The Connecticut Education Association has announced its endorsement of Andre Baker for the 124th State House seat. Baker is challenging party-endorsed Ernie Newton in the August 12 Democratic primary. CEA letter to Baker:
On behalf of the Connecticut Education Association’s 43,000 members, I am honored to inform you that our organization has endorsed you in the 2014 election for the 124th House District.
You have consistently proven yourself to be an advocate for children, teachers, and public education in the City of Bridgeport as a CEA endorsed Board of Education member and we are proud to endorse you in your new capacity as a candidate for the Connecticut House of Representatives.
CEA will inform the teachers who live in your district of our endorsement and urge them to support your election. Additionally, the autumn election issue of the CEA Advisor, CEA’s monthly news publication, will include a reminder of this endorsement accompanied by your photograph. The CEA Advisor is mailed to every CEA active and retired member in every district across the state.
We look forward to working with you and continuing our collaborative efforts to support Connecticut’s students, teachers, and public education.
Andre Baker has served less than 8 months of his 4-year term on the BBOE, and the CEA has the audacity to write “You have consistently proven yourself to be an advocate for children, teachers, and public education in the City of Bridgeport.” Really??? How many current and retired CEA members live in the 128th? In all of Thomas Hooker, there are approximately 10 current or retired CEA members. The funniest part of the endorsement is how they are going to feature a photo of Andre Baker and the endorsement in the autumn newsletter. The primary is in 17 days. I just don’t see this endorsement impacting the outcome of the election in any way.
So the CEA is anti-education? They endorsed Baker and Malloy.
SPY, the CEA has not formally endorsed Malloy for reelection, however I will not be surprised if they do.
Congratulations to Andre Baker. You are a good man and will represent Bridgeport in the State House well when you win.
Congratulations to Andre Baker. Shame on Ms. Pereira. Your comments smack of a left-handed endorsement of the unrepentant felon known as Newton.
Shame on you, “Bob.” I have been quite clear on this blog, I have never endorsed Newton, phone banked for him, knocked on doors for him, or contributed to his campaign.
Maria–If there are only two candidates and you are against one, you endorse the other by default. You can’t have no one win.
Well said. It’s not like “mispeaking” like our Senator Richard Blumenthal who said, “They spit on me when I returned from Vietnam. He never served in Vietnam.
Bob, this comment makes absolutely no sense.
SPY, you do not speak for me. In fact, you are barely able to speak for yourself. I am not supporting either candidate. I don’t believe there is a law requiring that you MUST support at least one candidate in an election. For example, when my choices for senator were for either Chris Murphy or Linda McMahon, I did not cast a vote for either.
Since you can’t vote for either, it really doesn’t matter. But even by not voting you choose one. You just chose the favorite. You seem to be campaigning against Baker even though he is the education (CEA) choice. Campaigning against Baker is campaigning for Ernie.
In your example, you didn’t vote. Therefore you ‘let’ Murphy win. In that case not only do you forfeit being able to criticize or support Murphy’s performance, by not voting against him you voted for him.
Bob, I don’t believe I have ever met you. In addition, I was just informed you are not a resident of CT. Is this true?
SPY, are you implying because the CEA endorsed Andre Baker, every voter in his district should automatically vote for him? If so, that logic would require everyone to vote for Malloy when the CEA endorses him. There are thousands of CEA members who will absolutely not vote for Malloy. As a voter, if I make an informed decision to not cast a vote for either candidate, I did not hurt or help any candidate. You do tell me what rights I do or do not “forfeit.” The rest of your comments are absolute nonsensical gibberish.
Bob, you have every right to support and endorse Andre Baker if you so choose. I don’t begrudge you for doing so. In turn, don’t I have the right to not support him?
So let me get this straight. You supported Chris Murphy or Linda McMahon and you voted for neither, right? It seems like if you don’t get your way you stomp your feet, turn around and leave the room. How juvenile. And don’t change the subject by asking where I live. It isn’t relevant to the subject matter. I know Bridgeport having worked and lived here for over 40 years. I know all the good guys and all the flies and leeches who have sucked this city dry. I keep in touch on a daily basis because I know the dynamics and I know what’s wrong and how to fix it. My comments are for the betterment of Bridgeport. So get off your high horse and endorse Andre Baker. He’s by far and away a superior candidate for state rep than the unrepentant felon known as Newton. He’d be accepted in Hartford and given the respect due to a legitimate representative of Bridgeport.
I did NOT support either Chris Murphy or Linda McMahon, therefore I did not cast a vote for either. “Bob,” you do not tell me who to endorse or not endorse. That is solely my decision, not yours. Quite honestly, it is you who seems to be having a conniption because I do not support Andre Baker.
It is my understanding you reside in Ohio and are the former co-owner of Shaw’s Jewelers. If you are, I do know you. My former boyfriend used to be employed by you in the mid-’80s, Jayson Resto. If you are who I think you are, you were a very nice and polite person back then. So please take it down a notch. You are coming across as irate.
OK Maria. By the way I saw Jayson and his wife in Marietta Georgia last year. He is doing quite well and has worked for Maytag for many years and is an active member of his church there. I’ll send him your regards.
I’m not irate, I’m perplexed by your perceived indifference to Andre Baker’s candidacy. Andre is far and away a better candidate than Ernie Newton. In all his years in the legislature and senate of Connecticut, Ernie did very little for Bridgeport. His appearance and lack of comportment also, according to knowledgeable sources, was, at best, clownish.
If Andre Baker wins, he’ll have 90 days to move into Ernie’s district.
Maybe Andre can ask Shelton Mike if he can rent a room from him if he wins.