Mayor Joe Ganim’s campaign for governor announced on Wednesday it has amassed nearly 20,000 signatures in the quest to receive 15,458 verified Hancocks from Connecticut Democrats to qualify for an August primary against party-endorsed Ned Lamont. Why the cushion?
It’s likely that 20-25 percent of the signatures will be invalidated by local elections officials because signers may be unaffiliated or not registered to vote at all. Ganim operatives are fishing where the fish are, in high density housing cities such as Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, New Britain, Waterbury and West Haven.
The deadline to submit petition signatures is June 12 so the Ganim campaign can add to its total to account for signatures tossed out. The petitions are submitted to local registrar offices for review. The tabulations are ongoing so the campaign can gauge the cushion required. The calculations are forwarded to the Office of the Connecticut Secretary of State for final certification by June 19.
“Our grassroots campaign has not only collected the signatures of almost 20,000 registered Democrats, but equally important we are building a neighborhood network of tens of thousands of Democrats, many of whom live in our cities, who have not been actively involved in Democratic politics,” says Ganim in a statement released by the campaign. “Our grassroots campaign is giving a voice to our cities, to those who have been under-represented, and to those seeking a second chance.
“For us to win in November, Democratic voters need a candidate who can walk in any neighborhood; connect with a diverse group of voters, and can generate enthusiasm and turnout among base Democratic voters. Our campaign is showing we can do that,” Ganim added.
If Ganim qualifies for a primary the signatures provide a foundation for voter turnout. A large challenge for Ganim is money. He will be outspent heavily by the wealthy Lamont who is self-funding his campaign.
Joe should try living in the city too.
Some people think Ganim is upset because Lamont chose Bysiewicz prematurely. Every signature moves him closer to his chance to show his star power and the victory he craves.
Primary results top party endorsement, right?
He’s swinging for the fences! I can see clearly now.
Ganim walks streets of fire.
But will we ever see Ned Lamont without a police escort again?
Joe Ganim is doing something that Republicans should take notes on, Ganim and his team are out there in the streets seeking voters and asking them for their support and to sign their petitions and they are going everywhere.
@Ron Mackey……….
No the Ganim team is NOT going everywhere. They can’t be bothered with the surrounding towns to Bridgeport. They are focusing on the large, poor cities.
There’s nothing wrong with that but the Republicans need to the same thing.
@Ron Mackey
I didn’t say it is wrong, I disputed your statement
We’re not talking about Republicans, Ron.
Lamont says he wants debates? An idiot could beat him in a debate. Do it in the cities, Bridgeport, New Haven. Hammer this guy who says no to a Bridgeport Casino, although MGM probably sealed the states fate by purchasing Yonkers Casino yesterday, wants electronic tolls.
Debates will expose Ganim’s time in federal prison and Ganim’s comments on that subject that he just rush by with plus he’s done nothing in Bridgeport since being mayor. He can’t point to education, crime or hiring, all he does has talk about the past and his past is a double edged sword. The debate won’t have anything to do about what Lamont has done it would be about Joe.
Here’s a prepackaged urban jobs program for the 70 million people that need/want/deserve a second chance:
https://www.70millionjobs.com/
Always topical, sometimes relevant.
The only problem is 16,500 are Joe Ganims name.
“we are building a neighborhood network of tens of thousands of Democrats, many of whom live in our cities, who have not been actively involved in Democratic politics,”
Were anyone to study the results of elections in Bridgeport for decades, we would acknowledge the fact that the City has become increasingly Democratic as far as those who bother to register. And the constancy of Democrats holding the position of Maror, in charge of money and jobs for people means they have used these tools well to continue in office. However, in the meantime the majority of registered voters fail to vote.
What is it about Ganim2’s current message that animates anyone? He’s not promising jobs is he? His functionaries are not letting people get any idea that a vote equals a pay day, are they? What proof of this re-energizing, claimed by this campaign release, can Ganim2 offer? Time will tell.
Just because you get thousands to sign your petition doesn’t mean they will turn out and vote for you during a primary.
To do otherwise is the sign of an awesome politician about to put a dent in the political universe!
An urban policy is still missing and Bridgeport is no place to suggest one’s been found.
Upside: Lamont made an executive mistake before the campaign even started.
But Bysiewicz will not go quietly.
Why I am the dumbest guy on OIB: I’m the last guy to realize Ganim doesn’t want to squeeze his way onto the ticket, he wants to replace Lamont and be THE candidate for Governor in November.
I didn’t say I was bright, did I?
Google is investing $600 million in Bridgeport-the one in Alabama.
http://www.areadevelopment.com/newsItems/4-12-2018/google-data-center-bridgeport-alabama.shtml