Hey, wake up! In two weeks about 15 states will participate in Super Tuesday primaries around the country. Connecticut’s presidential primaries will take place April 28. Meanwhile on March 3, two slates are slugging it out for political control of the West Side, the one–and only–district contesting a Democratic Town Committee primary.
Campaign operatives are poised to tamp down absentee ballot votes that may very well decide makeup of the district including the video above making the rounds on various Facebook pages from inside Sycamore Apartments that prohibits interlopers from entering the building. When pressed about giving up her name, she shrugged and left.
City Council members Marcus Brown and Evette Brantley are running on a slate with mayoral aide Tom Gaudett, Nicole Jacques, Rolanda Smith, Pedro Soto, Larry Robinson, Sylvia DeLuca and Kyle LaBuff.
The challenge slate is comprised of former City Councilman Kyle Langan, Jason Chacon, Cynthia Torres, Linda Robak, Dasha Spell, James Bradshaw, Steve Farrell, Lillian Alves and Antoinette Giles.
Brown and Langan, a few years ago, emerged as two young guns in city politics winning City Council seats together by defeating Brantley. Brown and Langan split off politically. Brown aligned with Brantley. Langan lost and Brantley returned to the council. Yes, city politics is schizophrenic.
Brown, Brantley and Gaudett supported Joe Ganim’s reelection. The Langan slate supported State Senator Marilyn Moore for mayor. Slate member James Bradshaw is her son.
Brown is considering an August primary challenge against Moore.
As of February 13, about 150 absentee ballots have been requested in the West Side 132nd District. Expect a bunch more.
Bridgeport’s 90-member Democratic Town Committee endorses candidates for public office and select party officers including a chair. Party leader Mario Testa is expected to receive another two years in March.
Oooo you caught one! Kudos!
Mario has this absentee fraud thing down to a science.For every one you catch,there are 3 more collecting signatures somewhere else.Bridgeport hasn’t had an honest elections in 20 yrs if not longer,this cycle will be the same.
Candidates who challenge Mario’s are right now between 400 to 500 absentee votes behind before the elections starts. There are no real hard penalty for violating the State Voting law, if you look at the past history of Bridgeport elections going back over 30 years you will find people who got caught more than once for violating the State Voting law who are now in elected positions in Bridgeport, there are plenty of people who are willing to be rented by Mario.
So I guess you are saying that STRICT ENFORCEMENT and HARD PENALTIES are the answer. I would agree to that. I would also agree with the same regarding violations of CRIMINAL laws.
Rich, NO, I don’t agree with you at all. I said, ” there are plenty of people who are willing to be rented,” and if they are found violating the State Voting law they should be punish and also what ever political party is involved should get much stronger penalty because those absentee votes go to the top of the ticket.
Rich, you wrote, ” STRICT ENFORCEMENT and HARD PENALTIES are the answer. I would agree to that. I would also agree with the same regarding violations of CRIMINAL laws,” NO, I don’t agree with that, look at what happened with the “Clintion Crime Bill, Joe Biden had to apologize for voting for that bill.
I am glad to hear this. Last year,during the mayoral election,the Bridgeport Generation Now lawsuit that both a forensic examination and activities that are described in the OIB posting would be needed to fight and uncover the AB operation of Testa and company. The evidence presented in the GenNow lawsuit was simply too skimpy and could not hold muster in a court of law. However,does ANYONE doubt that Tests and company violate both the spirit AND letter of AB laws. I said that a key component of breaking Testa’s AB operation is a technology that is literally everywhere you go these days. That technology is cell/smart phones with the ability to video activities immediately. There seems to be some doubt that Testa’s AB operation can’t be broken. There is a fatal link in Testa’s AB heists. Many of the foot soldiers are not so bright and sooner or later,some of these dimwits will be caught. It’s not a question of IF but a question of when.
Sooo,Marcus Brown is “considering” primary-ing State Senator Marilyn Moore. Thanks for that info,Lennie. I will bet that Marcus Brown will primary Moore and I am sure Mario Tests and local DTC are already working on it. I thought the strongest challenge might have come from State Rep Steve Stafstrom. However,Steve is rising up in the ranks within the State House(chairman of Judiciary Committee) and probably would not be to keen on starting over in the Senate. In fact,Steve just sent out emails announcing his reelection campaign with a upcoming fundraiser. I also see Marilyn Moore announcing her reelection effort with an upcoming fundraiser at Miss Thelma’s. So looks like a primary is all set to go. There is still the general election. I would not be surprised if Rich (Bassick teacher,forgot his last name) would run again and we will see a repeat of Democrats for Rich G?
You mean the same Steve Stafstrom that was initially elected because of those same ABs?
Yes,Indeed. Ironic, isn’t it. I like Steve and,IMHO,he has been an effective representing his constituents. At least he does hold regular community meetings and attends other community meetings especially the Black Rock NRZ. However,I do recognize his unwillingness to buck Tests and Company especially the local DTC/Dan Roach et al.
That’s funny, I cannot think of a single thing that Steve has done either on the CC or in the House that has impacted Black Rock. Frank what are your top 3 things Steve has done during his tenure that have benefited his district? He has been rather silent on any of the local issues (ie ABs, mayor’s race, DTC etc….) A tacit response to the issues with the DTC and city government are the same as endorsing it . But hey , he’s a great guy, so everyone says.
As I said,my expectations of Steve bucking Testa and Co are quite low and the issues you raised(and those issues are valid) are purely political and I don’t expect much progress there. Let’s look at his attempts to keep alive the Fox St bridge(started by Auden Grogan),the efforts for the Brewster St/Fairfield Avenue intersection and Black Rock Gateway at Ash Creek. The Brewster St project got waylaid by the Dept of Public Works scandal involving bidding for City of Bridgeport projects. He was responsible for the pedestrian crosswalk lights(Black Rock Library and city municipal parking lot). However,it is clear that these pedestrian lights are completely insufficient with both being ignored by most drivers and the municipal parking lot light knocked out by the crazy speeding drivers on Fairfield Ave/State Rt 130 and it’s quite clear that Steve must get better plans from the State DOT. The community meetings and Black Rock NRZ involvement is another plus. However,I do believe that Black Rock must demand more action from Stafstrom in terms of the Fairfield Avenue situation. IMHO, Fairfield Ave/Rt.130 is in crisis mode especially considering the recent fatal tragedy. We also have State Senator Marilyn Moore representing us and, honestly,I am disappointed with her service to her Black Rock constituents especially considering the vote totals she gets from Black Rock.
With all those great accomplishments over the past 6 years he should be re-elected without question. Glad to see the machine really helping out the district.. If there is someone that could make some headway in the AB issue up in Hartford it would be him, right? Oh but I forgot, he one of the good guys, good for the status quo that is.
Again here we go. Russia or Ukraine better not dare try and meddle in the US elections to try and influence the outcome. Who protects elections within our own borders?