Himes Visits Ganim Headquarters For Chat And Cooperative Reassurance

The campaign headquarters of Joe Ganim was abuzz the other day when Congressman Jim Himes who had backed Bill Finch in the primary stopped in for a chat with the former mayor, now Democratic nominee. According to Ganim operatives, Himes and Ganim had a friendly conversation in his North End headquarters without a formal endorsement from Himes who greeted campaign staff with an assurance to Ganim that he will work with him if Ganim’s elected November 3. A spokesman for the congressman says Himes is invested in the city to continue progress at development sites. “He will work with whomever the people of Bridgeport elect to the office of mayor to help ensure this progress continues.”

During the primary Mayor Bill Finch had the endorsement of just about every significant labor organization and high profile elected official including Himes, Governor Dan Malloy, and U.S. Senators Dick Blumenthal and Chris Murphy. Ganim, backed by the police union, put forth a historic pound and ground retail operation in securing the endorsement that matters, Democratic primary voters, to defeat Finch.

Many of the unions that had backed Finch are now behind Ganim. For Himes, this is a tricky balancing act as he faces reelection next year. He supported Finch who now supports Mary-Jane Foster in the general election. Many other supporters of Himes are also with Foster. He also has friends on the Ganim side of the campaign.

Paris, Ganim
Backed by police union chief Chuck Paris, Ganim has plenty of cop cover.

Relationship building is key for the success of any politician. For Himes, facing voters in next year’s presidential cycle, a strong Bridgeport turnout is critical for another two-year term. He defeated 20-year Republican Congressman Chris Shays in the Barack Obama political tsunami of 2008. For Ganim, a strong relationship with federal office holders is key to maintaining the pipeline of dollars for infrastructure improvements and municipal budget support.

A number of high-profile elected officials including Malloy have taken a wait and see attitude in the mayor’s race.

Statement from Himes spokesman Patrick Malone:

Congressman Himes paid a courtesy call on Joe Ganim, the Democratic nominee for mayor of Bridgeport. The Congressman is deeply invested in continuing the growth and improvement of Bridgeport, from redeveloping Steelpointe and building new affordable housing at Crescent Crossing to cleaning up the city’s brownfields and helping create good jobs for Bridgeport workers. He will work with whomever the people of Bridgeport elect to the office of mayor to help ensure this progress continues.

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44 comments

  1. What this tells me about the Congressman is he knows the difference between a voter-selected Ganim versus a Stafstrom-selected Mary-Jane.
    A good decision given the strength of Bridgeport votes necessary to return this good man to Congress in 2016.

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  2. carolanne curry makes too much about 400 votes. What this tells me is Himes understands the electorate is much larger this time and Ganim defectors might emerge making patronizing people like carolanne curry another in-the-pocket vote.

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      1. carolanne,
        What you point out is Joe Ganim won the DEMOCRATIC primary by some 400 votes of 13,300 votes cast which is not even 50% of the votes that day. And 13,300 ballots cast is only slightly in excess of 30% of the registered DEMOCRATS in the City.
        There are a considerable number of REPUBLICANS and UNAFFILIATED registered voters in the City yet to be heard from, as you know and will admit. And I also know you hope EVERY PERSON REGISTERED takes the time to become informed and gets out to vote on November 3. Real or unreal, as this campaign has been, isn’t that the hope of us all? Time will tell.

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  3. cc, what do you know about MJF running for mayor? I’ll tell you what you know, NOTHING. Tell me where the information came from that allows you to say she was selected by Stafstrom. I know you have to prostitute yourself for Ganim because you need a job but get the facts right. It is no big deal Himes showed up, he is a political whore.

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    1. Told you! The Connecticut Democratic Party needs Bridgeport, always has. Himes is not crazy. If Ganim wins, he’s going to need him next year to help turn out the vote in Bpt. All the ruckus about state and federal cooperation (money) stalling or stopping is a bunch of bullshit. You can bet that developers and private investors’ interest in Bpt will not cease to exist either. It is what it is. Politics!

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        1. So here’s a Jose Feliciano/Joe Ganim story. Ganim was a young mayor and Feliciano whose youngest child was born in Bridgeport lent his name and support to a school event at the Klein Memorial that included honoring kids at Hooker School. The singer-songwriter has a twisted sense of humor. He says to Ganim, “Hooker School, what do they teach there?”

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    2. ACF–your last sentence, “It is no big deal Himes showed up, he is a political whore.” I think part 1 is a big deal and we may hear or see more before election day. Part 2 is completely accurate.

      Bridgeport residents don’t know how important it is to vote and the reasons why. Most important is it’s their duty and has been neglected for many years. Another is the attentions Bridgeport will get when Himes and his ilk see the voter turnout Nov. 3rd. Himes and their ilk will need Bridgeport residents November 2016. The tide may turn Nov. 3rd 2015 and the statement made above about needed state reps for their financial resource in Bridgeport may be the state’s reps need Bridgeport’s resources to get re-elected.

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  4. It will be hard-pressed for Mary-Jane Foster and Bill Finch to find someone in Bridgeport who doesn’t know the Joe Ganim story.
    That was nice of Jim Himes to stop by and have a chat with Joe Ganim, cooperation is the key to move this city forward and in the right direction.
    We owe it to ourselves to make Bridgeport one of the best cities in Connecticut, for too long Bridgeport has been the poor sister city of this state.
    Congressman Himes as well as Governor Malloy, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, and our entire State delegation will need to work hand-in-hand to bring Bridgeport back to greatness!
    The Bridgeport train is about to leave the station this November 3rd, it would be great to have all our leaders on board and in unison. Cooperation doesn’t have to be an endorsement!

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    1. Jim Fox, there are thousands of young Bridgeport voters with young families who never heard of Joe Ganim. They will.

      As for Jim Himes, I know Lisa Parziale was gushing the other day. We know Ganim supporters think he sucks. Ask Jeff Kohut, he is begining to see the reality. Joe Ganim is way out of Kohut’s league. Ganim couldn’t wait to get a press release. I am surprised Foster doesn’t send out a release stating all the Democratic elected officials can’t wait to work with her.

      A few observations, when you take Ganim signs off all public properties, it is not so impressive. When you see the private properties each with a billboard, eight signs assorted, it looks sillier. Taking credit for a new train station and Steelpointe and the Jewish home will backfire. Just listen to his very well produced, well polished commercials on WICC paid for by the Democratic Town Committee. Unbelievable but I suppose if you say it enough times people will believe it, until the bomb drops, and it will. Well 12 days to go. Maybe not! No seriously, people are talking about the commercial and Finch supporters are not happy and they are now Foster supporters. Look, there is no question most elected officials as well as the business community within a 100-mile radius is hoping Mary-Jane Foster is elected, but Himes was wise to say hello to Ganim. Why not? He is the endorsed candidate who has not received an endorsement from any respectable in-office politician to date. That can’t be a good feeling.

      On another matter, Maria Pereira BOE candidate has asked me to say a few words on her behalf, seriously, apparently there is a rumor Maria is supporting Mary-Jane Foster. It seems she is getting harassed by members of the Ganim camp. As a staunch Foster supporter, I can assure you Maria Pereira is not stumping for Foster. I know Foster does not want to be associated with her. I am not sure why Ganim supporters care other than they know what a hard worker she is. I only know Maria Pereira is running for the BOE. I know she is supporting Ben Walker and Karen Jackson and I know she is committed to council candidates Nessa and Anthony. For all I know, she is Charlie Coviello’s biggest fan or Chris Taylor. She knows Foster is my number-one priority as well as Lydia Martinez, Don Clemmons, pretty much the entire original Finch ticket including my councilwoman Michelle and AmyMarie, Melanie Jackson and Tyisha Toms.

      I hope that gives some clarity to anyone out there who gives a crap of who my friend Maria is supporting. It is not Mary-Jane Foster and it is mutual. Who she is supporting is really none of my business to share!

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      1. Interesting thing about your post, Steven–nowhere do you say she is still supporting Ganim. Why would Ganim supporters harass her if she were still active in his campaign? She was very strong in her opposition to Foster, and was very pro-Joe. That is why some people would give a crap. Not picking a fight with you, but if you came on here and all of sudden stopped being a champion for Foster, people would question that too. Pretty sad those she worked hard for are now turning on her for whatever reason.

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      2. Breaking news

        This is verbatim what Maria Pereira asked me to write that I will happily share. 🙂 This Drama is a joke to me of course!

        The only thing I know for a fact is Maria Pereira is absolutely NOT supporting or working on behalf of MJF. Anyone who is claiming otherwise is spreading lies.

        end of her request.

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  5. What the police need to do now is to get patrols out in the neighborhoods, speak to people and suppress this current upsurge of violent crime. We don’t need to wait for another administration to come in and fix this, you have the authority and resources, please get it done.

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  6. Can someone (preferably a Ganim supporter) please tell me what Joe Ganim’s position is on the 2016 property revaluation? Does he think it should occur or does he feel it should be delayed and if so for how long?

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  7. Go away, Jim. We don’t want your BS. We don’t want to be Stamford’s dormitory. We want to be a prosperous, industrial center again. And we will be, once we toss the “Greenwich Gang” out of office (starting with next year’s Congressional Elections).

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        1. John, you’re a gentleman and respected by all. Why don’t you make a call to Joe and ask him. I know he’d respectfully take your call and answer your question.

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          1. Hi Lisa, thank you for the kind words and I just may call Joe directly. But now I’ve become curious as to why it’s so difficult for me to get that info without personally calling him. The other two major candidates’ positions are widely known. MJF wants a two-year delay and Torres wants to implement the reval immediately. If Joe has taken a position on this issue, why isn’t it publicly available for all to see? Or am I just not looking in the right place?

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          2. Come on, John. You know how Joe feels about putting off reval. How long did he put if off the first time? Six years? Or was it more?

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    1. Jeff, the days of major manufacturing in Bridgeport, like Harvey Hubble, Bryant Electric, GE, Brass Company, are over. As long as there’s a third-world cheap labor force like China, India or Mexico, Bridgeport doesn’t stand a chance.
      The new industry for Bridgeport should be university research parks, Science Parks, or science and technology parks managed in a manner designed to promote innovation. It is a physical place that supports university, industry and government collaboration with the intent of creating high technology economic development and advancing knowledge while creating jobs.

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  8. *** It’s wonderful Joe’s got the city cops’ political endorsement, however just how many of them actually live in Bpt these days to really make a difference in the election? Same situation with the firefighters as well, no? Also very smart of Himes extending the olive branch with Joe ’cause one never knows when you may be in need politically, no? ***

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  9. *** Joe needs a new commercial showing him at a city basketball game during the week, shopping at Compare, siting at a BOE meeting, having lunch with the seniors, and ending with a visit to different churches in Bpt. Be the Park City People’s Mayor, back from the darkness of the past and into the light of the city’s future! *** “JOE KNOWS” ***

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  10. Hi Carolanne, Can you please tell me what Joe Ganim’s position is on the 2016 property revaluation? Does he think it should occur or does he feel it should be delayed and if so for how long?

    I can’t seem to get any Ganim supporter to give me an answer to this question and I’m wondering why this info is not publicly available for all to see. Or, as I wrote to Lisa perhaps I am just not looking in the right place. I may take Lisa’s suggestion and call Joe directly but I would much rather see his position on this important issue posted publicly as both MJF and have done.

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  11. Jim Fox: I know you are a proponent of Bridgeport prosperity, a rebuilding of our once-prodigious taxbase as part and parcel of the creation of tens of thousands of living-wage jobs. I also realize we aren’t going to recreate massive, blast furnace-type, 20th century-type industry here again, nor would we really want to, this being the 21st Century. I have advocated for a partnership with our regional universities, leading tech/aerospace/industry corporations, as well as entrepreneurs/startup firms, along with state and local government in order to re-establish Bridgeport as a prosperous, manufacturing powerhouse of the 21st Century. So I’m obviously not talking about retracing our rustbelt steps.

    My problem with Jim Himes and the “Greenwich Gang” is they don’t see us as anything but a poor, servants’ quarters, there for their exploitation to maintain their municipal tax bases and lifestyles. I’m sure you see that too. We are really in agreement about things Bridgeport if you reflect on what we’ve both been saying over the years.

    When Jim Himes comes here making sure the development needed to ensure our servants’ quarters status will stay on track with the next (Ganim!) Administration, I want to make sure he know he is talking the wrong talk for the next scene of the “Bridgeport” play.

    Another thing to note is I understand Candidate Ganim has to maintain a basic decorum with our Washington and Hartford representation and leadership. He can’t say to, or about, Jim Himes and the “Greenwich Gang” the things non-candidate Kohut can say about them and Bridgeport’s Gold Coast/suburban-perpetrated dilemma. (Remember, Congressman Himes voted for the TPP.)

    Lennie: I would welcome an incumbent congressman’s support if it carried a message of real respect for Bridgeport and a commitment to making us safe and prosperous again. But he came looking for assurances his pet, Bridgeport servants’ quarters projects were going to stay on track. I take exception to that and note the Ganim Campaign won a brutal primary with Congressman Himes endorsing the other side.

    If Jim Himes gets back on the right side of things for Bridgeport, I will be the first to sing his praises and welcome his attention. (I have no problem with Joe Ganim maintaining political decorum in the pre-Congressional election cycle interim.)

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    1. Hey Jeff, could you at least tell me why you won’t answer my question about Joe Ganim’s position on the 2016 property revaluation? Do you know what his position is or if he even has a position on this very important issue? Does he want to do it now or does he want to postpone it and if so, for how long. I keep asking and no Ganim supporter (with the exception of Lisa) even has the courtesy to reply.

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  12. Himes is cut from the same cloth as Malloy, Foster and Finch. Himes and many more will need the next mayor of Bridgeport for their 2016 re-election. TIDES ARE TURNING, Bridgeport will be at high tide for a while if the Bridgeport residents get out and vote.

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