With maneuvering and gamesmanship leading to no endorsement, five Democrats have qualified for the ballot to replace a retiring Marilyn Moore in the State Senate.
Ex-Mayor Bill Finch who represented the 22nd Senatorial prior to his election as chief executive, City Councilman Scott Burns, former Deputy Housing Commissioner Shantè Hanks, former City Councilman Tyler Mack and Quinnipiac law professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox of Trumbull all qualified for an August primary, meeting the 15 percent threshold (nine votes) of support at Tuesday’s convention in the Margaret Morton Government Center.
Trumbull delegates, knowing a larger field helps their candidate Gadkar-Wilcox, deftly spread votes to Bridgeport candidates to ensure her best chance.
Mack had the most delegate support with 16, Gadkar-Wilcox 13, Finch 11 and Burns and Hanks nine each.
This thing is now wide open with Finch and Gadgar-Wilcox the leading candidates presuming the others stay in, a likely outcome. But the others could make inroads depending on fundraising, messaging and boots on the ground.
The district is among the most diverse in Connecticut, about one third of Bridgeport, all of Trumbull and southern Monroe.
Finch, by far, has the largest name recognition in the district. He’s well poised to be competitive in Trumbull and Monroe and rely on his mayoral nostalgia in Bridgeport.
With just three months to the primary, the looming question for money: will all candidates try to qualify for Connecticut’s labor-intensive Citizens Election Program of publicly funded races that avails $110,000 by securing a threshold of low-dollar donations or forego the process with higher donations in a compressed timeline.
Meanwhile, in the adjoining 23rd Senatorial convention Tuesday, City Councilman Ernie Newton came up one delegate short to primary incumbent Herron Gaston. If he so chooses, Newton can still make the ballot by securing signatures from five percent of registered voters in the Bridgeport-Stratford district.
Finch is an odd duckling. It seems like a rehash of why Moore was tapped, to take out the Port’s incumbent mayor, which was Finch. But G2 put the kibosh on that. If Finch wins and holds holds the seat for Port’s next election you can expect a 2015 remake. I would think.
Outside of using this set as a launching pad for Port’s executive office. I would have to say the Trumbull native should take it, considering the seat represents all of it.
Scott trumps Tyler IMO. So he just gave up his political career. unless 20,000 Shades of ballots, Gen Now can pull out a CC seat for him. However, he would make a more “logical choice” for a mayoral run if he wins.
Although I would bet Chris is not going to let any “Logical ness” choice get another stabbed to G2 without throwing his hat in the race.
Depending on G2’s success, being “white” every race is an uphill battle, considering. Just MY opinion. Play Nice Port Politics, I am out of here.
I depart with the prophet, time to lose myself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbtgk20s6wA
JML- Surely you Jest!
per says:
May 10, 2024 at 7:16 pm
Open Primary
Truly; this is where the “rubber meets the road” regarding Bridgeport’s political functionality. If a collective Bridgeport political brain exists — or can be rapidly created — it will be seen that this situation presents as a necessary, existential “show down” between Bridgeport and the ‘burbs. This race can be won by Bridgeport votes and border-region votes (Bridgeport–Trumbull and Trumbull-Monroe), because Bridgeport has been trashed by Trumbull, per border development that has had catastrophic impacts on Bridgeport (let me count the ways!…), with similar situations being citable for southern Trumbull and southern Monroe (though perhaps not as drastic). Trumbull has little regard for its own working-class neighborhoods and is especially hostile to its neighbors in that regard. Any of the Bridgeport-based candidates registering an IQ of just 100 can construct a winning campaign by campaigning on the exsitential need for Bridgeporters and border- area suburbanites to break the political/economic chokehold of aristocratic-Trumbull on its purple-lipped neighbors and resident working-class citizens. [Redemption for Bridgeport and southern Trumbull/southern Monroe, and penance (end eventually forgiveness, once they have paid their debt) for the Trumbull oligarchy… “Everyone” will be better off once justice has been served. Redemption for Trumbull will mean a less-problematic socioeconomic situation/environmental/traffic-safety gnawing at the fabric of the Trumbull lifestyle/quality of life even as Trumbull’s “border crimes” are addressed/remedied to Bridgeport’s benefit…]
If justice-minded Generation Now/Generation Now Votes and the working Families Party truly want a justice-based political victory, they will find a candidate for the 22nd and run them in the above context…
Time will tell… (Right JML?!)
I rarely comment on OIB as I am not a resident of the Park City although I was born in St. Vincent’s Hospital. But I will respond to Jeff Kohut. I hope I am not violating the rules of this group by saying that I think that the characterization of Trumbull articulated by Jeff is complete hogwash. If you think Trumbull has an aristocracy, I can only imagine what you think of Fairfield or especially Westport. I have been speaking for the Trumbull Democrats for the last ten years, and while I stepped down as Town Chair and no longer do so, I never posted any comments critical of Bridgeport over the years. There is no reason to lambast your neighbors. A strong Bridgeport serves our entire region better and we should all be working together, which is exactly what this State Senator will do. That post is just flat out wrong. I am proud of my hometown, Trumbull, and our delegation to the State Senate convention last night. Our delegates ensured that all five outstanding candidates will compete in an open primary, the purest form of democracy.
Thank you to State Senator Moore for her 10 years of service to our district. I salute Tom Gaudette for an outstanding job as Chair of the convention, and it was not an easy task. The candidate nominating speeches were all excellent and so were the statements made by each of the candidates. I look forward to the primary.
Tom; I respect you as a serious legislator and attorney. I suspect that you actually do believe that “A strong Bridgeport serves our entire region better and we should all be working together, which is exactly what this State Senator will do…”
But I know that you don’t actually believe that Bridgeport IS (politically/socioeconomically) strong. And I know that you realize that the Trumbull delegation has NEVER functioned in any deliberate way to make Bridgeport strong or prosperous (and that would include during the tenure of Senator Moore). If you know the history of the relationship between Bridgeport and Trumbull over the paste 70 years, to the present, then you realize that several, major pieces of Trumbull development, from the construction of the Trumbull Mall and the Scinto development of the Old Town Road/Reservoir Avenue border area, to the present construction of the mammoth, border housing complexes (et al.), Trumbull has willingly, and determinedly behaved in a destructive, mercenary way toward its less-advantaged neighbor. (In this regard, recall how Lake Forest Association had to sue the Town of Trumbull to limit the destructive extent of border development on Old Town Road, but, in a successful political campaign to discourage the self-defense efforts of its neighbor, marshalled political intimidation of the Lake Forest residents leading the development resistance, such that the Lake Forest Association was forced to desist and walk away with a token 35K-blood-money payment from the town — with town official Halaby (later banned for political corruption in Trumbull’s “Sewer Gate”)
Tom; I respect you as a serious legislator and attorney. I suspect that you actually do believe that “… A strong Bridgeport serves our entire region better and we should all be working together, which is exactly what this State Senator will do…”
But I know that you don’t actually believe that Bridgeport IS (politically/socioeconomically) strong. And I know that you realize that the Trumbull delegation has NEVER functioned in any deliberate way to make Bridgeport strong or prosperous (and that would include the tenure of Senator Moore). If you know the history of the relationship between Bridgeport and Trumbull over the paste 70 years, to the present, then you realize that several, major pieces of Trumbull development, from the construction of the Trumbull Mall and the Scinto development of the Old Town Road/Reservoir Avenue border area, to the present construction of the mammoth, border housing complexes (et al.), Trumbull has willingly, and determinedly behaved in a destructive, mercenary way toward its less-advantaged neighbor. (In this regard, recall how the Lake Forest Association had to sue the Town of Trumbull to limit the destructive extent of border development on Old Town Road, but, in a successful political campaign to discourage the self-defense efforts of its neighbor, The Town of Trumbull marshalled both state-level and local, Bridgeport political forces for the purpose of the intimidation of the Lake Forest residents leading the development resistance, such that the Lake Forest Association was forced to desist and walk away from the fight with only a token $35K-blood-money payment from the town and a promise to limit future development of the site, after the fact — an agreement that has been violated with impunity, continually, for 40 years. And, indeed, when discussion of the agreement violation was voiced by Lake Forest residents years later, town official Ken Halaby (later nabbed for political corruption in Trumbull’s “Sewer Gate”) commented on the violation sneeringly, being quoted in the Connecticut Post to the effect that “…we gave them a couple of dollars and sent them home…”
Now; to witness the destructive, dangerous flooding and traffic-safety problems — not to mention the noise- and light-pollution problems — unleashed on lake Forest/northern Bridgeport and southern Trumbull as a result of the aforementioned development, one bearing such witness could only comment in terms of Trumbull’s mercenary modus operandi/callous indifference in regard to its treatment of its neighbors…
Call me “woke,” but my observations are factual and undeniable to anyone that knows Trumbull history and goes through Lake Forest to get back to Tashua (from wherever — possibly St, Vincent’s Hospital…).
So, Tom; I respect your intelligence, your work ethic as a legislator and attorney, as well as your honesty and professionalism in both roles, but you must have forgotten the contextual history of Trumbull’s development over the past 70-or-so years. While I’m sure that you bear Bridgeport no malice, you are wrong about the facts and my characterization of Trumbull’s political relationship with Bridgeport.
If you want Bridgeport votes in this election, think “confession,” “repentance,” and “restitution” — not denial — when you spend the bulk of your campaigning time in Bridgeport…
Good luck!
Hi Jeff, I appreciate that the last response was progress from calling us aristocrats, thank you for that.
I absolutely do support Bridgeport…perhaps more so with volunteerism than politics, but that experience informs my politics.
I do believe that your history lesson omitted the construction of the Fairchild Wheeler Magnet High School, when the state legislature moved 49 acres of our town in to Bridgeport. It’s a fine school, though.
I think the construction of the Route 25 connector should be in there as well. But these are all conversations for another day, we are here to talk about our shared State Senate District.
Also, you have me mistaken for someone else. I am neither an attorney nor an elected official.
Have a good day.
Tom Kelly: Pardon me for my memory — containing knowledge of several Tom Kellys — connecting the context of your commentary/defense of Trumbull to another Tom Kelly that is both an attorney and had been a political office seeker/office holder. That being said, I am now assuming that you are the Trumbull Tom Kelly that has served as Democratic Town Committee Chair (Trumbull) and sat on multiple town boards at various times over the past couple of decades. (That puts you in a category of political players that should be aware of modern Trumbull development history…)
Picking up from “… I do believe that your history lesson omitted the construction of the Fairchild Wheeler Magnet High School, when the state legislature moved 49 acres of our town in to Bridgeport. It’s a fine school, though.
“I think the construction of the Route 25 connector should be in there as well. But these are all conversations for another day, we are here to talk about our shared State Senate District….”
Well, Tom, I didn’t omit the Fairchild Magnet School — I included it as part of the “et al.”… Avalon Gates and the Scinto destruction/mammoth development of the Bridgeport owned Quarry Road Beardsley-Park Extension ecosystem on Bridgeport’s border (of course) preceded the Magnet School proposal by many years and set the property up for use for a higher Bridgeport purpose before it could be used to further exploit Bridgeport’s infrastructure and destroy another Bridgeport neighborhood. AND IT WAS TRUMBULL that insisted on having the magnet school property redefined as a geographical portion of Bridgeport, even as it insisted that Bridgeport cede an equal, adjacent acreage to Trumbull and no longer hold title to that land… Now; was that a neighborly scenario?! After all, it is a “magnet school”, open, by law, to qualified students of other regional towns, including Trumbull… But noooo! Trumbull couldn’t have anything created with “BRIDGEPORT KIDS” in mind in TRUMBULL!!
And, as far as Route 25-8 goes; that was proposed at about the same time that county government in Connecticut was being buried by the suburbs in Hartford — with Bridgeport as the county seat and de facto political power in Fairfield County being perhaps the main target of that county-abolishing, suburb-proposed/suburb-passed legislation (circa 1960). (How did Trumbull vote on that one?…) And we all know that 25-8 was designed to purloin the business sector and middleclass from Bridgeport in order to enrich the ‘burbs upstream… [Who owned all of the land “upstream” on/adjacent to the 25-8 corridor that subsequently gained tremendous value (as did the town grand lists!) as the Bridgeport grand list and middleclass were laid waste?! And which towns gained the most “upstream?!]
Now Tom; in the context of our history lesson; was “aristocrat” such a bad word to use in regard to folks that actively took part in, or passively watched (and smiled) as Trumbull/upstream suburbs siphoned-off Bridgeport’s wherewithal even as they arranged to prosper off of Bridgeport’s infrastructure?…
Let’s be honest and fair here. Bridgeport has every reason to defend itself and seek redress for past wrongs in the upcoming fight (it should be a fight!) for the 22nd GA seat.
Any Bridgeporter that doesn’t regard the upcoming contest for the 22nd as a city-suburb fight/class-warfare battle, is working against Bridgeport. Any Trumbullite seeking that seat without a willingness to seek redress for past wrongs on Bridgeport’s behalf doesn’t deserve even one Bridgeport vote!…
Have a good day, Tom!
Well, I totally disagree with virtually everything you said, but I appreciate you stating your opinion without insulting me. It doesn’t matter if we agree on all the details….I am not aware how the 25/8 connector may have increased the Trumbull grand list in any way. It takes people out of our town more conveniently for some, and the ones that come into town either get off in residential section of Daniels Farm Road, or at the end of the connector near Monroe. As for the Magnet School, we Trumbull Democrats did not agree with the way FS Herbst handled that and we certainly would have had no problem with that school being located in Trumbull and we stated that publicly very clearly and often. However, at the end of the day, and in my opinion due to our FS’s missteps, Bridgeport ate our lunch and got the state legislature to redraw the town lines and put those 49 acres in Bridgeport. The same building was built on the same property and Trumbull lost all of the money, road and infrastructure improvements, and the Trumbull zoning requirements. Our students also lost a number of guaranteed seats at that high school. Bridgeport certainly got the best of that whole thing.
I do not view this at all as battle between the suburbs and Bridgeport. Four of the five candidates come from Bridgeport. Bridgeport has more delegates at the convention than Trumbull + Monroe combined. Bridgeport has more voters than both Trumbull + Monroe combined. We shall see how the primary goes, but I think the outcome of the convention was beautiful. An open primary with no endorsed candidate, 5 great candidates, and let the people decide. I hope they choose a candidate who does not embrace your message of division, an improper characterization of Trumbull, and sees it as a battle. I am sure that Trumbull’s Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox will be inclusive and not make any statements resembling yours.
I will close by saying that I am happy that Bill Finch moved into Trumbull to be in this Senate District. He grew up in Trumbull and I welcome him home.