Two members of Bridgeport’s state legislative delegation reaffirmed their support for mayoral candidates, State Senator Ed Gomes for Mary-Jane Foster and State Rep. Charlie Stallworth for Joe Ganim. Both Gomes and Stallworth have a base of support in the African American-rich 135th District.
On just about a daily basis various mayoral campaigns are kicking out endorsements, some of them recycled news items, to place emphasis on leaders backing them as voters engage on the September 16 Democratic primary.
“Mary-Jane is, and will always be, my friend. She not only helped get me elected, but remains a pillar in our community serving everyone regardless of creed or code,” Gomes said in a news release issued by the Foster campaign Wednesday. “Our city is crippled by the games of this administration and we need an honest choice for change. I am proud to say that I endorse Mary-Jane Foster for mayor of Bridgeport.”
Foster supported Gomes in the special election that returned him to the State Senate.
Stallworth has been omnipresent at Ganim events. It was Stallworth’s church in the East End January 1 where Ganim issued a public apology in his comeback attempt following his 2003 conviction on federal corruption charges. Stallwoth is also president of the Interdenominational Ministers Alliance.
“Joe’s campaign is a reflection of Bridgeport,” says Stallworth in a statement released by the Ganim campaign Tuesday. “There’s this sense of vitality and vibrancy that hasn’t been felt since he was Mayor. What he says is what he means, and with substance. Taxes were kept low during the Ganim years, while all we’re seeing is higher taxes with the current administration. The business community is embracing Joe, and our communities were safer with a stronger police force. Joe’s connection with the African-American and Hispanic communities in this city will be refreshing and welcomed.”
Really? This is news? Does this “news” make it to channel 12 and the Connecticut Post? Hillbilly Central.
Now I know the Ganim Camp thinks an endorsement from Stallworth is more impressive than Malloy, Murphy, Blumenthal and Jepsen, but really it is just an insult to his Church and his constituents most of whom are Finch supporters and voted for Malloy, Murphy, Blumenthal and Mayor Finch. Church and politics do not mix. Ever hear of the separation of Church and State? How does one preach G-d, politics and Joe Ganim?
Is this an OIB repeat performance or did they both actually send out a press release regurgitating candidate support?
Easy there, cowboy. Endorsements from Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and Governor Malloy and the State Attorney General don’t mean all that much to the people of the city of Bridgeport. For one thing, Blumenthal has not been as effective as a Senator as he was as AG. For another thing Governor Malloy is not popular at all. For another thing no one knows who George Jepsen is, confusing him with a television weatherman.
Bridgeport Kid, I agree, only I thought George Jepsen was a cartoon character, married to Jane with a son Elroy. Everyone else, you can belittle our Governor and two U.S. Senators but you are wasting your breath.
Obama endorsed Malloy and Malloy endorsed Finch. By the logical principle of equivalence, Obama endorsed Finch.
So Finch’s endorsements are news and Foster and Ganim’s are not? Okay. I guess in your universe that’s the case.
Wicca, they were news months ago. I think it is great they get endorsements in my universe or yours. I just think the two of them, re-endorsing by press release is a bit humorous, don’t you?
So I guess in your mind the answer is Finch’s endorsements are news and no one else’s are, as of this point.
Did you expect the State party to back anyone else but Finch? It’s not news to me.
Touche.
Steve–Finch, Foster, Ganim campaigns all recycle endorsements and news releases. It’s the nature of the beast. Repetition is part of campaign life. You are among the most engaged voters in the city. Many electors engage only in the weeks leading to a primary or general election, so campaigns recycle, dust off, rewrite, polish, amend all the time. Some voters do ask their local representatives whom they are supporting. Thankfully, OIB traffic has never been higher because voters are tuning in to this primary. (They also tune in because they enjoy the give and take of comments.) If the campaigns have a knucklehead like me willing to run this stuff, I’d send it out too!
So, it is news. It is just old news.
Stevie,
All three serious candidates have received endorsements of note. The Democratic primary is going to break down as a horse race between Finch, Ganim and Foster. Foster, Gardner and Coviello will be drawing votes away from Finch.
The Bridgeport Kid,
I like your take on the race.
I see it totally differently. I think in voters’ minds it is a horse race between Finch and Ganim. I see Foster taking anti-Finch votes from Ganim if her campaign gets launched. I see Howard Gardner as another candidate taking votes away from Ganim and Foster as he is a very intelligent man but with six weeks to go he is unknown. Charlie Coviello is a well-known celebrity in the East End. He has a following and he will only take votes from Ganim. I expect him to endorse Ganim, piss off his constituents, and those voters will forget the primary and will stay home.
This is shaping up to be a contest between Finch and Ganim, which is too bad because it is really a referendum on Finch. There are five (!) candidates in the Democratic primary, not two. Finch and Ganim are only two. Charles Coviello is running for mayor because someone has to be last. Gardner is an honorable, intelligent man who is not going to do well from a lack of recognition. Mary-Jane Foster is going to give the other two a run for their money.
Working Families leadership is writing off Bridgeport.
Kid–I have to agree with Steve on this. Finch has his vote. The anti-Finch vote will be split among all the rest. Most will go to Ganim. Those who cannot stomach having a convicted felon as mayor will go to one of the others. Foster, Gardner and Coviello will be drawing votes away from Ganim.
It’s nice to see Ed recognize MJF for “helping” to get him elected. MJF doesn’t live in your district, Ed. I will make sure I let the three district leaders, and TC that actually delivered the eight schools that gave you your victory know you thanked MJF for “helping” to get you elected.
Maria , anyone who does not know Gomes is a Foster supporter is brain dead.
Steve, I spoke with two of the district leaders about this press release and TC. We all agreed if Ed seeks reelection he should definitely seek MJF’s support. Especially since he thinks she “helped” him get reelected. It will be interesting to see how many votes and schools she delivers for him.
Maria,
Ed said Mary-Jane helped get him elected. That’s it. And she did.
He didn’t say he could not win without her but frankly Bill Finch and Joe Ganim did nothing for Ed. Now isn’t that correct?
I am sure this is just one of many factors that went into Ed’s decision but here you go again with your veiled threats.
Don’t you ever get tired of this? Trying to win everything through intimidation?
I feel sorry for you. I really, really do.
If you are truly looking for someone to feel sorry for, I suggest you find the closest mirror.
Ouch.
Maria, that was funny!
Steve, I am glad to know you found my post humorous. 🙂
Maria, what are you saying? Do you mean if you live in an area different from the candidate then you can’t work for that candidate? Really. Who in hell do you think you are, you are going to speak to the three district leaders about this. Are these three among the male district leaders you want replaced by women? You really are off the wall.
If Stallworth isn’t afraid to re-issue his endorsement, Maria Pereira shouldn’t criticize Maryli Secrest for her rant about Ganim. A seat on the BOE is the handout Pereira seeks.
Local Eyes, Maria P. would not be getting a BOE handout from Ganim. With all due respect, Maria is running on a slate. Unfortunate for her knowledge and talent, she is running on the wrong slate. She will earn her seat or not by her own and most definitely will not win on Ganim’s coattails as he does not have any.
Local Eyes, you would better know how things work in Trumbull, however in Bridgeport a seat on the BBOE does not result in any form of compensation. Unlike you, I am a graduate of the BPS and passionate about public education. I don’t expect or take handouts. I work hard and have been spending over 40 hours a week on this campaign, and I have raised thousands for this campaign. In addition, I have spent close to $60,000 of my own personal funds fighting for our 22,000 BPS students in the last six years. I think it is pretty clear I have never benefited from a “handout.”
Uh-uh. I’m a self-styled expert on Bridgeport.
Self-proclaimed “expert.” You are almost totally clueless on the intricacies, complexities and convoluted nature of Bridgeport politics. It is never as simple as others would like to make it out to be.
I didn’t join this blog to fit in, I joined this blog to stand out. TBK, I know more about Bridgeport politics than you do and when you’re ready to dispute that, make a comment of your own or prove me wrong.
Maria is quite free to criticize Maryli Secrest for ranting about Joe Ganim. There are more important issues to be addressed: crime, unemployment, a nonstarting economy, a public education system that is leaving skid marks on the bowl. Joe Ganim’s arrest record is hardly at the top of the agenda, unless of course you are working for Bill Finch and want to hold onto your job. Either way you are still part of the problem, not the solution.
Maria Pereira has the right to freedom of speech, same as you, me and everyone else here.
A handout means you can quit abruptly or behave in a manner that appears unladylike. MP seeks another handout.
Your name should be Loco Eyes, not Local Eyes. If you are the example of being “ladylike” or “gentlemanlike,” I am more than happy to be labeled “unladylike.”
On several occasions you’ve acted like an upset ballerina on recital night.
Hmmm. I believe most ordinary citizens would perceive a ballerina as quite “ladylike.” To each his own.
Maria Pereira, may I ask what you do for a living? $60K isn’t exactly pocket change and you spent it on political campaigns over the past six years. To what avail?
Godiva2011, no, you may not ask what I do for a living. I don’t believe I have ever asked you what you do for a living.
Just the retainer for the lawsuit fighting the illegal takeover of the BBOE and our public schools was a substantial sum.
I don’t believe you spent $60K on anything. Why not save that money, buy a house and get out of the district? $60K, total bullshit.
It would be cool if she bought a car in BPT and paid some city taxes. Then she would know how a BPT taxpayer feels.
www .mytaxbill.org/inet/bill/search.do
Does anyone on the Ganim ticket pay taxes in BPT?
Well, the one thing we DO know is you pay zero in car taxes because you do not reside in Bridgeport.
BOE–for starters, he certainly doesn’t.
Your link does not work. If you are implying I do not own a vehicle registered in Bridgeport and I do not pay car taxes, you are posting false and inaccurate information.
Maybe you should consider going back to spy school.
www .bridgeportct.gov/content/89019/89745/90655/90661.aspx
Click on the ‘bill lookup/pay online’ link under additional links.
If one of the Pereira, Maria’s listed is you, you are doing better than Joe. Nothing listed for Ganim, Joe. I can’t believe you are bringing in another outsider to tell the people of Bridgeport how to run their city.
You are the worst spy who has ever existed. Both my property and car taxes are clearly visible within the link you posted.
I hope you are a double agent and you really spy for North Korea because you are clueless.
Unlike Bill Finch and MJF, Joe Ganim was born and raised in Bridgeport. He grew up on Frenchtown Road until the age of 13. He returned to Bridgeport shortly after he graduated from college.
I hope North Korea has placed you on any critical spy missions. If they have, they are doomed.
BOE PY–Joe Ganim has no reason to pay taxes in Bridgeport. Simple answer is he doesn’t live in Bridgeport. There is a person living at the address he uses, but it isn’t him.
Godiva2011, your comment about Joe’s residency is completely false. Even Howard Gardner can attest to the fact he and Joe have run into each other as they come and go from their respective buildings.
Andy,
Will you be asking for an audit? It is hard in Bridgeport to trust, and even harder to verify. Sometimes when you get to the official record, it indicates no one reviewed the material, it has been issued in error, and is also incomplete as to the subject. Whom can you trust? Where can you genuinely verify critical financial info? Are our City watchdogs of all kinds up to the necessary work? Time will tell.
Cracking the Ganim code: Joe Ganim wants to be Bridgeport’s unofficial mayor and he has a sign on Reservoir Avenue to prove it!
State Rep. Charlie Stallworth for State Senate?
How would the vote split if or when the time comes? How will Ed Gomes get MJF or cousin Marilyn Moore to vote for him? What if Joe Ganim wins with a wider plurality than imagined by some? Don’t worry if that day comes, Ed Gomes, I’ll talk to Joe Ganim and put in a good word for you.
Steve and Local Eyes: While Maria Pereira might be a “firebrand” to some people, she is scrupulously honest, gutsy and works tirelessly for her goals and what she believes in. She doesn’t take political handouts. She sets a high standard for Democratic politics.
And Joe Ganim is already the “unofficial mayor”–the “real” mayor unofficially abdicated about seven years ago. Dan Malloy had been filling in for him up until about a month ago when people started to pay attention to the pathetic state of Bridgeport and the state of Connecticut.
Jeff, you don’t know what you are talking about.
Jeff, it’s bad enough with your endorsement, but now Maria.
Jeff, what are you talking about, Maria P. is a friend of mine. You have been posting gibberish lately, Jeff. Not sure what got into you. I believe Maria P. truly cares about the BOE, despises Bill Finch and is in denial on many Ganim issues, including his children not in the Bridgeport Public School system like Mayor Finch. I have a very diverse group of friends and acquaintances. I love debating with Maria. She is bright and articulate, we pretty much disagree on everything. I know she is a very hard worker. I am not sure Jeff why you would put me in the same category as Local Eyes. I do not know him, but I do like his posts. Maria, we have spent hours debating and we always live to see another day.
Thanks, Jeff. I have always found you to be honest, ethical and principled, too.
That girl needs third-party validation.
I am a woman, not a girl. Referring to me as a “girl” is sexist, condescending and disrespectful. Once again, if you represent “ladylike” or “gentleman”-like behavior, I am all for being the opposite of you.
Yes Garden, Foster will take voters from Ganim, not Finch. No one likes Finch and everyone thinks he sucks. But for the people who will support him they have either personal interests, jobs with the city, or are clueless. The votes for Foster and Ganim are really a vote against Finch so Foster will hurt Ganim not Finch and Finch voters will stay with Finch but it’s a smaller crowd.
I had a Finch canvasser ring my doorbell this evening. She had a rag on her head and looked completely unkempt. Her colleague was dressed inappropriately as well and was walking on the even side of the street.
When I opened the door she said “Hi, I wanted to know if you’ll be voting for Finch.” She only had a couple of walksheets and a pen. She did not have a clipboard, literature, voter registration cards, etc. I said no one in this house will be voting for Finch. As she started to write on her walksheet I told her don’t mark us as a 5, mark us all as 10s. She started laughing. No comeback, no rap, no reasons as to why I should vote for Finch. I love when the opposition has completely uninformed canvassers.
Her colleague came over and I asked them if they needed a bottle of water. I gave them each a bottle of cold water. I told them they could walk around the neighborhood as much as they wanted because Finch was going to lose Thomas Hooker. Then they both asked me if Ganim’s campaign was hiring. I told them the campaign was all set. They walked down the street laughing. Little did they know I was laughing, too.
Only the best for Bill Finch, eh?
Judge not lest thou be judged.
Based on what I read here (and I do realize it’s only a small group of posters), the Democratic party in Bridgeport is unbelievably fractured.
Yes it is, and isn’t that a wonderful, delightful and spectacular fact?
It’s a primary, and there are choices folks are interested in following. It means the voters are engaged. It means democracy DOES have a shot. That is what primaries are for, to re-energize the electorate. To engage the voters and reacquaint them with the power they truly have over governance in their cities and towns.
You may call it a fracturing. Others call it HOPE.
The Democratic Party in Beautiful Bridgeport is indeed “fractured,” to put it mildly. FUBAR (fucked up beyond all recognition), an old Army acronym, is more accurate. The sitting mayor has not been working and playing well with others in the party. The Town Committee’s old guard is not happy and yearn for “the good old days.”
Steve: Sorry; I read through the comments too quickly and included yours in those taking shots at Maria’s sincerity, independence, and work ethic. Mea culpa. I can see that though you disagree with her choice of mayoral candidates, you respect her honesty, independence, and work ethic. (We should all try to stick to political issues and avoid personal attacks on each other and even on the candidates. But the candidates put themselves in the line of fire by choosing to be candidates, so they need to expect more heat. They and their supporters should not be so thin-skinned that political descriptors are taken personally. For instance, Dan Malloy–in the context of his political modus operandi–fits the description of a snake oil salesman.)
Thank you, Jeff.