Paging Craniologists, The Fascinating Dynamics Of State Senate Race To Replace Moore

Midday Wednesday I attended Mayor Joe Ganim’s annual state of the city address to the business community at the charming Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater. If you’ve not been, you gotta go.

Back in the day I wrote the speech multiple times for two mayors, now I attend as a spectator for purely selfish reasons. A lifelong craniologist, with no license to practice, it avails me access to the brains of my favorite people on the planet – sans Aaron Judge, Derek Jeter, Alicia Keys, Dr. Nichola Hall and a few others – politicians.

Where else can you embrace such an eclectic audience of pols.

Connecticut’s most populous city has a way of never disappointing for its politics. For some it’s an acquired taste, for me a jolt of adrenaline. When I check out, if there’s a gravestone to etch me, it’s BPT: Bridgeport Pols Together (or maybe not). Nature of the lava. Jump in, it’s just fine.

I was on the hunt to parse opinions from pols sizing up another screwy election cycle, following the most squirrely in history.

Five Democratic candidates are in play to replace a retiring State Senator Marilyn Moore in the diverse city-suburban 22nd Senatorial: one third of Bridgeport, all of Trumbull and southern Monroe, a marvelous marriage of urban-suburban dichotomy.

Convention dynamics: Trumbull’s deft political machinations at last week’s endorsement blew delegate kisses to the Bridgeport-centric candidates to leverage their candidate Quinnipiac Law Professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox in a nice position to win the August 13 primary in a large field. Fifteen percentage delegate support was required to make the ballot and all five candidates placed into nomination made it courtesy of the sly move. No candidate came close for the endorsement. Open primary.

Joining Gadkar-Wilcox, Bill Finch who occupied the seat prior to his mayoral election 2007, City Councilman Scott Burns, former City Councilman Tyler Mack and state government official Shante Hanks.

I’m the luxury of Bridgeport born, Monroe raised, running several Trumbull campaigns. Right now I size it up this way: Finch by far the highest name recognition who knows the job and Gadkar-Wilcox with a base of Trumbull support benefiting from Bridgeport-centric candidates splitting up that vote as the leading candidates.

But always nice to chat with the following I consider all friends. (Warning: it may not be reciprocal.)

Finch

Ganim

State Rep. Steve Stafstrom

State Rep. Marcus Brown

State Rep. Christopher Rosario

Black Rock District Leader Danny Roach

State Senator Herron Gaston (I learned something: Gadkar-Wilcox was his Q law school professor.)

Former State Senator Ernie Newton

Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa

And others.

What’s your take? I ask. Some, understandably, more comfortable conversing in a blog-free zone. It lessons needle threading. Much easier to puke up reality.

The thing about the chairman whom I’ve known for 45 years (don’t tell anyone) he calls it as he sees all the time. Sometimes wrong, mostly right. He’s never asked me to go off the record.

Mr. Chairman, what say you?

“Right now it’s Finch and Trumbull candidate.”

And that sounds just about right.