figure, go figure, Ethan, you didn’t have the courtesy to inform the two ladies that they were already paying taxes that’s included in their rent to the landlord.
Next, you said, Then there was a businessman. He is a long-term Republican and has long supported me in my previous campaigns. However, this time he said he could not sign my petition because he’s very good friends with Mayor Ganim’s father and he wouldn’t want anything to disrupt that friendship. Can you imagine? Can you imagine? Yes, I can imagine because Joe Ganim’s father is a big time Republican who ran for office as a Republican.
You said, the September Primary Election, 220 were determined to be of eligible voters , we have achieved the minimum required 216 signatures to qualify (subject to certification by the Secretary of State). Of the total 244 obtained, 5 were brought in by Rolando and Rosa and 239 were sought out by me. Excuse me, 216 signatures to qualify and you think that you have done something while Marilyn Moore needs 2500 and think Democrats are going to vote for you to be mayor as a Republican in Bridgeport, really. What you need to do is to see which Democrat that you can support mayor and make your deal because there’s no way in hell any Republican will be mayor in your lifetime.
Ron, there comes a point in a conversation where it becomes clear that the other person doesn’t want to hear more. That’s a matter of judgment for the participant.
My point about the businessman is that his decision for supporting the highest municipal office is made solely on a friendship with the Mayor’s father. What about record of service compared against a quality platform.
History shows that a good Republican candidate can win when the Democrats have screwed up. The Democrat monopoly has put the Democrats in a position of political vulnerability.
Ethan, this is Bridgeport, CT where the majority of the voters are black and Hispanics and they are NOT going to vote for ANY Republican, they have seen enough of Governor Roland, Rick Torres and the current President 45. Democrats will keep the devil the know instead of the devil they don’t know so Ethan Book continue to waste your time being a Republican in Bridgeport CT.
Ron, urban voters have generally been electing Democrat officials for over 50 years. What has it gained them? A key difference between Democrat officials and Republican officials is that the Democrats tend to work toward the short term interests and Republicans tend to work toward the longer term interests. The former leads to decay. The latter leads to development.
This is Bridgeport, where many voters show respect for man that can pull into a drive-in in a shiny limousine and start asking for signatures. Your brand of party loyalty is overrated and easily removed. A good message is stronger than any (your) label!
You show an alarming disbelief in the democratic process and the power of performance.
The fight is on. Moore submitted around 3,900 signatures. That is Moore than enough of a cushion.
Now we start watching Wanda and Lydia.
Ethan, even if everything you say is true it won’t change a thing in Bridgeport Ethan, blacks and Hispanics will not vote and support a Republican, there is no where in America. No way Ethan, no way.
Ron, stay tuned !!!
Yeah Ron, stay tuned. Ethan is going to spin plates and pull a rabbit out of his propeller beanie.
For displaying the kind of determined stubbornness and quiet persistence that defies his critics and wins elections, I nominate Ethan Book as OIB Blogger of the day.
Perhaps I missed the part where Ethan “that defies his critics and wins elections.” What did he win? Ethan please show me where a elected urban city mayor is successful in running their city in the north east section of America or anywhere in America.
Ron, Mark Boughton, Mayor of Danbury, CT, the city with the lowest unemployment in the State. I’m going to suggest again something that I believe I offered to you previously. I believe that a factor that is missing in our dialogue/debate is face-to-face contact. I propose that we meet for coffee; 203.943.0045!
Do you really believe you have a rat’s ass of a chance, Ethan? The GOP has a serious image problem. With assholes like Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell making America safe for alternative facts, selective justice and the “let them eat cake” minority you will be lucky to muster a dozen votes.
Derek, are you suggesting that the Democratic Party doesn’t have an image problem? Without agreeing or disagreeing with any of the inferences that you make of Republican leaders, the Republican Party, just like the Democrat Party, is a work in progress. In other words, we aren’t finished yet. Also, for our municipal campaigns, the most important factor is not Party label but rather the platform/plan of a good qualified candidate. In short, I have much more than a rat’s ass chance. I place the probability of me prevailing in the General Election at 30%!
A work in progress? For all intents and purposes Donald Trump has destroyed the GOP. The party has no credibility with the average voter excepting of course the mean spirited reprobates living in the trailer parks of the Midwest and the southeast. Trump made it ‘cool’ for them to blame others for their problems. Laid off from the auto plant? Blame the Mexicans, blame the Muslims. Hurricanes and tornadoes? Blame the Mexicans, blame the Muslims. Mass shootings? Blame Democrats, blame gay people, blame the Mexicans and blame the Muslims.
I never said the Democratic Party was perfect. Joe Ganim was elected on the Democratic line after all. I’m not talking about the Democratic Party. I’m talking about the GOP. The Republican Party was once that of Abraham Lincoln. It ain’t the party of Lincoln, not no more. Now it is the party of angry white people.
You have very little credibility within your own party, Ethan. Didn’t get the endorsement that you felt was yours for the taking. Your response was to air the committee’s dirty laundry in a public forum. I wouldn’t vote for you because you are an angry embittered old white man with nothing to offer.
Please, the population of Danbury is 85,246 in 2017 to Bridgeport with 146,,579 in 2017. As for Mark Boughton he couldn’t even get the Republican nomination for governor. You go with the devil you know not the devil you don’t know. Ethan, remember when 45 was campaigning to be President and he say at his rallies to black voters, “what the hell do you have to lose,” Ethan we all see what have lost with more to come.
Yeah, Ethan. Trump passed a huge tax cut for his wealthy friends. The rest of us are paying for it. His hate fueled rhetoric has led to increased violence against minorities, Jews, gays and anyone else so-called “evangelical Christians” don’t like. His trade war with China is costing billions in lost revenue and jobs.
You say you have a plan? Go ahead, we’re all ears.
Ron, Mark Boughton is doing a good job as Mayor of the City of Danbury!
I am firmly in opposition to the words and actions of 45 and the current US Senate leader. However that does not “tar and feather” everything Republican but it does make me ask why there is not more opposition within the party, certainly.
You see as a registered Democrat I have more than 20 presidential candidates staking out positions to attract my vote (and funds) for 2020. And also a “reigning” Democrat Mayor who practices narcissism and autocracy in City government his hand has crafted. It is not OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT or HONEST in too many ways. Ganim2 does not like oversight looking at him but practices oversight selectively among his “follower group”.
When you read the CT Post editorial page this morning and see most of my comments to the City Council Monday evening as FORUM Commentary, remember that the second to last paragraph discussing Face book photographs was eliminated from my formal remarks to the Council because Aidee Nieves, in the chair stopped me earlier when I mentioned banning behavior, known to Ganim2, Police Chief Armando J. Perez and likely much of the Council. Why is Myron Dukes finding it so difficult to get an answer to what we see is a civil rights abuse, indeed an overstepping of power, to a “returning citizen”? Ganim2 returned to Bridgeport without ability to hang his legal shingle so seeking the Mayoralty was a meal ticket with lots of benefits. Ganim2 was a “returning citizen” who had his financial eyes on the compensation of Mayor, but his spiritual eyes on becoming Governor. He neglected the seven years learning behind bars and his privileged advantage exceeding that of most of Bridgeport’s “returning citizen” by letting MIRA slip away. Tough work for most returnees trying to go it alone. Did Joe know? Did Joe care? Where has he made a difference in any of his actions recently when you ask on the street? Time will tell.
Derek, my plan/platform was published here in mid-June!