In the closing days of a campaign you seek every advantage you can get. President Obama is scheduled to visit Bridgeport two days before the November 4 general election, in a reprise of 2010 at a location to be named, and wife Michelle will make a stop in New Haven next week for maybe a slice of pizza paradise, all on behalf of courting votes for Governor Dan Malloy in critical urban areas. Bridgeport has some pretty good pie too. And if you need a little topping on San Marzano tomatoes how about a few absentee ballots to touch the political pleasure center of vote banking? Mangia!
In Connecticut’s largest city where locking up absentee ballots is a way of life for political operatives, the governor will likely have close to 1,000 votes in the bank via absentee ballots before the polls open 6 a.m. the first Tuesday of November. More than 500 absentee ballots have been returned so far, according the latest reports by the Town Clerk’s Office, with several hundred more expected to come in based on requests for Connecticut’s version of early voting. The Town Clerk’s Office has mailed more than 1300 absentee ballots for the general election, with more to come.
Malloy enjoyed a 14,000 vote Bridgeport plurality in 2010 on his way to a razor-close win over Republican Tom Foley statewide. Can he match the Bridgeport plurality November 4? Probably not, in an economy that has dampened the enthusiasm gap. But Obama on the eve of the election is certainly a possible game changer worth several thousand extra votes for Malloy. Why? It still matters to some voters who may not otherwise participate in a governor’s election when a political figure who inspires them urges them to the polls.
Some may even hold their nose and vote for Malloy, as noted by OIB poster Ron Mackey, retired city firefighter, because a president they respect has urged them off the couch combined with an opposition that hasn’t made a case for change.
For all his early talk about an urban agenda, including announcing his exploratory candidacy in Bridgeport more than a year ago, Republican candidate for governor Tom Foley so far has offered little more than lip service as most Republicans do about lifting up urban areas. Foley has benefited from more than $10 million between public financing and independent expenditures. Has he explained to you as a voter why he’d be better than the incumbent?
Has Foley talked about urban renewal, job creation, tax reform, education funding, safety and security, anything that resonates? He’s had plenty of time and plenty of dough to make the argument. It’s the classic case of lip service. Does he even score points for trying?
Malloy’s challenge is not taking the urban vote for granted. It’s what got him elected in the first place. He desperately needs urban areas to lift him up for a second four-year term in what the average of several polls call a dead heat statewide. Malloy, in the closing days of the campaign, must connect with urban voters on a level they understand: here’s what I’ve done for you in areas of education funding, urban renewal, job creation, affordable housing, crime prevention; the other guy doesn’t get it.
Looks like another photo finish.
Foley is scheduled to make a campaign stop in Bridgeport to field questions at the popular Harborview Market, Sunday morning from 9 to 10, owned by Republican City Councilman Rick Torres.
Malloy will not win Bridgeport by 14,000 votes. I had a WFP canvasser knock on my door for Malloy last week. I made it clear there would be no votes for Malloy from my home. I had a Malloy canvasser knock on my door the week before that and I told her the exact same thing. Both indicated they were having a tough time getting voters out for Malloy.
On boy, it’s Malloy!!!
Don’t leave out Dan’s boy Mike. Keep in mind, you morons are hitting TOM FOLEY for owning a yacht he purchased with his own money. Care to look into Mike Bloomberg’s tax breaks and tax shelters?
blog.ctnews.com/politics/2014/10/23/mike-bloombergs-uper-pac-buys-nyc-tv-in-support-of-malloy/
Lennie,
Anything to read into this?
Hartford – Bill Clinton & former Gov of Mass
New Haven – Bill Clinton & Michelle Obama
Bridgeport – The President of the United States
Does this indicate how important Bridgeport is or how worried Malloy is in the ability of Bill and Mario being able to deliver the city?
Bob, it’s an indication if Malloy does not win it is because he just sucks.
I will be voting for Malloy as will most people I have spoken to. I am still waiting for my Malloy sign. It is certainly energizing having Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama and of course The Commander in Chief himself. That should give Malloy that edge and Foley’s absence from the debate should probably take a few points.
Steve, my question is simply is Malloy more worried about Bridgeport than New Haven and Hartford?
He has several close advisers in Hartford with Bridgeport roots. Are they whispering in his ear don’t trust Finch and Mario?
Bob, Bob, Bob; you have got to be kidding me. Malloy and Finch are totally on the same page. I know politics makes strange bedfellows. I think Mayor Finch has been the recipient of great things from Hartford under Malloy. To imagine Mario and Finch would benefit from anyone else is absurd. If Malloy did not take Bridgeport, then Finch may as well pack his bags and we know that ain’t gonna happen, don’t we Bob? Steelepointe, Steelepointe, Steelepointe! Hillary will probably be stumping here in Bridgeport for Finch, that lucky son of a gun. There is not going to be anyone running against Finch, is there?
Bob Walsh, I think Steve doesn’t understand your point. Malloy can’t trust Mario and Finch to GET THE VOTE OUT. Most voters wouldn’t care what Finch and Mario said about coming out to vote, it’s those loyal voters who voted and still support President Obama who will put Malloy over the top.
Ron Mackey, I get your point and I agree. Obama supporters will vote for Malloy but I am certain Testa and Finch realize if the numbers are not outstanding, it will not bode well for them.
Steven Auerbach, I agree. Finch and Mario don’t have it like that in getting black and Hispanic voters to the polls and the Malloy people realize that plus they saw what happened two years ago but Finch CANNOT say “guess who’s coming to dinner” or any other smart comment, in trying to be funny all he does is turn people off.
Lennie, precinct by precinct results from 2010 please! Btw I respect Obama and actually still like him but not even Obama could make me vote for Malloy after waiting a long time to get a job in CT after college and now high taxes; sorry, I just cannot see myself voting for Malloy again.
Also, it will be interesting seeing the Himes numbers. I am sure Himes will run ahead of Malloy by at least 5 percentage points in the city and that is just being kind as I think Himes will run more than 5% ahead of Malloy in Bpt. I say Himes gets 80% or more in Bpt and Malloy get under 80%.
john gilmore // Aug 3, 2010 at 3:02 pm
“Yes, what I’m about to share with you is inside baseball, but in tight primaries inside baseball matters. Politics high and tight. Yup, get right in the batter’s kitchen.”
Yep Lennie, that’s inside baseball.
But Grasshopper, that’s not the whole story. The line-ups for these inside baseball teams are not limited to just the politicians, the armies of volunteer phone bank people or the households that allow the placement of a lawn sign.
The game also involves every registered party member. Many times the only connection these simple folk have to the process is their party registration. More often than not these everyday people are abused by the political players. Their votes are secured in advance and become the political capital of the players.
Mario, Big Wave Caruso, and soon to return to the lineup Rootin’ Tootin’ Newton all understand this and practice the art of vote hoarding. Check their histories; they all learned the game from the pros of an earlier era.
But if once, just once, one of these simple folk rallies the neighborhood, change happens.
Street-level pols all fear some neighborhood activist coming to the forefront and challenging the status quo.
The late U.S. Rep. Stewart B. McKinney used to say the opponent he feared the most was a female League of Women Voters-type who had a simple agenda for change. That was pretty insightful for a guy who had a district as varied as the then-Fourth Congressional District.
Stewart used to tell a story of a Chicago congressman who had a unique way of spending his taxpayer-funded office budget. He hired one secretary in Washington and paid an army of guys back in Chicago $100 per week to walk the streets and collect problems for him (the congressman) to resolve in DC. The congressman solved issues of Social Security, taxes, federal disability payments, any problem a voter had on the federal level.
It was all about keeping the voter happy in his mind. Sponsoring legislation was a waste of time for this congressman. Now, this philosophy didn’t advance the nation, but it gave the congressman job security and kept those nasty free-thinking neighborhood types on their front porches.
LennieGrimaldi // Aug 3, 2010 at 3:56 pm
And don’t forget … when pols knock on your door … ask the question: “What’s in it for me?”
Well Lennie, there is no question whom you will vote for.
I think the real story here is the get-out-the-vote effort.
Democrat party candidates across the nation are passing on a visit by Obama to support their campaign. Does Obama have appeal in Bridgeport? Well, play it safe with a carefully choreographed rally in a small-capacity venue to make it appear like a tidal wave of support for Malloy and expect the media will provide exposure statewide. Brilliant.
You know what, Tom? If Malloy wins, it is brilliant.
Tom , the anti-Obama rant is right out of conservative radio and Fox News. Bridgeport is definitely a unique place in many ways. We Love Obama and would prefer a huge venue. The more caught up in the excitement, the more voters come out. Tom, maybe the Bijou would be too large a venue for Obama. He couldn’t possibly fill it. 🙂 Honestly, if Republicans just acknowledged the obvious and stop attempting to rewrite reality, the party could benefit. Connecticut will definitely put Malloy back in office. Foley is just not an option for the urban centers and Bridgeport has been the recipient of great tidings under Malloy.
It has become common among young people to refer to Bridgeport and other urban centers as ‘the ghetto.’ It is economically and culturally isolated. Yes Steve, Bridgeport is unique in many ways that only some of us appreciate, but the Democrat party has skillfully targeted the urban vote in Connecticut. Foley, again, will have the votes of citizens in most communities, but Bridgeport will likely make Malloy governor again.
Tom, you do yourself a disservice by using the insulting term “Democrat party” rather than Democratic Party. I thought you were better than that.
Tom White, why don’t you be clearer about urban centers as ‘the ghetto,’ who are they?
Tom, are you getting that slang from the new peeps you hang with? I feel bad for people who feel they live in the “ghetto,” we should chat with Sacred Heart students and U.B. students and see if they have a limited view of life and see all urban centers as ghetto. Bridgeport is a lot better off now than it has been in the last 45 years. Btw, Bridgeport finally attracted another big-box retailer, Sports Authority in the North End.
Ron, yes, I will try to be more clear.
Steve, I spend considerable time with UB students. Most are ‘international’ students. Over the years, I have heard some comment how amazed they were with the contrast between Bridgeport and surrounding towns and the behavior of residents near campus.
Yes, Sports Authority is moving into the space Staples vacated. Only the Bridgeport store was closed.
Bridgeport better off than it has been in 45 years? Steve, can I borrow your rose-colored glasses someday?
Tom, I have lived in Bridgeport for 45 years. We moved into the first condo built by BakerFirestone. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods, a mile to the Trumbull Mall. Bridgeport in 1967 was as disgusting as you can imagine. Downtown was a horror. The schools became middle schools with busing from neighborhoods we never heard of. It was disgusting in 1967, all my friends and families were moving to Trumbull and Fairfield. That was Bridgeport and the perception of a 10 year old. We thought Bridgeport looked like the North End. IMAGINE THE HORROR OF DOWNTOWN HI-HO MALL. GIMBELS AND SEARS. UCHHHHHHHHH. Well Tom White, my rose-colored glasses are off. Please tell me when in the past 45 years has Bridgeport had a future brighter than now. Mind you Tom, my family chose Bridgeport after countless weekends traveling to Fairfield, Trumbull, Monroe and Bridgeport. Being used to city life and spending every summer in the mountains, a condo with young families seemed like the perfect choice. Swimming pool, JCC down the street, ice skating at Dewhirst dairy etc. But Bridgeport 2014 is brighter now. All four corners of the City. I was angry at my dad for years for choosing Bridgeport. I fell in love with the City. I had traveled all over the world. I have bragged about this city throughout Asia, Europe and the Middle East. I chose to live here after college. I bought my first place by Beardsley Park and now the North End. The city is looking better now than ever. Was there a time you or anyone else thought was better between 1967 and 2014? Do share, Tom. It is ironic you’d mention U.B., most come from third-world countries or related to the Shah.
Tom White, I’m sure you corrected the ‘international’ students about Bridgeport.
Again, shouldn’t the POTUS be more concerned with protecting the people he serves nationwide? Isn’t he still considered the most powerful man in the world? Wouldn’t we ALL be better served if he PAID ATTENTION to things like Ebola in subways and ISIS, women being stoned to death, Muslims beheading co-workers in the name of Allah? Etc etc etc. Liberal Democrats make me sick. What a world.
The true battle cry of a Republican. Keep the President from fund raising and endorsing like that is really an option. Honestly, only Hannity and Fox could come up with that!!!
Parliament attacked in Ottawa, hatchet attack in NYC, all in the last 24 hours and all in the name of Allah. Um, I think the POTUS has more important things to do, just sayin’.
Because he is Mighty Mouse? Here he comes to save the day!!!!!!!!! Honestly, foolish. So during World War II, no campaigning?
Should Lincoln not have been campaigning during the Civil War? Roosevelt during WWII? Silly silly silly.
Before everybody rushes out and pulls the party lever, what jobs has Malloy brought to the Park City! Better yet, how many jobs is Malloy blocking from coming here and why? Racism and/or corruption?
Now Malloy is a racist? The truth, can’t you see Foley as a KKK member?
Come on guys, you are going too far with these KKK and racist comments.
Malloy
Malloy
Malloy
Malloy!!!
DITTO
DITTO
DITTO
DITTO!
I think Tom WHITE be instructing them as to call The Port a ghetto.
Bob Walsh, I agree, I think losing so much, Tom, like other Republicans, have lost their way so they are into name-calling.
Dicen que es mal hoy y mal mañana también …