Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa threw down the gauntlet the other day. He added a line in the sand as well. And, oh, his middle finger too. Be careful what you wish for, Mario! Caruso and company are locked and loaded. Get ready for the showdown.
In concert with Mayor Bill Finch, Mario denied a political coalition that includes State Senator Ed Gomes and activist Marilyn Moore a party endorsement for their candidate to replace Chris Caruso in the state legislature. The special election is Feb. 22. The candidate was Chanel Cathey, a bright graduate student who was seen as a fresh face in city politics. Mario said forget that, I don’t control her, and wired the endorsement for Rev. Charlie Stallworth, a member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance that wields votes in the city. He’s also a member of the city’s Police Commission, a slacker say those familiar with Police Commission attendance. Mario doesn’t like Gomes and Moore. And they don’t like him.
Problem is that coalition Mario blowtorched also includes Caruso, City Councilman Bob “Troll” Walsh, former City Council President Lisa Parziale and Jeff Tisdale, who lives in the city’s Lake Forest area and is the brother of former Democratic mayoral candidate Charles Tisdale. This crew knows how to produce votes. Chanel, totally new to city elections, decided to opt out of the race after not receiving the endorsement. But the coalition Mario wants to stomp has settled on another candidate, city police officer Verna Kearney who assuming her petition signatures are certified by election officials will pose a mighty challenge to the Testa/Finch candidate.
Caruso told OIB he’s all in for Verna. “Mario Testa, the master of dividing has been successful in uniting us.”
The irony in all of this is Mario broke his back trying to elect Verna over Caruso in a Democratic primary in 1998. Caruso kicked Mario’s ass. Verna and Caruso have since made peace and the Big Wave and company is gearing up for a battle royal against Mario’s candidate in the Feb. 22 special election. This coalition has had lots of success winning elections without the town committee endorsement.
But doesn’t the town committee endorsement mean everything? Not in this case. Throw it out the door. If Stallworth doesn’t have a good operation, it’s sayonara, Charlie. Mario, the mayor and company will need a serious get-out-the-vote operation to deliver their candidate. Mario knows he’s in for a war. Could Mario resurrect his legendary absentee ballot operation? You bet. And it may be the only way he can win. The Caruso coalition brings mega union support courtesy of union loyalists Caruso and Gomes. And Verna has great connections with senior citizens in the district, what she calls “recycled teen center” courtesy of the senior center she directs three mornings per week out of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Park Avenue. Her regular job is working in the outside overtime office in the PD.
Mario hates this coalition and now he’s forced to lay it on the line because if he gets his ass kicked it could be an omen for the mayoral primary in September.
This isn’t to dismiss the others in the race assuming election officials certify their petitions–former State Rep. Bob Keeley, City Councilman Carlos Silva, former city educator Joe Giaquinto, Mark Trojanowski, a Democratic town committee member from the East Side and Tom Lombard–but Mario has made this personal and the Caruso coalition on behalf of Kearney will be cranked up for the challenge. When it comes to races in this district Mario has a history of coming up short.
So get ready for the throwdown. It’s gonna be fun.
Speaking of the Mayor’s race the only candidate I am looking at right now is John Gomes he came out early and is running hard like no other Democratic candidate. Finch vs Gomes I would vote for Gomes but I have seen pictures of Gomes that I do not like on FB not saying having a cigar in your booth is bad but it always comes down to image and that is not one I like. I look forward to hearing what Mr. Gomes plans and he seems like a serious candidate.
I like John Gomes also (no relation to the current state senator Ed Gomes). As an aside, Groucho Marx got kicked off the air around 1960 when he met a guy who fathered 12 children by saying, “I like my cigar too, but I take out of my mouth once in a while.”
Bad perception. Get rid of the cigar … looks like backroom politics all over again.
Does anyone give a damn about what is best for BPT? A slacker for state rep. Stafstrom and Mario are now backing Finch, Foster went under the bus. Chris needs to gather Foster’s money and Chris needs to play kingmaker. Gomes can pull it off with Chris’ help.
Bring it on Officer Kearney. Kick some Mario ass!!!
Verna is a good lady. Good luck Verna!!!
*** After all is said & done, does it really matter what newbie gets in as the new state rep. for Caruso’s ex-district? Sooner than later they’ll need the machine’s endorsement down the line, no? Just tit for tat political B/S by those in power & those who want to be! Same song just a different tune that’s all. *** FORGETABOUTIT ***
Go Verna, kick ass!!!
Moses Nose:
I heard a group of ministers told Moses to keep his nose out of the blog. Blunt Bluff. Caruso is backing Kearney. Caruso hasn’t answered calls made to him by some in the pack. Mark Trojanowski and Joel Gonzalez in a tie with 33 petition signatures each.
Joel, wishful thinking.
OIB Rumor Mill:
A group of Bridgeport ministers has formed a PAC called Go, Ernie, Go to advance the aspirations of The Righteous Brother Ernie Newton. His simple message of hope, optimism and courage has struck a chord throughout the city.
As a secondary goal, this same group intends to use its powers to prevent Joel Gonzalez from ever posting here again.
I heard Joel will be the first donor.
It’s coming down to two choices
The Machine or John M Gomes
As a Caruso backer there is only one choice for me, now Chris has to endorse Gomes.
Mr BPT I agree with you. Gomes is the only answer but he can’t do it alone. If Caruso was sincere all these years about ridding his city of the machine, he will do the right thing and back Gomes. If not, Finch will be re-elected for another 4 years and the political waste, patronage and incompetence will continue. I respect Caruso and hope he comes forward soon. Maybe Verna’s election is the first step.
Probate Judge Paul Ganim for U.S. Senator. Lennie, what are you hearing out there regarding Joe Lieberman’s “No mas?”
What is the real story behind Stafstrom backing Finch? Does loyalty to your law firm really come before loyalty to your life partner? That would be extremely disappointing.
Maybe Finch was on his knees praying.
Only if you wanna eat.
City Hall: It’s simple: Money talks and bullshit walks. Stafstrom I am sure talked to Murphy about this and the big bucks involved for the Bond Council. I am sure Murphy will end up with a six-figure job in the Malloy administration, in fact may end up with a judgeship. In either case let’s not have a pity party for Murphy just yet.
town committee, I agree with your point, Stafstrom and Murphy are both back on track for themselves, only this time it’s with the new Governor instead of Joe Ganim who they were pushing to be Governor back in the 1990s.
I would not count Mary-Jane Foster out. She is successful, well known, and not part of the machine AND will have resources to raise the money needed. She won’t be beholden to the machine for anything and she can shake things up. I think Gomes should back MJ and negotiate for a spot, perhaps CAO?
johnb // Jan 19, 2011 at 11:30 am
to your posting
I am offering the thought that it’s a bit premature for calling out the future of either the Gomes or Foster campaigns, as both have a common purpose, a common passion and a common mission … to replace Bill Finch as Mayor.
To have as many as possible out on the campaign trail telling voters what they would do in replacing Finch … is a good thing.
This campaign shouldn’t be an open and shut machine-operated victory for Bill Finch.
If there are real choices, let the voters hear about them … for a change.
Tom Lombard is in this race to win.
No one will work harder than Tom.
He’s banging on doors as we speak.
Local Eyes disapproves of religious leaders holding–or running for–political office. This includes endorsement by any political party that supports a particular candidate. I believe religion and politics do not mix (shrug) and have strong constitutional evidence to support my views.
Clarity at last. I didn’t think the mayor could put together much of town committee vote bundle, but Mario sure can.
Mario and the mayor working together doesn’t really work.
Chris Caruso and Ed Gomes together DOES WORK. They also know where their votes are. Chris, I think, would rather not bother with endorsements. Eddie can take them or leave them.
There are some East Siders in the mix here who don’t like the mayor. Do they play with their corner boy Trojanowski?
Nice sideshow. Has nothing to do with the mayoral. Everyone gets to play and get a free hit.
Mario absentee games? Nah. The names here guarantee mutually assured, nuclear (ballot) destruction. If one does it, they all do it. No harm, no foul.
Santa Flu, baby.
I wonder if the Caruso and Ed Gomes candidate would have the pants to criticize Malloy on this:
www .ctpost.com/news/article/Malloy-tells-towns-they-should-be-free-to-impose-965608.php
I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Say what you will about Mario but at least he is loyal to those loyal to him. Stafstrom is loyal to no one but himself. The only reason he even gives a damn about his firm is because the more money he brings in to it, the more money he takes out of it. While I understand he is about the “transaction,” that also means he is not trustworthy and his word means nothing. He is not someone I would like to do business with and I certainly would not vote for anyone he was supporting.
As for Mary-Jane Foster, it remains to be seen if she will view being thrown under the bus as just another “transaction” or will hold a grudge. You know what they say about a woman scorned.
The “steal pointe” fakers have decided to buy Waltersville school (at their price and with concessions). When are we gonna run these people out of here and back to South Africa where they are much more comfortable? Somebody out there tell me, “Brother, what’s the word …”
I am of the belief that Mary-Jane Foster is much better off at UB where she is, and being the money while Caruso is the endorser behind up-and-comer John Gomes. Bridgeport can become Sweetport again if the people at the top have the people who vote and the children in mind and not their own selfish agendas. Anyone Stafstrom or the so-described machine backs should not be allowed on the ballot.
From a poster on CT Post, I wish this were true.
“Malloy’s way of payback to the small towns for not supporting him. He lost them. Now he says, well the state is not going to support you so fend for yourselves. We’ll give all the money to the big cities who supported me. So he will have to cut much less from the state budget lucrative union contracts because the towns will support themselves. Nice going Democrats.”
*** More strong small-town legislators than big city ones, no? Time will tell! *** HERE WE GO! ***