Game On! Moore Versus Musto For State Senate, Foster Care For Moore

Political activist Marilyn Moore has filed a candidate committee for State Senate setting up a rematch of her 2008 Democratic primary with Anthony Musto who occupies the city-suburban district. Moore has built an intriguing early coalition that includes former City Councilman Bob “Troll” Walsh as her treasurer and 2011 mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster as deputy treasurer, according to paperwork filed with the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission.

Anti-establishment activists view Musto’s voting record as vulnerable in a Democratic primary this August. In 2008 Musto squeaked past Moore in the city-suburban 22nd Senate District that includes all of Trumbull, part of Monroe and the western portion of the city including the higher-turnout Black Rock, Brooklawn and North End neighborhoods. The number of registered Democrats in the Bridgeport portion of the district is roughly double the suburban registration.

Moore served as campaign manager for three Democratic insurgents who defeated the endorsed candidates  for school board in a primary last September. She’s participating in Connecticut’s Citizens Elections Program of publicly financed raises.

Musto has drawn the ire of Bridgeport government reformers for killing a bill co-sponsored by Bridgeport State House members Jack Hennessy and Auden Grogins to enforce Bridgeport’s City Charter prohibiting city employees from serving on the City Council and eliminating conflicts of interests such as councilors approving their own wages and benefits. Musto feared alienating Bridgeport’s political establishment that opposed the bill. Hennessy, who has described Musto as “no friend of mine” says he will support Moore.

City Council President Tom McCarthy, a city employee who serves at the pleasure of Mayor Bill Finch, validated his allegiance to Musto’s opposition to the reform bill by having the state senator issue him the oath of office for his swearing in last December. McCarthy will be supporting Musto.

Musto was also chief architect, in his role as chair of the legislature’s Government Administration & Elections Committee, of watering down Connecticut’s landmark campaign finance reform, permitting additional special-interest money to flow into elections.

Musto was one of just two state senators to support public disclosure of images of slaughtered Sandy Hook children in defiance of the wishes of victims’ parents.

Moore supported Foster in her 2011 mayoral bid against Finch, running on her ticket as the candidate for city clerk.

Moore is executive director of The Witness Project, a community-based breast and cervical cancer education program for African American women. She also served as a legislative aide to former State Senator Ed Gomes whose base political support in the Wilbur Cross voting precinct was carved into Musto’s district by state Democratic redistricting leaders in an effort to make Musto’s seat safer from Republican challengers. Gomes says he was blindsided by the move. Ironically, that change could backfire against Musto in a primary where Moore is familiar with the electoral turf and has a close political relationship with Gomes. Wilbur Cross was one of many voting precincts last September where challengers ran up large wins against endorsed Democrats.

Musto brings a Trumbull political base to the table, the home town of Democratic State Party Chair Nancy DiNardo, Musto’s political godmother. Prior to Musto the 22nd Senate District was occupied by Republican Rob Russo and before that Finch before he was elected mayor.