Primary Results, Sam’s Bridgeport Team, And Himes Flies With Barack

9:30 p.m. update: Okay, City Council results. Unofficially looks like all party-endorsed Dems prevail.

District 135: Incumbents Warren Blunt and Richard Bonney defeat challengers Peter Clarke and Mary McBride Lee, and Isa Mujahid who ran solo.

District 136: Incumbents Angel DePara and Carlos Silva win handily over Mark Trojanowski.

District 137: An avalanche of absentee ballot votes for Lydia Martinez and Manny Ayala lift them over City Council incumbent Maria Valle, who was not endorsed by the party, and Christina Ayala. Valle won a close vote on the machine total but a roughly 100-vote absentee ballot margin for Martinez and Ayala lifted them to victory.

District 138: Three slates here. Incumbents Bob Curwen and Rich Paoletto hold off Andy Fardy and Ann Barney, and James Morton and Tyreke Bird.

The vote was close at Hooker School, dominated by owner-occupied homes, and the incumbents pulled away at JFK School, a traditional party-regular vote.

Hooker results:

Fardy 125
Barney 116
Curwen 137
Paoletto 126
Morton 44
Bird 25

JFK results:

Curwen 114
Paoletto 99
Barney 30
Fardy 26
Morton 67
Bird 45

Caligiuri And Friends

Two OIB friends, Bridgeport residents Jack McGregor and Kathleen Pierce have signed  on to the campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sam Caligiuri, a Waterbury state senator. The latest Rasmussen poll, for my money one of the most accurate pollsters on the planet, shows every Republican in the mix ahead or close to Senator Chris Dodd.

I had thought Dodd might receive some breathing room from the prior round of polling, but not yet. Still, Dodd who’ll have mountain ranges of dough will not be easy to beat. And Sam has some work to do to persuade Republican operatives and primary voters that he–and not former Congressman Rob Simmons and all the others in the race–is the strongest candidate to defeat Dodd. We’re less than a year from the GOP convention and possible primary. Where are most of the GOP votes? In Fairfield County, and that’s where Republicans such as McGregor and Pierce, key supporters of former Congressman Chris Shays, can help spread the word.

See Caligiuri news release below:

Caligiuri Names Jack McGregor as Campaign Chairman, Brings on Finance Director

Today, State Senator Sam Caligiuri, candidate for U.S. Senate, named Jack McGregor as Campaign Chairman and Kathleen Pierce as Finance Director.

Jack McGregor has been one of the go-to people in Connecticut Republican politics for well over twenty years, and has had a distinguished career in public service. This career has included eight years in the Pennsylvania State Senate that began when he was 28, and Presidential appointments serving in three administrations. He served as Vice Chairman of Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays’ Finance Committee for over twenty years, and on the Finance Committees of the George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bob Dole, and Mitt Romney Presidential campaigns. McGregor is a former CEO and President of Aquarion Company, New England’s largest water utility company and one of the largest Bridgeport-based businesses. He is also Co-Founder of both the Bridgeport Bluefish and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and practices law with the Bridgeport-based statewide law firm Cohen and Wolf.

When asked why he feels compelled to play such a crucial role in Sam’s campaign, McGregor answered, “There is only one candidate in this race with all of the characteristics Connecticut needs to see in its next U.S. Senator. Sam’s reasoned, pragmatic approach, his Washington outsider status, and the generational shift he represents make him the only candidate who can win this race against Chris Dodd. And this is a battle we must win. After meeting Sam and doing my homework on his exemplary record of service to the people of Connecticut, it is evident that he is exactly the right candidate at the right time for the next generation of Connecticut’s leadership.”

Also joining Caligiuri’s team in the role of Finance Director is Kathleen Pierce, who served as Finance Director for Congressman Christopher Shays during his last three Congressional campaigns. Pierce brings over twenty years of Connecticut fundraising experience to the campaign, fifteen years as head of KMPierce Associates, LLC.

“I could not be more honored or more excited to have Jack and Kathleen join my team as key leaders. Their endorsements, and their commitments to work with me, are significant milestones. I look forward to the many talents they will bring to my growing campaign,” said Sam Caligiuri.

Himes Flies High

Congressman Jim Himes joined President Barack Obama aboard Air Force One following Barack’s Wall Street speech on Monday urging spending responsibility. Gee, can our government do that as well?

“The President reminded us today how much the economic stability of our families and local businesses depends upon a successful, responsible financial services industry. I appreciate the urgency of the President’s remarks. I look forward to our continued work to craft legislation that fosters a vibrant, innovative financial services industry while protecting consumers and helping prevent a crisis like this from happening ever again.”

News release from Mayor Bill Finch

Mayor Finch Joins in D.C. Lobbying Effort

U.S. Conference of Mayors Pushing Climate Protection Efforts

(September 15, 2009) – Mayor Bill Finch is attending the United States Conference of Mayors’ Lobby Day, where Mayors from around the country will press the Senate to pass legislation on energy and climate issues and ensure funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. The Lobby Day is taking place today (Tuesday, September 15), in Washington , D.C.

“There are many things that we as elected officials can do as part of the effort to reduce climate change and make our communities more sustainable,” says Mayor Finch . “Ensuring the continued existence of the EECBG Program gives us the resources we need to move forward.”

“The City of Bridgeport aims to be a leader in the region and the state in green jobs creation and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of the executive order I issued last fall, called B-Green 2020, the City has undertaken a variety of projects that will help us to save energy, reduce waste and shrink our carbon footprint while creating green jobs and promoting energy efficiency, both for municipal uses and for our citizens,” said Mayor Finch. “Cities must be a part of the solution if we have any hope of solving the problem of global climate change. I am honored to join my fellow mayors in lobbying Congress to pass this important piece of legislation.”

Mayor Finch is a member of the Advisory Board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Joining Mayor Finch in this lobbying effort is Alanna Kabel, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer in charge of the City’s Office of Central Grants & Community Development. They will meet with Connecticut Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman’s staff, and with Senators Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Richard H. Lugar, Debbie Stabenow and Mark Begich to ensure that the Senate’s energy and climate change legislation includes continued funding for the EECBG. The EECBG provides direct funds to local governments for climate protection and efficient energy projects.

The EECBG, a program first conceived by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, is available to eligible cities, counties and states providing grants for the following purposes: to curb energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; create green jobs; promote greater energy conservation and improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building, and other energy-consuming sectors.

The Conference of Mayors is organizing the Lobby Day at the specific request of Senate Environment Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer. Conference Leaders met with Boxer and members of the Environment and Public Works Committee in August to establish the need for this legislation.