Mayor Joe Ganim declared victory Tuesday night in another tight election, absentee ballots overcoming John Gomes machine tally for an unofficial 175-vote win. The graphic above is from the website of the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s Office.
The results somewhat are a tale of two state senate districts, Gomes running up margins in the 22nd Senatorial in the North End, West Side and Black Rock precincts, Ganim recovering in 23rd Senatorial including Dunbar in the East End and JFK precinct in the Upper East Side.
Gomes won the machine count by more than 500 votes but Ganim’s lopsided absentee ballot total 1,166 to 429, a similar spread as the Democratic primary, carried him to victory. A new primary, however, per court order will be scheduled likely in December
The presence of petitioning candidate Lamond Daniels pulled votes from both Gomes and Ganim but likely more from Gomes splitting the anti-incumbent vote, something Ganim will not enjoy in the primary redo. That will be a head-to-head contest.
Gomes’ campaign brain trust has consistently maintained that Ganim is most vulnerable in a direct matchup.
A Ganim victory in the redo would cement another four-year term. If Gomes prevails another general election will take place with Gomes as the Democratic candidate and Ganim running on the New Movement Party line. So this long election season could play out into 2024.
Not sure what “official vote” totals are at the moment but assuming that OIB has stated them correctly, 13,871 votes were cast in the official election where as of one month ago, October 5, 2023, both Bridgeport Registrars noted that their records indicated 69,437 people eligible and registered. Do the math and discover that the people of our City with a voice and a vote stayed away from the polls and were not heard from, just as they are not listened to, month in and month out over problems, issues, and concerns. It is easy to say that good municipal governance is not indicated by a 19.97% turnout.
Two candidates, new to voters, David Herz and Lamond Daniels received ballots for nearly 20% of this anemic total, leaving Ganim and Gomes polling only 15% of the total. Thank you to Daniels and Herz for attempting to bring uncompromised integrity to voters with similar beliefs. And perhaps, more importantly, a thank you is owed to the State Court system who has appointed a “primary” after the main event on Election Day, where the vote offers an opportunity to vote for one of the two original candidates, it appears. Judge Clark ruled on “absentee ballots” not the absent ballots of registered voters who did not show up.
When you look at the significant amount of funds recorded by all candidates as campaign financial support, does it surprise anyone what One Million dollars can purchase? And the ‘unrecorded’ value of a vote according to some voices on the street exceeded $100 or some grocery gifts cards. Democratic values in Bridgeport? Must we struggle to accomplish more? How do you get people who want a seat at the table every day to understand, that registering, and failing to vote are contrary behaviors and unproductive? What will a “primary” after the MAIN EVENT reveal to us? Time will tell.
One more time JML:
https://youtu.be/ItUECpFi9_s?si=Yf4NB0f6hE6hhnid
John, perhaps the 80.03% of Port’s eligible and registered with a voice and a vote strayed away from the polls because they feel they are not listened to, month in and month out over problems, issues, and concerns. But you are making the assumption or examining David Herz and Lamond Daniels as part of that premise.
I did take you up on that invite to the CC meeting. It was interesting to listen to some of the concerns addressed. You touched on some issues regarding government procedures/policies like the Fair Rental Commission. While some, most were self-serving bloviation, particularly from those who are in or seeking elected office. I don’t know if you stayed to the end to hear but there were two votes/residents who touched on “issues” regarding rentals issues that were heartfelt that the CC seemed to be also not listing too. At least in their words.
P.S. Council Cruz if you have to address your own 20-member governmental body that you are a part of to tell them you are not a racist. You might want to look inward. 🙂
At first, I was like well you are kind of racist, but I was thinking about white people, considering all the thoughts and behavior you posted on Social Media during the era of Trump that brought out racism in everybody.
But then I realized you were talking about other people of color. I was like. 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqyixwqiCag
If there is another primary and then another election, maybe the election monitor will be able to get a good system down for ensuring the proper handling of absentee ballots, from start to finish.
There is no appetite for that shit for Port’s political game. 🤣
Both sides are playing the same game. For Christ Sake, it’s the same players playing the same game just playing different horses. At this level, it’s not about Joe or Gomes. Joe is right, this shit is starting to be asinine, I am sure there’s a valid reason, considering the self-inflected collateral damage.
I hope they don’t take this shit to the chad level. People, that shit was crazy asinine people. The AL vs Bush election was the best political ESL course ever. SMH🤣
But then again. 🙃
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3os_Vw1Eoo
Exempt.
P.S. It’s surely not about honest fair elections. I am questioning the health of the Port. Like King Solomon’s baby. Y’all know Mario wasn’t/not for G2, and Wanda’s actions were on behalf of team Gomes/Ricci/Mario and their willingness to cut her down for an attempt of a second bite of the apple to face off not coming off as a weak losing side. I mean how do you/ political players stand on the side of someone, openly support them yet work against them to defeat him, and expect any honor, loyalty, or respect, particularly Wanda? Martinez was a token of shade because her action wasn’t egregious enough to cause enough rage for a second bite.
Good Luck Port, Because if they throw Wanda under the bus as a means Shit, it’s not like under Mario’s “leadership/team” the Port was thriving and investments were coming in. Though there was a time of peace with G1 with everyone had their hand in the pot, though it came at a cost for the Port. JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_az3eNb0fI
BTW Hope to see you at the next CC meeting, some of the speakers were insightful to Ports/residents’ needs. Bring those red boots. 😉
Happy that you attended the final meeting of that City Council. A chance for us to meet in public, but you did not rise to the opportunity. So, rentals were in play, in my talk and from other City residents. Here are my comments for you to review. (And then you share your beliefs about white people, “supposed comments from me during Trump time on Social Media”, and “racism in everybody”, that leave all of us without a basis for knowing “truth” or trusting your words, unfortunately.
Comments to City Council November 6, 2023
Fellow citizens of the Bridgeport City Council, this is the last time I have the opportunity to address you this term. Thank you for your past attention in the two years since COVID reached our community and changed the way things are organized.
Three subjects have occupied many of my conversations with you since the CT Post termed me a “financial watchdog” Two red boots representing the City Operating Budget and Balance Sheet, showing our net worth became famous. Since then, I have concentrated on Mayoral powers, not well exercised in recent years, to appoint neighbors to join good governance on Boards and Commissions. Absence of appointee evaluation, and reliance on service by appointees beyond the expired current term creates conditions unfavorable to good rule.
• I have pointed to specific failures by neglect: Fair Housing and Fair Rent Commissions. As they did not meet quorum requirements for holding meetings with agendas or minutes, they died in place. You did something about part of this concern this year. When the budget you set out and the Fair Rent Commission appointments are completed, why is the program delayed in providing service to the public, today? Special thanks to Council members Jorge Cruz and Tyler Mack for 24 months of meetings and support for the residents of Stratfield Apartments to create a democratic set of by-laws and process for HUD subsidized residents since November 2021.
• Attention to Education Funding- When an important guardian of City youth programs indicates to me that he has seen multiple youths, passing through our primary grades, failing to read beyond first or second grade levels when advanced to the fifth and sixth grades, why is such data denied your financial focus for the broad public? Do we require anything more than confirming that fact for the focus of the entire community to begin to protest such waste? Of youth lives and public funds?
• What action can you take to improve our election process in Bridgeport? Is scandal what we seek? How do we raise and spend about $1 million to see the results of 20% total voting of a specific party, so far? What can we change about each registered citizen’s duty to inform and share their opinion about candidates every year or so? Do we need additional carrots or sticks to support increasing results of voting?
Good luck tomorrow. Results likely will not answer all our questions. As observers with oversight and legislative powers I have raised the three above issues to those who will return to perform the authentic work of representation. Time will tell.
The 80 % of reg. voters who do not vote because they feel they are not listened to would certainly be heard if they would simply show up. By not voting they are allowing 20 percent of the voters to decide for them who leads. The 80/20 rule , here it is again. This 80/20 shows up everywhere.
Let’s define “decides”, even 20% if you want to get technical.
Let’s see, you have Moore unable to make the Primary ballot, really? Daniels’s choice to not be on the primary ballot, G2 the incumbent, and his hatchetmen whom he gave a 6 figure job and is now running against him, and now taking the moral high ground about patronage jobs and the integrity of the vote after he team was out cheated, to be kind out AB harvesting.
Let’s call Port’s AB personal megaphone streets complaining. #personal mail delivery. 🙂
Though I am sure Wanda/Mario took it to a completely new level this go around. JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnaNtxyn0A
John,
I agree with your overall thinking. I look at it as the 20/80 rule in this case. 20% of anything is your base. It’s no different in politics. Democrat registration far outweighs Republican registration in Bridgeport. It’s the unaffiliated and Independent voters that are the real prize!
During Primary Season everyone is recruiting the vote from the base. It’s always stated that whomever wins the Dem Primary in Bridgeport will coast in the general against whomever.
In my opinion none of the non-Dem, or even general election political players have ever created MOM (Messaging, Organization, Momentum) to go after the unaffiliated vote. Except for Presidential elections most unaffiliated voters don’t vote.
We have seen a healthy dose of Dem/Rep politicking in the towns surrounding Bridgeport. Stratford, Farfield, Derby, Trumbull, and Milford all have robust political parties that can one up each other in any election cycle. The Bridgeport Republican Party is, in my opinion, dead in the water until they figure out to engage with Bridgeport’s demographic.
It also seems that close to 2K AB’s cast i presume many of those ballots are from senior citizens, yet I am not exactly sure about that. Lets presume the majority of AB’s are from Seniors. Is Bridgeport allowing their parents and grand parents to choose leadership for them? I remember the crs driving up and down the streets with the megaphones blasting for votes or offering rides to the pols. Does this call to action on the streets even happen anymore?