Will Daniels Mayoral Campaign Be A Boon Or Bust?

In early 1992, the governor of Arkansas seeking the Democratic nomination for president over the likes of former California Governor Jerry Brown visited the Ralphola Taylor Center in the East End seeking votes for the Connecticut primary. Ernie Newton, a young city politician back in the day, recalls you could fill a phone booth with the people in attendance to meet Bill Clinton. Maybe 20 or so showed to see the future president of the United States. On Saturday retired police officer David Daniels hosted a listening forum at the Bridgeport Public Library in consideration of a mayoral run. About the same number of people to see Clinton showed up to see Daniels, one of them Newton, once again illustrating how difficult it is to generate a following for a run, be it large or small. It takes a whole lot of time, effort, organization, brick by brick. Rarely does it happen overnight.

Also attending the Daniels event in addition to Newton, former school board member Maria Pereira and state senate candidate Marilyn Moore who was Daniels’ supervisor when he worked as a telephone operator for the phone company prior to his service as a police officer.

As the clock struck 11 a.m. for the scheduled start of the forum to hear from the people and what they want in their mayor, Daniels displayed a sense of humor, something required in this process. “Maybe all 140 people will arrive at once,” he said in recognition of the sparsity of the crowd and the folks who had committed to attend on his Facebook page.

Welcome to the real world of campaigns whether would-be or for real. Candidates must have fire in the belly to build organized opposition against a well-funded incumbent such as Bill Finch who knows how to leverage the power of incumbency. A candidate must inspire voters. Rarely does it happen the other way around. Still, Daniels acknowledged the folks who took time from their Saturday to attend.

Daniels spoke of his roots in Bridgeport growing up in troubled P.T. Barnum Apartments where the West End meets Black Rock.

“I’m flirting with running for mayor” at the urging of community people, he said. “It takes more than me running for mayor … If you want something in this world you have to be serious about it. The purpose is to ask you what you want to craft as a collective vision of a city.”

Daniels earned his stripes in community policing serving as a bridge between neighborhoods and law enforcement. His final year on the job produced a scratchy relationship with Mayor Bill Finch and police management for his outspokenness. But, he added, “The things that happened last year did not enter into this decision.”

He also addressed his residency. Currently he is not a city resident, but will move back in if he runs for mayor. “I was born here, lived here and gave more than 25 years as a police officer. I am Bridgeport. Bridgeport became an unsafe place to be. In order for me to maintain a modicum of safety I moved out of Bridgeport. When you’re a cop shopping for groceries you’re shopping with people you arrested and that’s not always a good mix. Most cops don’t live here. The chief lives in Newtown with summer home in Milford.”

He explained he has not made a final decision about running.

“If I get support, organization and money,” he will run. “I need people to support me. I need committed people, people to work for me and support me. I can make more money doing other things. I need people to knock on doors, I need people to make phone calls … I have a lot to learn. I’m not a politician. I’m just an everyday man. I’m doing this because Bridgeport can be a better place. I support Bridgeport. I want you to tell me what it is you want a mayor to do.”

A male resident of the East End spoke of his youth in Bridgeport. “Our city used to be a productive place. Politicians all come around when it’s time to vote. The education system is flawed,” he said, lamenting the lack of after-school programs.

“We elect people without a shared vision,” Daniels said. “We elect people and then they tell us what they want to do. We need to elect people who breed accountability. They are pushing aside property tax assessment because of the election. Government needs to be open and honest and accountable.”

During the John Fabrizi mayoral years Daniels served as the police liaison to education. He attended school board meetings. He described today’s school board makeup as “a zoo. They fight more than the individual cops.”

Newton asked him what he would do about jobs for Bridgeport people.

“Some of the brightest minds I’ve met come from Bridgeport, Connecticut,” Daniels said. “A good mayor doesn’t have to be the smartest person in the world. We need a mayor who is a cheerleader for the city. We need to go to industry and merchants to share value of city workers. You can’t have a significant impact on crime unless you’re providing jobs. Men feel good when they are working. When a man is working, he’s stepping up in the household. When you have a job you do not hang out late because you’re gonna go to work. When people have jobs their self-esteem goes up unimaginably.”

Daniels then addressed conflicts of interest on the City Council in which city employee councilors vote to approve their own wages and benefits.

“Council members get to vote on their own raises. If I could do that as a cop I’d be making $700,000. If you work for the city you should not be on the City Council. If we can change that we would change politics in Bridgeport 180 degrees. The old way of thinking is not relevant today.”

Moore, who defeated incumbent Anthony Musto in a Democratic primary August 12 advancing to the November general election, addressed Daniels with a tone of caution for the work involved in a mayoral campaign and praise for his background. “If you stayed at the phone company you’d be vice president.”

But she added, running for office takes more than complaining.

“I have a passion for where I was born,” Daniels said. “I can move to Florida tomorrow. I want to do this because it’s where my heart is. People who do things for money are not happy. I’m doing this because I love Bridgeport.”

Alex, who resides in the East End, talked about moving back to Bridgeport after completing military service. He lamented the lack of jobs. “Taxes are high because the money’s not staying in Bridgeport. The area is running circles around us. I also blame us for not getting involved.”

Daniels reiterated a mayor must be focused on business recruitment, citing former Mayor Joe Ganim wooing Joseph’s Steakhouse to the city’s Downtown, as an example.

“We have more Dunkin’ Donuts than we have banks.”

Daniels says he will continue to engage voters to build support. If he concludes the money, organization and message is not there, he will not run.

He addressed the cynics who declare, “How dare you that you run for mayor? I say, how dare that you not?”