Failing to qualify for the Democratic primary, State Senator Marilyn Moore had opined on an endorsement from the Connecticut Working Families Party for a November ballot placement. That appears to be gone, according to State Director Sarah Ganong.
“I can confirm WFP is not intending to endorse for mayor this year,” Sarah Ganong texted OIB Sunday morning
The deadline to endorse is September 6.
Mayoral candidates Lamond Daniels and John Gomes who’s on the September 12 Democratic primary ballot against Mayor Joe Ganim also sought the endorsement. Daniels, who also failed to qualify for the primary, has made the November ballot as a petitioning candidate.
Once a darling of the WFP, Moore’s slide from the liberal third-party group began in 2019 when her campaign fumbled the simple signature process to appear on its line in November. Fingers were pointed blaming each other. The WFP had poured resources into Moore’s tight primary loss to Ganim. WFP’s November line was Moore’s Plan B to remain relevant in the general election. With no place to land Moore opted for a long-shot write-in campaign losing handily.
Lacking organization and campaign sensibility, Moore lost sizable 2019 political support, particularly to the Daniels and Gomes campaigns. Her fundraising lapsed and she didn’t have the fire in her belly to inspire a strong coalition.
Flubbing ballot access in two straight mayoral cycles also hardened suspicions of Moore’s political ineptness. Moore’s always needed a sharp political hand to orchestrate an organization. Why throw precious resources at a candidate that doesn’t get it?
Serving in the cozy universe of the state senate isn’t remotely close to the savviness required of a mayoral race and for that matter the demands running Connecticut’s most populous city. Over time the flaws will emerge. Many operatives noticed and pulled away.
This is another blow to the conflicted, Moore-backed political entity Bridgeport Generation Now Votes that had poised $100,000 to further her mayoral candidacy. A WFP ballot spot would have have portrayed hope of a competitive general election, given her legislative base. Perhaps Gen Now pivots to Lamond’s long-shot general election bid.
No matter how the primary transpires Ganim and Gomes have also locked in general election lines: Ganim the New Movement Party and Gomes The Bridgeport Independent Party.
Too many times Marilyn Moore didn’t do enough for herself — will she do what she can for Bridgeport?
RUMOR MILL:
Mayor Ganim was seen doing backflips and triple flips on the trampoline installed on the rooftop of his downtown apartment building. With WFP ‘s neutrality and New Movement Party’s endorsement secured, his enthusiasm seems justified. Staffers and family members say he’s second only to Tom Cruise when it comes to acrobatic stunts that leave onlookers amazed.
Thankfully, he’s never tried to do a backflip while riding a motorcycle on a trampoline!
I wonder if Gen Q’s (Dark Money) had something to do with WFP dumping Moore?
Going to shape up as an interesting ballot for November
Row A Democrat Gomes (Vote Gomes Sept 12)
Row B Republican(not sure if row A/B correct.
Row C WFP no Mayor candidate
Row D IND Gomes
Row E NM Ganim + others on row?
Row F Petitioning candidate Daniels
Row G-Z potential write in candidates
Additional possibilities would be a mixed bag of candidates wining primary. Those shouting row A all the way, May win and end up on a line without their mayoral candidate and have to choose whether to hit doors and try and get voters to split their votes.
Interesting times indeed.
Vote Gomes and the entire row B on Sept 12 and vote Gomes Current lineup in November.
Remember, Senator Joe Lieberman (D) lost the democratic primary. He went on to win the general election as an independent. Looks like in both the primary and the general, the absentee ballots will decide. Advantage: Incumbent.
Hey Lennie, who is Mara Pereira’s running mate? Are my eyes and ears deceiving me. Is she the Melendez who I had to watch for a whole week blocking emergency vehicle access on Congress Street? You know the sister of the late Jason Negron who was killed in the stolen car on Fairfield after a brief car chase. How much did that joy ride and attempt to kill or harm a Bridgeport Police Officer cost us?
Lamond should do meet and greets at all of the polling places on September 12 — and have something to offer the people that show up to vote…. LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU ARE OUT THERE, LAMOND!! (Not all of the people that show up on the 12th will be 100% committed to either of the candidates — many will be there just to make sure that the guy that they really don’t like doesn’t get D-spot for the November election…)
Say something, Lamond!! Do you really want to be Bridgeport’s next mayor? HELLO, LAMOND! ARE YOUR THERE? IS ANYBODY HOME?! (You’re not just on a Bridgeport job-hunt to avoid the Norwalk commute… Are you?!)
I am disappointed to hear you mock a genuine candidate for Mayor. He’s wise to ignore you.
You have a voice on OIB but Lamond Daniels has a place on the ballot on election day.
You sure sound like a blind fool sometimes. The last time Lamond Daniels issued a statement, he stated that he was going to make a statement in regards to the WFP endorsement “soon”. He made it sound more like “the fix was in” and he was going to get the WFP endorsement. We are waiting for his “announcement”– there’s nothing to announce.
You are the suicide jack in this whole equation!
You publicly misinterpreted Lamond Daniels.
Jeff kohut, the same applied to you when you ran for Mayor. You were my favorite candidate. Name recognition is key, one reason I won’t run is because no one ever heard of Joel Gonzalez.
Surely you jest.
You’re the most famous janitor/zookeeper in the history of OIB — the ideal background!
Besides, Lennie will make you famous.
Thanks for the kind words, Joel. You are much better known than me. The mountain that has to be e moved to become mayor of any sizeable city is, indeed, name-recognition tied to the right message. That generally that takes a lot of money and organization. But it isn’t impossible to create an equivalent to the $/organization. I wasn’t able to create the right recipe, during my little mayoral endeavor, to use the necessary alchemy-substitute to compensate for a sizeable war chest and organization. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be done by someone else in Bridgeport…
Local Eyes; I was not mocking Mr. Daniels — indeed, he is a genuine candidate for mayor… My statement was intended to let him know that he is being looked to, earnestly, to present a strong, clear, alternative candidacy for the leadership of our city… People have their ears to the ground, and their eyes on the horizon, listening and looking for someone to lead this city out of the morass. Candidate Daniels could be that leader, but he has to come out of the shadows and let the voters know where he stands and that he is willing to go bare-fist with the “big boys” in this election…
This post is more thoughtful than the others.
Lamond Daniels has qualified for the ballot.
He has votes and more importantly, he’s still relevant.
Lamond Daniels is an outsider with upside — he’s a political firecracker with a fuse that lasts until election day. I like his position. When it comes to name recognition, it’s showtime!
Lamond Daniels for State Senate? Why don’t you guys stop beating around the bush and repeat after me. Lamond Daniel’s for State Senate.