Phew!–if you’re an Ed Gomes supporter. The State Elections Enforcement Commission on the Wednesday deadline approved a public campaign grant for State Senator Ed Gomes that will allow him to spend about $100,000 in his August 9 Democratic primary battle against party-endorsed Dennis Bradley, chair of the Board of Education.
Team Gomes had to sweat this one out. His candidacy, initially rejected by state elections officials over a paperwork gaffe, was resurrected by Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis. While Gomes’ candidacy was in limbo he could not make application for Connnecticut’s Citizens Election Program of publicly funded races.
Bradley was approved for a public grant weeks ago. If Gomes had not secured the grant he’d have been outspent heavily with the primary less than three weeks away.
Both Bradley and Gomes had to raise $15,000 from at least 300 donors of $100 and less from Bridgeport and Stratford to qualify for about an $85,000 grant.
Great. Now is the chance to BURY Dennis Bradley.
Judge Bellis could have ordered the SEEC to start the process pending her decision. They might have gotten it weeks earlier. But Ed will still kick ass.
Better to be safe than sorry. Since SEEC requires proof of ballot access to apply for the grant and with Ed’s case still pending at the time, waiting until everything fell into place was the best course of action. I can’t wait to vote for Ed. Even better I’m being called from the opposition every day in English and Spanish. What a waste of time for them.
Go Gomes!
I was at Ed’s HQ last night making phone calls. For someone with no money he seems to be getting a lot done. It looked like he had 20 canvassers out on a daily basis. And a half a dozen people on the phones. The best call I had last night was when the women I was talking to told me someone was at her door earlier in the day talking about Ed. Everybody seems to know him.
And now he has serious money. But don’t worry, folks. There is always room for one more.
Looks like Ralph went ahead and awoke that sleeping bear. That can’t be good news for Bradley.
And I was at Marilyn’s HQ Monday night working the phones making calls into Trumbull. It’s much harder getting a hold of the Trumbullites but when I did make contact no one mentioned McCarthy and were for the most part committed to Moore.
What a difference two years make. Don’t underestimate the power of the incumbency.
Musto Did!