22 Percent Citywide Voter Turnout For General Election

Roughly 22 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot in Tuesday’s general election, according to the official Moderator’s Report filed with the Town Clerk’s Office. See results from Head Moderator Phil Smith’s report November 5, 2019 Election Results.

Mayor Joe Ganim won another four-year term with 9,592 votes, write-in candidate Marilyn Moore 4,735, Republican John Rodriguez 1,583, followed by three other write-in candidates Jeff Kohut, Ethan Book and MaryAnn McLaine.

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97 comments

  1. This is ineffably SAD. This is a condemnation of our elected leaders and hope to be leaders. This is awful no matter how you look at it. Lennie. Thank you for providing this fact because turnout was at the back of my. Twenty-Two percent turnout for a mayoral election is unacceptable. This terrible turnout means that we really have serious problems about people/citizen involvement in the decisions about what Bridgeport will do in the very near short term future,a few years your and several decades out especially concerning city bonding. This awful turnout is an indictment of all elected officials,civil leaders. All of you should hang your head in shame.

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  2. Pretty much, most of the people in Bpt figured why take the time out to go vote.Once Marilyn quit her campaign, it was a forgone conclusion Mario& Joe would once again win.Instead of a feeling of a new beginning & hope for change in the coming years, we are stuck with the same old “good ol boys” club running the city.Its a dark time for our city.

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  3. If some may recall, after Mayor Ganim was trounced in the Democratic Primary for Governor and you could see how poorly he performed in many Bridgeport precincts, I posted he was clearly vulnerable in his re-election for Mayor.

    It wasn’t that he couldn’t be beaten, it was simply that Marilyn Moore and her inner circle made poor decisions and ran a poor campaign.

    I feel confident had Judge Lopez run for Mayor she would have won.

    Mayor Ganim will be no less vulnerable four years from now. I firmly believe he will not be re-elected in four years as long as there is a solid candidate that can run a solid campaign.

    I have always said money doesn’t buy you love. Joe Ganim will need $400,000 for his re-election campaign. A solid challenger won’t.

    Think of transforming Bridgeport politics as a marathon, not a sprint.

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  4. As long as cities such as Bridgeport and New Haven remain one party towns (the last Republican mayor of New Haven was elected in 1951), there will be extremely low voter turnout for mayoral elections.
    Voters know the mayor is either elected/anointed by the DTC or by winning a primary.
    The general election becomes a great waste of time and money.

    Bridgeport was the laughing stock of the state with this year’s election. Write in candidates who garnered as few as 8 votes. Parties and candidates not filing required signatures to be on the ballot, etc.

    I was excited for the Marilyn Moore candidacy early on and even contributed. She’d been my State Senator and had won previous primary elections, However, this year her election machine was stuck in first gear with one malfunction after another. All the finger pointing and blaming the primary loss on AB shenanigans doesn’t excuse the failure to secure a place on the general election ballot with a party. She surrounded herself with campaign operatives with felonious pedigrees. So we had JG the convicted felon candidate and Moore with convicted felons teaching how to use the AB system. GIVE ME A BREAK!

    I also made a contribution to and supported Maria P in her primary bid for City Council. Here you has an individual, who ran a finely tuned, methodical campaign. She worked tirelessly to reach the voters in her district and allied herself only with her running partner. She was not obligated to spend time campaigning for candidates for other offices or in other districts. Maria set a goal, worked hard and achieved it.

    Many on OIB have attacked Maria for jettisoning relationships with other elected officials over the years and being a lone wolf. I see that Maria does not suffer fools and won’t tolerate those who don’t keep their word and give up on their platforms’ stated goals. In this country we have divorce, no one must stay married forever. If a politician you joined with changes his/her stand, you are free to leave and oppose him/her. That does not mean you are disloyal, but a person of principles.

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    1. I couldn’t have said it better myself, Marcus.

      I WILL hold those accountable that I commit to support based on their espoused values and platform.

      If a politician tells me one thing to get my support and significant effort, and then either abandons their campaign promises or does the complete opposite once elected I owe them absolutely nothing but a kick in the a__.

      Can you imagine if politicians actually knew the vast majority of their constituents would oust them out of office for not keeping their campaign promises?

      They would be much more concerned about keeping their campaign promises.

      I am going to be much more discerning and careful about those I choose to help get elected.

      I have been betrayed more than enough times such as Dave Hennessey, Andre Baker, Joe Ganim, Dennis Bradley, Nessah Smith,,Anthony Paoletta, Karen Jackson and more.

      Ed Gomes would have lost to Dennis Bradley in 2016 if I didn’t help deliver him a 180 vote plurality in the 138th District. Marilyn Moore fed him lies that I was making negative comments about her knocking on doors. It was an absolute lie.

      Samia and JoAnn had knocked on hundreds of doors with me and tried to tell him it was a bunch of lies. He refused to listen to them.

      I put in hundred of ours for Aaron Turner, who by the way ran the worst campaign I had ever seen, and the 138th District was the only district he won in all of Bridgeport. We asked him to walk his own neighborhood, just one turf. He did absolutely NOTHING.

      He will NEVER get our help again. Samia says it best. They are “garbage people.”

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    2. Marshall Marcus, how does Maria work and form a coalition with other City Council members to take care of City business because Maria has never shown the skills and ability work with others? There are 10 City districts, Maria will not be able to get the other districts to go along with her foolish, like it or not you have to deal with what is meaning that Mario Testa is still pulling the strings of votes with the City Council. Another point, Marshall as BAD as Marilyn Moore was she still beat Joe Ganim at the voting polls where voters had to get up and go out to vote and those voters supported and voted for Marilyn Moore but she lost by 270 votes because of absentee ballots, Marshall, 270 votes and she ran a terrible campaign, Marshall, what does that tell you, a terrible campaign but she lost by only 270 votes in the Democrat primary?

      Other people could have ran in the Democrat primary but they made the decision not to run but Marilyn Moore did step up and put her name in run. I for one supported Judge Carmen Lopez for mayor but she made the decision not to run and respect her decision not to run and it didn’t matter what her reasons were. Now I didn’t start to attack Judge Lopez because she didn’t run and I’m not going to jump on Marilyn Moore for how her campaign was ran. Marshall, you like others are again letting the perfect defeat the good, even with a bad campaign Marilyn Moore did something that NO OTHER candidate has ever done, Marilyn beat the golden boy Joe Ganim at the voting polls, Marshall, that’s a starting point to build on.

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  5. Marshall, slow your roll cowboy, Mayor Ganim had numerous individuals that have been sanctioned and fined for AB abuse as well as campaign operatives with felonious pedigrees. Don’t just lay this on the table of Senator Moore and walk away!

    Maria, OMG give us a break about judge Lopez as she has no desire to run for public office at this time in her life and your constant harping on that subject will not bring it into existence. It’s tiresome and Monotonous so find yourself another horse for the next mayoral race, PLEASE!

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    1. Don, you got it right on both issues, first, Maria has this hatred of Marilyn Moore, just look at her comment, “it was simply that Marilyn Moore and her inner circle made poor decisions and ran a poor campaign,” Don, with all of that being said by Maria, Senator Marilyn Moore stilled beat Joe Ganim by over 300 votes at the voting polls and only lost by 270 absentee votes.

      Next, Maria keeps saying, “I feel confident had Judge Lopez run for Mayor she would have won,” well Don, you said it all when you wrote, “judge Lopez as she has no desire to run for public office at this time in her life and your constant harping on that subject will not bring it into existence.” Maria wants to try to make it known that she is the only person who knows Judge Lopez. I’ve made it known to Judge Lopez and on OIB that I had hope that she would run for mayor if she decided to run, well Judge Lopez made the decision not to run and I respect her decision. At the start there were three names out there, Rev. Stallworth, Carmen Lopez and Mariyn Moore for the primary for mayor against Joe Ganim. There was no way in hell that I could vote or support Ganim and Stallworth and that I would support either State Senator Marilyn Moore or Judge Lopez and I said that I hoped that they could sit down and come up with a plan so that there would unity no matter which person ran. Don, once Judge Lopez made her decision not to run Maria started her campaign to dog Marilyn. Maria didn’t support Marilyn or Ganim and in doing so Maria didn’t care who the mayor of Bridgeport was thereby showing her lack of respect for the voters because she didn’t care who manage the City for the next four years. Then at the last moment Maria decided to support Jeff Kohut as a write in candidate for the general election, by the way Maria’s candidate got 27 votes.

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      1. I have known Carmen Lopez for the better part of 47 years . My personal opinion is that despite Maria Pereira’s assertion that Carmen would make an excellent mayor, Carmen can do more good being a private citizen. She doesn’t have to be responsible to anyone but herself…..

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        1. Lisa, that’s absolutely right, Judge Lopez has shown that being a private citizen that she has real power and she doesn’t have to be responsible to anyone but herself in helping Bridgeport.

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    2. @Donald
      I never said one word in support of Ganim. I opposed his machine and supported Moore in the primary.
      I was responsible for Trumbull in her last State Senate run. I wish she ran a better campaign with better staff and associates. That said, after losing the primary I removed myself from all public comment on the election. As a member of a DTC I do not publicly support opponents of the official Democratic candidate in an election. I supported Democrat Moore in a Democratic primary.

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          1. Your punt is the answer.

            You have had no specific conversation where Judge Lopez has indicated to you that she has no inclination to run for Mayor.

            It is you who looks to portray that you have a close relationship with Judge Lopez.

            I know her well enough to know the only person that speaks for Judge Lopez is Judge Lopez.

            I think it would be a HUGE mistake for anyone to ever attempt to speak for her.

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  6. I agree with most of the comments. Especially about the low turn out. Sadly typical of Municipal Elections and Primary turnouts as well. But I do think the comment that Sen. Moore surrounded herself with “campaign operatives with felonious pedigrees” and “convicted felons teaching how to use the AB system” does not accurately describe her team. Yes, some were fired who might fit that description. But her team had people like Gemeem Davis, Chris Caruso, Kevin Ayala and it a minor way myself. Unkind and thoughtless comments are on OIB. But usually cutting comments are traded by regulars agains each other who for years love to jibe each other. Most of OIB readers understand this. But to characterize Sen. Moore’s entire team with such unkind and false statements is SAD.

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    1. No one described Senator Moore’s entire team. A comment was made about those with dubious ballot backgrounds. Certainly I made not one word of praise for Ganim and company.

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  7. M. Marcus did not say ALL of her campaign operatives were felons or involved in absentee ballot fraud.

    I don’t see how anyone can defend her flagrant alliance with Tony Barr and Betty Chappell and her significant other.

    It undercuts Marilyn Moore’s claims of integrity and purity.

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  8. My cousin who voted in the primary did not vote in the general. He said what’s the point if ganim is going to win anyways. I almost was thinking the same thing and considered not voting. Local elections in bpt does not matter unless it’s a primary democrats are going to win the general. This is a democratic city and to be honest it makes no sense to vote for a Republican given the way they have treated us these past few years. I started to vote Republican in 2016 but by 2018 I started to vote Democrat again. Republicans are no better than democrats they are racist as heck.

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  9. I don’t see how anyone can defend Mayor Ganim and his alliance with, hmmm, John Ricci but I don’t bring it up in public until I got sick and tired of you bringing up Tony Barr.

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    1. Really, Bob.

      You are comparing John Ricci to Tony Barr. The very Tony Barr that was an enforcer for a drug gang and tried to murder an undercover officer with an assault weapon. The same Tony Barr that saved 21 years in federal prison.

      The very Tony Barr that went into 999 Broad Street that threatened to blow Mayor Ganim’s head off because he wasn’t allowed to speak with Mayor.

      The very Tony Barr that double parked his car on East Main Street while he entered a Barber Shop to get his hair cut and then had the audacity to challenge the Parking Enforcement official which lead to his arrest.

      Are you implying that Tony Barr and John Ricci are somehow equivalent?

      John Ricci is calm, reasonable,competent and conducts himself appropriately. We are polar opposites politically, however we are able to put our political differences to the side most of the time.

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    2. C’mon Troll! You had no problem many years ago accepting a donation from John for your mayoral exploratory! Furthermore, you have always been fair and just with your comments about John. Tony Barr??

      How about your Social Justice Queen with her comment about John when he was unfairly painted with an accusation. To paraphrase as the CT Post did in April 2019 that as far as she was concerned the he was “Guilty Until Proven Innocent!”

      I hope that she never gets on the Judiciary Committee.

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  10. And Grin, talk about quid pro quo, he gave a donation 15 years ago and you are still expecting me to say noting bad about John???
    You’ve got a hell of a memory!
    I’m glad he didn’t give anything else or he would be still expecting a return for his donation.

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  11. Ya c’mon Bob,how can you compare Tony Barr to John Ricci??..Barr has spent 21 years in jail,tried to murder a cop etc..Ricci is just a thief that takes orders from a convicted felon..

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  12. Wait a minute Bob do you dare to insinuate, no intimate that second chances are only for rich white men from the suburbs who come to expect a certain level of white privilege that a Black man can only dream of having? Do you dare say that 2nd chances depends on how long you were in prison and that 9 years are more forgivable than 21 years in prison? If that’s what you’re saying Bob then I too am offended!

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  13. How to get 100% turnout?
    Make sure OIB is a household term in Bridgeport.
    The best way to do that is make sure Maria P.
    becomes the the first elected official to post here on a sporadic or routine basis.
    WHAT IF Maria P. does to OIB what President Trump does to twitter: use it as a bullhorn
    to bypass the press and go directly to voters. Engaged readers become engaged voters.
    Lennie gets rich and Maria gets famous. Synergy at its best!
    Full disclosure: I’m the guy who recently valued Lennie’s webzine at $1B.

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      1. Does Mackey or Day have any ability to debate without injecting race?

        I don’t “hate” Marilyn Moore. I also don’t hate black women. I beat two Jamaican black women with quite a few votes from black women.

        You are just an INCREDIBLY perty moron.

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        1. Maria, your choice for mayor was write-in candidate Jeff Kohut who didn’t campaign in the black community and the Latino/Hispanic and his position on issues was only posted on OIB, enough said. Maria, when the issues of race are solved let me know. Maria, black and brown people of Bridgeport are the majority but Bridgeport has ALWAYS elected white men except for one white woman for two years.

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          1. Congratulations to Jeff Kohut who with a few posts on Facebook and no other campaign work garnered 27 votes. A few of those from my family. Jeff, run again and we’ll
            vote again.
            Don’t pay any attention to the Lackey. We believe you would do a good job. Would like him to run a real campaign next election season.

            Lackey’s a troll. 27 mayoral votes of confidence for a few posts on social media and a blog is really not so bad, Kohut!

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  14. Bob, it’s not that hard to see how anyone can defend Mayor Ganim and his alliance with John Ricci. Just look at how you were defended for your actions by many, like (I believe) Ron, and Judge Lopez.

    Is anyone (Maria, or Lennie) going to give OIB readers the breakdown in the racially demographics on mayoral race? Which this race was all about with very little substance on how the city is going to move forward. JS

    https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Tempers-flare-at-Bridgeport-City-Council-meeting-295833.php

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  15. Black voters need to get out of that master slave mentally thinking that only white males can run Bridgeport and to learn on how to support their own and Latinos/Hispanics need to stop thinking that they are white and to support their own Latino/Hispanic candidate.

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  16. Does Mackey or Day have any ability to debate without injecting race?

    I don’t “hate” Marilyn Moore. I also don’t hate black women. I beat two Jamaican black women with quite a few votes from black women.

    Race is your answer for everyone and everything others oppose you on .

    It is just ridiculous and reflects poorly on you.

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    1. Smdh!!! Always amazes me when a a white person tells a black person there using race to much smdh!!! Im really disgusted that a an elected official has said this. Sad!!

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  17. Maria is a typical white person that is afraid to talk about race in America. In many cases, having these conversations will not be easy. The more you talk about race, however, the easier it will become. We might even change some minds, but only if one isn’t resistant to change and willing to listen!
    The fact is all white people benefit from racism. White people benefit every time they rent an apartment, buy a car, apply for a job, apply for a loan, apply to college.

    Racism is not just an attitude or a feeling toward people who are different than you; racism is also a structural, institutional system which has benefited white people from the day Europeans landed on this soil. So Maria when racism isn’t a entrenched in the fabric of this America I will continue talk about it loud and strong because White people created this mess. White people need to help clean it up.

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    1. Day, let’s talk about race. As a black man who claimed Blacks will never vote of a Puerto Rican. Can you please explain this sentiment and feeling toward not voting for a Puerto Rican?

      Can you also explain, as a black man, how received your benefits of (owning a home, having two Benz, a city job with a pension? Can you only assume you got a loan for your home and sent your kids to college?

      While you are at it, please explain how descendants from Portugal are considered white, yet descendants from Spain are considered non-white, considering they practically speak the same language, and are from the same peninsula in Europe? JS

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    2. Don, when we bring up race then we are playing the race card but let’s look at national landscape, 45 use race to get elected and he’s still using it. Maria doesn’t understand history in Bridgeport, she only knows what has happen since she started to get involve, well Bridgeport has had 63 mayors from Isaac Sherman, Jr. in 1836 to Joe Ganim and all have been white men except for one white female, Mary C. Moran in 1990 who serve for just 2 years. People of color, black and brown together have been the majority for years in Bridgeport but there has NEVER been a Black or Latino/Hispanic to get elected as mayor. Bridgeport has NEVER a Black or Latino/Hispanic to get elected as the chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, Cynthia King Jenkins who was the vice-chairperson stepped up to become the chairman after John Stafstron moved to the vice-chairman position because of conflict with his business position and the City. Black and Latino/Hispanic so call leadership have allow Mario Testa and Joe Ganim to play them and to play each other. Are you telling me the Joe Ganim is that good of mayor and that there are no Black and Latino/Hispanic who could be mayor? There is no way in hell that Black and Latino/Hispanic man could steal more than $500,000.00 of taxpayers money and serve time in federal prison and then get elected to be mayor. Latino/Hispanic leadership didn’t even put up a candidate to run for mayor, why, do they think that Joe Ganim is that good of a mayor and none of their own are good enough to be mayor, that’s sad.

      Don, as you said, “racism is also a structural, institutional system which has benefited white people,” and “racism isn’t a entrenched in the fabric of this America,” the structural system of the Bridgeport DTC is entrench with racism.

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  18. A lot of nit picking here. Let’s go back to the original big picture. We just saw 22(?) percent of registered voters who participated in the mayoral election. A former Speaker of the House(US House of Representatives) Tip O’Neill said that all politics is local. This shameful percentages of registered voters,never mind the entire population of Bridgeport, shows a citizenry that is out it tune and out of touch(for myriad reasons) of what is going on in Bridgeport. Can Joe Ganim claim that he received a MANDATE? My answer is No,,No,,No. GanimTestaDTC Dodged a bullet because of the massive mistakes of the Marilyn Moore campaign. We may never know the full truth. But,essentially,Five Thousand Bridgeporters want to FIRE Joe Ganim and the decrepit and corrupt DTC. The main question now is how to maintain contact with the Five Thousand and build upon that.

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  19. Don & Ron
    Did you notice that as her defense to “I’m not racist” she said that she beat two Jamaican black women with “quite a few votes from black women.”
    Well hell, that says it all.

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      1. Donj,

        I am an elected official in Bridgeport and will be for at least two more years.

        If you were standing next to me I would have no idea who you are.

        How could your opinion possible matter to me when I have no idea who you are. I have to respect you for your opinion to matter, and quite honestly your opinion of me is simply irrelevant.

        I am not a racist and just because Mackey,,Day, Walsh and you repeatedly imply I am doesn’t make it true.

        I know who I am, and with all my flaws I am good with who Maria Pereita is and what I stand for.

        Run along now.

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    1. What does it say, Bob?

      donj, notwithstanding its a fact Maria beat two black women because other black women voting for her, is it more or let disgusting than Bob’s “mastah” rant to a black woman?

      Ron and Day was Bob’s “mastah” rant and condemnation for a black woman for siding with “white” person more about “White Bob’s” hate for a black woman, Evette, or his hatred for the “White person” she sided with? Hate is hate. What say you, Bob?

      P.S Day when speaking of the mess white people created. They just took a page out of black civilization.
      Things that make you HMM!

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfUxSzv89wY&t=3s

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    2. Bob, you called your Black City Council 132nd colleague and told her she was loyal to slave masters in a mocking voice and you want to lecture me about racist behavior….

      That would be a no.

      You are about as white as they come. Maybe you should consider focusing on the suburbs where you now reside.

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    3. Where is your point at racism? It’s apparent you do not read national newspapers there was an article about this the other day. There is a movement within the black population of African American descent in the U.S. to be counted separate from Caribbean descended blacks.

      You jizz on racist arguments. Now that Lenny posts likes you can see the number of readers who back your accusations. That would be NO ONE but you two who have nothing to add except the same tired gibberish.

      Reading is fundamental to you two.

      https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/11/08/us/slavery-black-immigrants-ados.amp.html

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    4. Bob, Maria on the BBOE serve on the BBOE with 4 highly respected blacks, Sauda Baraka, Bobby Simmons, Howard Gardner and John Bagley and didn’t learn anything about blacks while serving with them on the BBOR. Bob, you notice that none those former BBOE members have come out publicly to support Maris.

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      1. Ron,

        Why don’ yout call Sauda, Howard, Bobby and John and ask them if they support me.

        Feel free to report back here on OIB, but this time be truthful. Remember you were caught in big lies the last time you spoke for Sauda, Bobby and Judge Lopez.

        By the way, I have spoken with three of those former school board members in the last 45 days and felt confident all three were in support of me.

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        1. Maria, NOT ONE of those former BBOE will come out and support you, NOT ONE. You would think that those who were on the BBOE would know you better than most people but they DON’T DARE PUT THEIR NAME out there to support you, Maria, why? It would show respect and support if they ANY of them would use their name to show support for you but they won’t but you keep on talking to them on the phone.

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          1. Checkmate.

            When you make assertions it is YOUR responsibility to provide supporting documentation, data and testimony to prove YOUR assertions.

            Go ahead and call me. One of them recently called me laughing uncontrollably because they loved that Ms. Thompson had told you to kiss the blackest part of her ass.

            They told me they loved her because she puts you and Day in your place.

            Just stating facts.
            .
            Please support your assertions by calling all four of those former school Board members.

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  20. Maria, I never implied nor insinuated that you are racist in any part of my post. I merely stated from a purely Black perspective why race is an issue in this America, yesterday, today and tomorrow! I also stated until racism is no longer entrenched in the moral fabric of America, I have a moral obligation to continue to remind and educate.

    Maria, while I never said you were a racist because that would insinuate that you have some kind of power, instead I think that you are merely a garden variety bigot.

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    1. Day,

      I know that I for one don’t believe you are able to “think” in any meaningful way.

      I don’t “think”you understand that you have very little credibility with the majority of OIB readers.

      You just appear angry, bitter, hostile and petty which is being driven by your anger over your dear friend Marilyn Moore’s loss.

      You refuse to accept her significant roll in her loss. Everyone is at fault except Marilyn Moore.

      You are rather sad and I feel somewhat sorry for you.

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      1. Maria, who wanted your help but Maria where all of post on OIB where you bad mouth Joe Ganim like you did Marilyn Moore? That’s what I thought, you can’t find them because you didn’t dog Joe Ganim because you were spending time talking against Marilyn Moore then after Joe Ganim and Mario Testa good friend gave you $1000.00 then $200.00 more for your campaign you said nothing against Joe Ganim.

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  21. To end this debate. Day, your silence speaks for itself. I would have like to hear your explanation as to why blacks will not vote for a Puerto Rican and how whites love Moore. It seems a little contradiction, but whatever. To be kind, you are “bias” and will say whatever promotes it. I have no doubt most of your posts will be attacking Maria from this point on. While JML has a position on race and tries to move that position forward, you on the other hand just want to propagate a deeper divide. Your post very really holds any substance regarding the city’s future. Good Day, Day, 🙂

    P.S. Please remind and educate us as to why blacks, in your opinion, will never vote for a Puerto Rican.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4

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  22. Frank Gyure has summed-up the salient points of this election and Bridgeport’s political condition — a reflection of its socioeconomic condition… Bridgeporters don’t vote because things suck (for them/Bridgeport) and they don’t believe that voting is going to cause any improvement of their lot. To an extent they are right. We need city leadership and a Bridgeport GA delegation that is working off of a real plan for Bridgeport’s economic (development) future and who aren’t afraid to pursue that plan for us, even in the face of resistance and inertia at the regional and state level. We need politicians who are willing to fight for us — not take a timid, don’t-make -waves position in order to protect their elected positions. We only have the latter now. They only think of “how can I present myself/create an image that will get me elected governor, or state senator, or mayor.” They won’t stand up to the $-power of the suburbs and Gold Coast on Bridgeport’s behalf. They won’ stand up to the governor or risk friction with their suburban constituents (state senators) on our behalf. We have no real leadership in City Hall or representing us at the state level. So voters don’t see any point in voting…

    But Bridgeport voters forget how Murphy and Blumenthal, and Himes and gubernatorial candidates (Lamont) flock to Bridgeport at election-time for that critical edge from Bridgeport that gets them elected…

    Our city leadership could work to mobilize us to leverage that power, but it doesn’t. It leverages our votes only enough, and in such a way, that it gives them personal political advantage, and does nothing for us. We have no real leadership, hence we don’t vote. No reward for voting, hence no voting… (And with potential voting power of 100,000 votes, we could rule Connecticut… We could rule Connecticut with just our registered voting numbers if everyone came out to votes…)

    In regard to Maria: All of the a-holes that are calling her a racist, and saying other negative things about her, are wrong. She is less racist than just about any other person of any color/race in this city. Certainly Maria can be a challenge to work with — she would never deny that. She refuses to bend with the shifts in the prevailing political winds. She knows that once you surrender ground, you lose more and never get it back — at least in 21st-Century Bridgeport.

    But really; the losers, who disparage her because of jealousy over the winning political formula that she has discovered, and which they aren’t bright enough to apply, should really just shut-the-f-up and try to grope their way to some place where they can play into her momentum FOR A BETTER BRIDGEPORT!…

    Great observations about the vote, Frank.

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    1. OMG! Jeff Kohut is my absolute hero!

      You took it straight to all the petty male Marilyn Moore supporters. They keep striking out at me because I would not get out an work for THEIR candidate.

      They should be attacking her guy Tony Barr. He failed miserably in delivering the 138th District to Marikyn Moore.

      Why aren’t they taking Tony Barr to task?

      Hmmm…

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    2. Thank you,Jeff. If the 22 percent was not bad enough,let’s look at another number. Joe Ganim won re-election to the largest city(population-wise) in Connecticut with 15% of Registered Voters. This is simply mind-boggling. The political implications are disastrous but there implications whether or not we have something called the “community” of Bridgeport. This election showed that Bridgeport has more underlying societal problems than the fiscal problems that we tend to focus on.

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  23. Maria, they aren’t taking Barr to task because they know that even if he gave it everything he had, he couldn’t deliver the district like you could of. Barr isn’t respected,he’s a clown..
    For some reason they are blaming you for Moore changing her mind about wanting to run.When in reality, they should be blaming Moore for her half hearted campaign.

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    1. Harvey, it’s not that supporter of Moore didn’t take Barr to the task, JML did. It’s they, Day and Ron, didn’t care for Moore or her campaign. They just care about propagating racism, for the most part. What comes out of them is just that racism. Day, will not explain this comment. He actually said blacks will never vote for a Puerto Rican and white love Moore. Yet he takes to task white whenever he can, which is always. 🙂 They contribute nothing of substance on race issues. All their posts can be broken down to, hate on Maria, Joe and is administration, hiring of women and minorities in the fire department. At this point, they are irrelevant to any meaningful conversation on any matter regarding the city and its affairs. JS

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  24. Stevenl: Thank you very much for your support!

    It’s true that my campaign efforts were focused on the blogs and personal-email outreach. I truly wanted to get some ideas and conversations going on Bridgeport issues, but the media was intent on sanitizing and suppressing any messaging from the mayoral campaigns that could upset the Connecticut Establishment apple-cart. (e.g., anything critical of the public utilities or the utility-/Lamont-backed “big wind” projects floating around the state DECD — including alternative proposals regarding the latter… e-mail me for specs —jpkohut1@aol.com).

    In any event. Thank you (and the 24 others that were not myself or family) for voting for me!…

    Regarding David Kooris as Bridgeport’s DECD Director; he steered all of the ”good stuff” away from Bridgeport to Stamford when he worked for the previous administration. He’ll do the same thing under G2… And you can be sure that he’ll even stifle the B-Port casino, which Stamford-Greenwich has vowed to kill… Kooris is bad news for B-Port. We need B-Port skin handling that game…

    But, thanks again, stevenl! Email me. Let’s talk!

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  25. Really Jeff, someone is
    jealous over the winning political formula of Maria? I think most of us find her demeanor and rhetoric abhorrent just like that of 45. I see that you dismiss her deportment for the sole reason that she can get votes, but isn’t that the same formula that the followers of 45 use for him? I defy you to list just one thing Maria did to make a difference in the education of Bridgeport youth! Go ahead I’ll wait!

    Maria, do you think for one second this is about Senator Moore and not about the vitriolic rhetoric that you spew to the detriment of anything being accomplished in whatever you have a hand? How in the hell does one’s ability to get votes translate into being a good school board member or a good city council member?

    So that’s where we are Bridgeport where we embrace mediocrity just as long as you can get votes? Where it doesn’t matter if you can or will accomplish anything in your elected position just as long as you can get votes? Where an elected individual can be rude, crude, inelegant, uncouth, coarse, uncivilized and discourteous just as long as they can get votes? This is the same level of discourse that America is experiencing with 45, just as long as he can get votes it’s alright?

    So now Maria you have become the arbiter of who has credibility with the majority of OIB readers? Do you hear that sound, that’s the Dog Whistle that you’re blowing Maria as I’m sure you meant to say credibility with WHITE PEOPLE as my people embrace my comments on a daily basis as does the very white people that you dog whistled about.

    Some of my hero’s are Thurgood Marshall, Shirley Chisholm and General Colin Powell, but if you want Jeff as a hero by all means do that, but that low expectation is what fuels mediocrity in everything that you attempt to do!

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    1. Don, Maria had no choice but to run for the City Council from her district the 138th because her act has worn thin on the voters that you knew that she couldn’t win in a citywide election. Maria did a good job in supporting Jeff Kohut write-in candidate for mayor by getting Jeff 27 votes. Marilyn Moore would have lost the amount votes she did by having Tony Barr helps and it would been the same amount of voters turning away from Marilyn Moore is had associated herself with Maria. Maria used a black woman, JoAnn Kennedy, in her fake and fail run for the BBOE.

      Don, every chance Maria has she does her name dropping by trying to associated herself with Judge Carmen Lopez by using her name in hoping to give herself credibility but that dog won’t hunt. Judge Lopez is respected by people of races and political parties, something Maria could never accomplish in her lifetime. The 138th district should secede from the City of Bridgeport so Maria cold run for mayor because they are the only ones could put up with her bully tactics.

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  26. The individual on OIB that spews vitriolic rhetoric is you, Donald Day.

    Where are all these supporters of yours on OIB? Where are all the likes on your, Mackey’s, Donj’s and Walsh’s posts?

    Yes, you and the Marilyn Moore gang on OIB are livid that I refused to work to get Marilyn Moore elected. You don’t lash out at Tony Barr, Sauda Baraka, Lindsey Farrel from the WFP, or the white elitist liberals that surrounded her campaign and failed to deliver Marilyn Moore a victory.

    You don’t ever lay blame at Marilyn Moore’s feet for her loss.

    You simply attack me. Someone who never stated they supported Marilyn Moore or had pledged to help her get elected. Why is that?

    Well, the answer is simple.

    EVERYONE in Bridgeport that is actively engaged in politics knows it’s clear as day that if I had helped Marilyn Moore in the Primary she would be the Mayor of Bridgeport on December 1st.

    But I didn’t help her, therefore she will not become the Mayor of Bridgeport on December 1st.

    And, that makes you seethe and repeatedly attack me. The vast majority of OIB readers see it. You’re not fooling anyone.

    Your dear friend lost because of her own actions, however you refuse to acknowledge that absolute truth.

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      1. I am simply saying she was involved in Marilyn Moore’s campaign at a high level, therefore it is Marilyn Moore and her inner circle that are responsible for her loss.

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          1. Ron,

            When you make assertions it is YOUR responsibility to substantiate those assertions.

            Pick up the phone or email all four of them and ask them directly. Allow them to speak for themselves.

            Ummm…

            Why would I need Sauda’s support to run for City Council in my own neighborhood?

            I have repeatedly proven I don’t need the support of ANY political party apparatus or politicians to win in my district.

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          2. Maria, you asked me, “Why would I need Sauda’s support to run for City Council in my own neighborhood?” That’s easy, you serve with Sauda while the both of you were on the BBOE together so out of respect anyone who work with you throw their support to you because they know you better than almost anybody. Maria, that didn’t happen, Howard, John, Bobby and Sauda said nothing in support of you, maybe they know something about you is the reasons they didn’t support you.

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    1. That statement is subjected to opinion, considering Moore (i believe) received more AB’s in your district. Thanks to Barr we seen your AB’s efforts 🙂

      P.S. Did Moore asked and you refused, or did she not asked for your support because some said you were a toxic person? It can’t be both.

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  27. LAMO, that’s what you and the fool stevenl are using to justify content or Relevancy, LIKES? Really LIKES? How juvenile and foolish of you two ignorant fools! LIKES? Two likes means you’re socially acceptable or that you’re loved, right? LMAO. LIKES!

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  28. Does anybody know how many ballots were tossed. I don’t see anything in the paperwork ,on the top ( of this page ), that mentions ballots rejected. I know ballots were not filled out Correctly.

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    1. You think? Moore didn’t want her help. So in tune Moore helped Joe win, in more ways then one, then not wanting Maria’s support, not getting on the ballet comes to mind. SMH

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    2. Bob, that first $1000.00 and then the follow up $200.00 from John Ricci was a good investment for Ricci boss and good friend Mayor Joe Ganim and Ricci other god friend, Mario Testa, they rented Maria and by doing so Maria helped Ganim to get reelected and to keep Mario in power as the head of the DTC and to keep the absentee voting going forward as business as usual, thanks Maria.

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        1. Maria, that’s a good start for you in trying to be honest about your support for Mario Testa and Joe Ganim. There were only two candidates on the ballot for mayor in the Democrat primary to manage and run Bridgeport for the next four years, State Senator Marilyn Moore and Mayor Joe Ganim, just two candidates, so Maria which candidate did you support for mayor in the Democrat primary? We read how you attack Marilyn Moore so it was obvious who you were supporting.

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          1. Once again, you do not EVER speak for me.

            I did not work on behalf of electing Marilyn Moore or Joe Ganim.

            I did not even cast a vote for Mayor in the Primary.

            I will not support mediocrity at any level of government going forward.

            Simply NOT being the other guy will not be enough to earn my support and efforts or my personal vote.

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  29. November 11, 2019, Veterans Day, happy Veterans Day to all of the women and men who serve America, thank you for your service that gives all of us the right to speak out.

    What is a Veteran? Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines a veteran as “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.”

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  30. Maria,by not voting for mayor you decided that you didn’t give a DAMN about education, taxes, public safety, neighborhood development, transportation, the well being of the taxpayers and especially the children of Bridgeport and their future, you just didn’t give a DAMN. Somebody had to be mayor but that didn’t matter to you, what a disgrace.

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  31. Isn’t a 22% turnout shameful? But that only shows how alienated most Bridgeport voters feel ! Based on current demographics showing 80% Democrats and only 20% or less Republicans, and fewer yet, independents; many voters feel that they haven’t a chance and that it is pointless to vote at all.

    Others, in order to have at least some say in the City, are forced to register as Democrats, only so that they can vote in Democratic primaries, so that they can choose WHICH DEMOCRAT will be the next mayor !

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