The last time Bridgeport’s legislative boundaries were redrawn by the state brought about a political sea change that washed away an incumbent and buoyed an insurgent.
Map-drawing can become tricky and partisan be it nationally or locally with shouts of gerrymandering, the manipulation of boundaries to suit a political party or incumbent, from both sides.
Ten years ago Connecticut’s controversial redistricting of Ed Gomes’ senate turf while he was convalescing from heart surgery in the hospital triggered an unintended consequence. Democratic Senate leadership had carved his voter base in the African American strong Wilbur Cross precinct into the district of then incumbent Anthony Musto to protect Musto against a strong Republican general election challenger in the adjoining city-suburban district.
That move would backfire. In 2014 Gomes’ former legislative aide Marilyn Moore leveraged the Wilbur Cross vote to upset Musto in a Democratic primary. Musto won the suburbs big to the unknown Moore, but the Wilbur Cross votes, 333 to 40, ended his six-year run, coupled with Moore’s other large precinct wins in the city.
It also elevated Moore as a threat to win the mayoralty and she almost pulled it off in the 2019 primary against Joe Ganim.
The 2021 Reapportionment Commission is in the process of finalizing its work required every 10 years to bring about equal populations in respective legislative districts based on Census Bureau findings.
The 2021 commission members appointed by Governor Lamont are Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, Senator Paul Formica, House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and Representative Jason Perillo.
Based on Connecticut’s Census population House District residents shall total 23,880, Senate 100,165. The redistricting plan must be in place for the 2022 state election cycle. See current maps.
If the commission cannot agree on a plan by Nov. 30th, the Connecticut Supreme Court will finalize the lines no later than Feb. 15, 2022.
Bridgeport, with the largest legislative delegation in the state, could pick up a portion of a seventh House seat. Will it be from Fairfield, Stratford or Trumbull? Currently all six of Bridgeport’s House seats are confined to the city.
Ed often talked about how this was done to him while is was in the hospital after suffering his heart attack. He talked about how hurt and disappointed he was that this was done while in the hospital and yet his disdain wasn’t aimed at the white DTC. Ed understood that the white DTC wouldn’t have thrown him a Life preserver if he was drowning, instead his disdain was leveled at the so-called Black Politician’s and Black Political Leaders. He told me not one called him about this nor spoke out about how this was wrong, immoral and unjust it was considering his present state! Ed understood that he may have some Political differences with some of those Brothers and Sisters, but he felt that he deserved more than total silence on this issue. Ed would always talk to these people as he did before, would help them if he could, but didn’t trust these people as far as he could throw a truck!
I say this say, Brothers and Sisters let’s not let this happen again to each other for the benefit of the White DTC and its effort to hookup another White person to the detriment of a Black person! It’s just not right! It’s too be expected, but it’s not right.
Don, that’s so true and it’s sad. I had lunch with Ed one Saturday and he said exactly what you said, I won’t give names but allof those so call elected black Democrats from the Democratic Town Committee, the City Council members to Bidgeport’s state elected members. As I sad there listening to Ed I could feel the pain that he was dealing with. With Ed he gave in to you straight no chaser.
Don, you said, “Brothers and Sisters let’s not let this happen again to each other for the benefit of the White DTC and its effort to hookup another White person to the detriment of a Black person! It’s just not right! It’s too be expected, but it’s not right. that’s something that’s needed” but Don, that’s not going happen here.
Map drawing can become tricky and partisan be it nationally or locally with shouts of gerrymandering, the manipulation of boundaries to suit a political party or incumbent, from both sides, that statement is still true in 2021 in Bridgeport but it’s not true for both sides because there’s only one side in Bridgeport and that’s Democrats. Gerrymandering, the manipulation of boundaries to suit a political incumbent in the 10 poticial districts, let’s not forget the gerrymandering of council districts to move Ed Gomes and Chris Caruso when they were both council (alderman) members. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. who is wholly independent and separate from the NAACP won the case to create boundaries for majority black districts, Hispanic districts and combine districts and white districts. You now the south end greatly change with the demolition Marina Village 37 buildings and 389 units, that voting power was mostly black and they have been relocated to other parts of the city you whites moving into the units in the same districts that has change the make-up of that district.