Former State Representative Chris Caruso, who’s maintained a low public profile since joining Governor Dan Malloy’s administration in 2011, is actively supporting Ed Gomes in the February 24 special election for State Senate.
A week from what is expected to be a low winter turnout, the various camps are looking for every available edge. Caruso was a popular figure in his former legislative district covering portions of the North End and Upper East Side. The Big Wave’s reaching out to former constituents in several key city precincts in Connecticut’s 23rd State Senate District.
“Ed’s a good, honest man,” says Caruso who’s shed about 80 pounds in the last year or so. Caruso earned his stripes running outside the political establishment. He waged two runs for mayor, losing close Democratic primaries to John Fabrizi in 2003 and Bill Finch in 2007. Caruso does not endorse easily. He tends to gravitate to pols not entrenched in the city’s political establishment. In the state legislature, Caruso was one of the architects of Connecticut’s system of publicly financed campaigns following the federal corruption probe that forced Governor John Rowland from office 10 years ago.
Gomes is running on the Working Families Party line against Democratic endorsed Richard DeJesus, Republican Quentin Dreher and petitioning candidates Ken Moales and Charles Hare.
The Gomes campaign in the final stretch will likely draw a contrast between someone who’s been a reliable presence in the district against newcomers such as chief rivals City Councilman DeJesus and school board member Moales both of whom are plagued by back tax issues in the city.
Irrespective of their perceived baggage, DeJesus and Moales both enter the final week with enough money to make their case, courtesy of public grants dished out last week by the State Elections Enforcement Commission. Gomes has also received public campaign moolah.
The State Senate district has roughly 40,000 registered voters covering about two-thirds of Bridgeport and portion of western Stratford. The winner will fill the vacancy left by Andres Ayala, the commissioner of the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Gomes was the district’s state senator until he was knocked off in a 2012 primary by Ayala.
Talk about a couple of Democratic heavyweights. Although rumors have it both have been shedding some pounds
Chris Caruso and Ed Gomes, wow what a team, here are two true hard-working Democrats who cannot be bought. Welcome back, Chris.
Next Finch will come up with this. “I don’t believe people working for Gov. Malloy should be allowed to endorse local candidates.”
Harvey Weintraub, you’d better believe that phone call has already been made to Malloy.
Yeah, we should pass a law.
Seriously, do you think Malloy wants Moales in Hartford? I think not. He’s quietly rooting for Ed Gomes. Good luck Ed in the final stretch.
city hall smoker, have you seen any evidence of Malloy standing up to his big-money donor and charter school proponent/grandee, Jonathan Sackler? I haven’t. Sackler and his wife are backing Moales.
For all the Democrats who love Malloy and always tell me how Malloy doesn’t like Finch, yada yada, I hope you’ve written/called/asked Malloy to send someone down here to support Gomes between now and election day.
Like Brendan Sharkey did last summer in coming down to Bridgeport to support Andre Baker AFTER Ernie Newton won the DTC endorsement. Anyone remember?
House Speaker Brendan Sharkey and Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz were in town two weeks ago to support Steve Stafstrom. Good for them, it’s a free country. But they or their counterparts in the senate couldn’t have stopped across town to help Ed Gomes?
Don’t forget Gov Malloy’s connection to Michael Mandell, the Exec Director of the state Democratic Party whose special panel “rejected the [Gomes] campaign’s allegations that the local endorsement convention [of DeJesus] was clouded by a conflict of interest.” (See CT Post 1/23/15 article “DeJesus officially endorsed …”)
FROM: : Dec 23, 2014 Shoreline Plus
www .shorelineplus.com/shplus/information/news/News_1/CT-Democratic-Party-announces-departure-of-Jonathan-Harris224082240822408.shtml
As the CDP continues to build for future cycles, Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo announced that Michael Mandell will assume the role of Executive Director. Mandell most recently served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Governor Dan Malloy’s re-election. Prior, he worked on the Governor’s 2010 race, later serving in the administration as a legislative aide. He has also worked as a policy advisor to the Governor in a variety of areas, including education, public safety, and economic and consumer affairs.
“Jonathan has built an infrastructure never before seen in Connecticut–and it helped lead us to victory. He modernized the Party, building it nearly from the ground up. As we maintain its strength, we are all grateful for his exceptional work over the past several years,” Governor Dan Malloy said. “I know Michael will do an outstanding job as Executive Director. He has a wide-variety of talents–policy knowledge, political awareness, campaign experience–that are well-suited for this role. There is no ceiling to what he will be able to accomplish.”
I don’t think anyone in their right mind would want Moales up in the State Senate. He is arrogant, divisive and destructive. He would drive everyone nuts. Finch is willing to make Bridgeport look worse than ever because he is so afraid of Ed Gomes and the passage of the bill restricting city employees on the City Council. Finch will do ANYTHING to maintain control of his puppet City Council. I would hope Governor Malloy sees the bigger picture.
city hall smoker, I agree with what you’re saying. But I fear the chance for Malloy to be a leader in this situation has sadly passed. I hope Malloy steps up and proves me wrong, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
I began my political experience with these two men. Their integrity, commitment to what they believed and the courage to never compromise their beliefs had a profound effect on me as I found my own place in Bridgeport politics. We didn’t always initially agree on matters and issues, but there was a respect among us that encouraged us to find a common ground. That is positive and constructive compromise. This is what I miss so much and what the Administration is lacking; among a lot of other things.
Just like the powers that be didn’t want Chris Caruso to be the mayor of Bridgeport so they got Bill Finch who didn’t want the job to run against Chris and got him the money to win, they don’t want Ed Gomes in Hartford but they will settle for Rev. Moales, but the problem is Ed is going to win.
Rev. Moales representing us in Hartford will be the biggest embarrassment this city has ever seen and we’ve been through a lot.
I have to admit I am pleased Chris Caruso has offered to lend support to Ed Gomes. Gomes may have not been my first choice, but I’d be sick to think he lost to less-qualified and less-honest candidates. Finch should support GOMES. Chris Caruso does look terrific and he clearly has lost a lot of weight. He may have been a low-profile man for a few years but he is still a very personable politician.
city hall smoker; the bigger picture Malloy sees has Bridgeport located out of sight of the “big house.” Until Bridgeporters realize how Bridgeport is perceived and what role we have been assigned by the folks in the “big house” down-county, we will never be able to begin the daunting task of rebuilding a viable city. Recall how Chris Bruhl (friend and supporter of Dan Malloy) of the Business Council of Fairfield County (formerly SACIA) stated Bridgeport could never be allowed to develop enough good, local jobs such that the Stamford region would be denied its “affordable” labor force?” Recall also how, just this past year, we were denied admittance to the Southwestern District Planning Agency (that includes Easton, Trumbull, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, Stamford, et al.)?
Dan Malloy is not Bridgeport’s friend and is happy to see us politically dysfunctional and fully controllable. His guiding belief is what’s bad for Bridgeport is good for Stamford. If this were not true he would have steered some good development here during his first term, and during these past three weeks he would have voiced an opinion about the rigging of the Gomes-Dejesus nomination–and he would have sent Denise Merrill here to take a look into the absentee ballot machinations that will determine the winner of this election.
You can rest assured things are going just the way Dan Malloy wants them to go in Bridgeport.
The CT Post is reporting Finch said DeJesus should resign from the State Senate race, but one ally, Councilwoman Eneida Martinez, D-139, said he is not backing down.
“It was a sharp, stabbing pain to me to read what the mayor wrote,” Martinez said. “Who cares what the mayor said? He should stay in and see what happens.”
It will never happen in this lifetime.
Donald, here is another interesting statement in the same article, “Gil Hernandez, another Latino leader in the Democratic party, argued there are plenty of more prominent people in Bridgeport who have had higher tax debts than DeJesus, like businessman Sal DiNardo, brother of recently retired state Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo.”
“Mayor, if you’re asking this kid to get out, who are you supporting, then?” Hernandez said. Well it seems the Hispanic leaders are challenging Mayor Finch to support their candidate.
Haha, McCarthy doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. Last week when Finch supported Rickey, McCarthy gave him money, now this week when Finch wants Rickey to drop out, he’s troubled by what he is hearing about him. “Council President Thomas McCarthy, D-133, gave campaign money to DeJesus but said he is “troubled” by some of the revelations about the candidate.”
Hey Tom, get a backbone and take a stand for once in your life. You can do it if you try.
Harvey,
McCarthy is a puppet of Finch. He does what he is told to do and his job depends on him doing so. I’ve seen this in action firsthand at a previous City Council budget meeting. Allowing this conflict to exist is wrong and it needs to be fixed if you want to create a better future in Bridgeport.
I support Ed Gomes but Ed seemed pretty silent at the PA 5884 Public Hearing when the unions were rolling over Bridgeport.
David, I realize Tom has to do what he is told to keep his job, but it’s bordering on embarrassing at this point. One can’t help but wonder if the guy has any opinions of his own at this point.