Love him or loathe him, Mayor Joe Ganim’s a relentless retail politician, going to all corners of the city to churn out a vote Nov. 5. You may like his record, or not, but a least he provides a forum to examine his positions.
His losing primary opponent Marilyn Moore, a write-in candidate for the general election because she fumbled the simple task of securing about 200 signatures to carry the banner of the Connecticut Working Families line, promised to run a transparent campaign on what she stands for on an assortment of issues.
Since the September 10 Democratic primary in which she won at the polls but fell short as a result of absentee ballots–her supporters now challenging that in court–what has she shared of any substance about taxes, the budget, public safety, economic development, education, etc.? Nothing.
OIB has received nothing regarding her position on issues. So just in case, I checked with my friends at the Connecticut Post: how many releases from Moore have you received on issues? Yup, nothing.
So for a candidate who promised to be transparent and forthcoming on how she’ll be different, there’s been nothing, other than I’m not Joe Ganim.
Wow, that gives a lot of confidence to the body at large.
If you examine the OIB comments section about this mayoral race, Moore supporters don’t build up their candidate, but rather tear down Joe Ganim. It’s a lot easier to tear down than build up. The reason they don’t build up Moore is quite simple: she’s not given them any reason.
It’s not like some have not tried. Former 20-year State Rep. Chris Caruso, a two-time mayoral candidate, offered his service free of charge to bring Moore to the next level after Kennard Ray, who has worked with Moore in the past, left the campaign just prior to the primary vote. Caruso even donated $1,000 to her campaign. Caruso didn’t ask for anything in return other than let me help you win.
No, says Moore, you’re too noisy, and too difficult and too something else. I’m more comfortable paying someone $1,500 a week who’s never run a citywide campaign. Gee, why is that? Good for Gemeem Davis–who took a “leave of absence” from Bridgeport Generation Now whose leadership financed the court battle–for her payday. Let’s not begrudge anyone for earning a living. But campaigns are about winning.
What has Davis done to position Moore for the general election? Also, former Board of Education member Sauda Baraka? The first in a series of community conversations, filmed by Baraka, produced six people in the North End.
One of Moore’s biggest supporters, OIB friend Kelvin Ayala, an economic development professional, has also fallen into the trap of tearing down anything Ganim promotes rather than building up his candidate. Why?
If Moore is taking Kelvin’s advice about where to lead the city economically it hasn’t been transmitted anywhere, be it news releases, statements, her social media pages. Please, go to Moore’s Facebook page. What has she proposed other than boiler plate language crafted by the Working Families Party for her primary run?
Has she offered one original idea other than I’m not Joe Ganim?
Most electors vote on the future.
So let’s hear from all the Moore supporters. This is your chance. Tell us what she has advanced in any originality, other than I’m not Joe Ganim?
Paging Bob Walsh
Paging Ron Mackey
Paging Donald Day
Paging Kelvin Ayala
Paging Derek Brown
Paging Frank Gyure
Paging Jim Fox
Paging John Marshall Lee
Paging Pete Spain
Come on now, something clearly stated about what Marilyn Moore proposes to do as mayor. Not something in your head but something she has proposed. And not more of the same of tearing down Joe Ganim.
We’re waiting.
Lennie, is this you writing this stuff or is this someone else’s commentary? Whomever, say you don’t know what’s happening but don’t make it sound like NOTHING is happening. Marilyn is in the streets just like Joe. The power of incumbency is anything that comes across the mayor’s office becomes a political event like the Gala Foods event the other day that we crashed. Hell we picked up our own seniors and brought them there to show if seniors can show up to Gala Foods parking lot. They can show up at the polls.
There are plenty videos online such as Moore Mondays and plenty of pics and videos share in public.
Just like lawn sign don’t vote, pictures don’t vote. Where were you at Pink goes Pop Up Cancer Awareness Walk with over 250 people on Stratford Avenue? Both Joe and Marilyn were there. Joe look like a lost puppy dog until Eneida and Ernie came and rescued him. The people gave the mayor his respect. He also knew he was looking at 200 plus voters not voting for him. Just like when we showed up for 20 minutes at the NAACP Awards gala. A room full of Moore Supporters. Joe knows he has to hit the streets and pander. He is an amazing retail politician.
Marilyn Moore has been open and honest in community conversations and meeting with people. I can not answer for her. I simply support here stance on good governance, budget streamlining, an organizational shake up of city departments, better processes for businesses, investors, and developers so that we be a better Bridgeport for everyone. Until those things are done, speaking on growing the tax base, job growth, and lowering taxes are pie in the sky. Just like Joe’s claims.
Through transparency and good governance, it will lead to the morale boost and confidence necessary to move forward the business, community , and economic development of the city.
Marilyn has the tenacity, knowledge, and patience necessary to take on the task of running this city. She also understands her weaknesses and will look closely at apponted postions and make the necessary adjustments to infuse the municipality with talented professionals in various areas. The people are tired of walking into city hall and speaking to 4 different people and walking away with 4 different answers. It matters how we can conduct business in the city of Bridgeport and Marilyn is the perfect person to lead us in the right direction. Bridgeport is poised for regional growth but we have never properly postioned our assets or never marketed our identity as a city. Those simple changes that Marilyn will make within the first 90 day will change the trajectory of this city.
The next Community Conversaton with Marilyn is at the Black Rock library on Saturday from 11am -1pm. Get away from your keyboards and attend, ask Marilyn her agenda.
BTW, WTF is joe’s stance on development, job growth, and lowering taxes. Outside of 30 second bogus videos saying political rhetoric, what has Joe offered? His website shows ZERO information on the issues, no growth and economic development policy. So I think this Op-Ed is very one side meant to De-Value Moore. #DoTheWriteThing
Kelvin, you shared a bunch of feel good things that everyone says. Give us one specific proposal Marilyn has advanced. You’re an economic development professional. How does she plan to attract business? What kind of businesses does she want? How will she address brownfields? How will she transform vacant lots into tax and job creators? Will she offer tax incentives? How will Downtown look under her watch in four years? I know you don’t speak for her. You’d be a great spokesperson on these issues for her because she certainly has done little to give people confidence about her preparation and vision for the job, other than she’s not Joe Ganim.
She’s not Joe Ganim.
Sometimes you just need to keep it simple.
She’s not nearly as capable. You’re right.
Next community conversation at Black Rock Library. So sorry to miss such an exciting event. I did here you could count on one hand the amount of Black Rock residents in attendance. So far she is 0 for 2 in community conversations. If I felt like going, I was going to ask her who pays for the Jag she parks outside of Lyon Terr in the no parking zone. Just throw in the towel now Mrs. Moote. (Not my misspelling, but hers on campaign lit). Just goes to show how inept and unqualified she is to run the states largest city
Nice woman but totally inept. No semantics in my assessment.
Let’s face it,Marilyn checked out soon after announcing she was running.She obviously had a change of heart.I keep going back too her not even making sure she had the 200 signatures.THAT told you all you needed to know.Once again Bpt gets screwed,4 more years of Mario &Joe.
What did Bill Finch do after his lost in the primary for mayor, he didn’t even think about a write in campaign?
Perhaps Finch knew that even with his name recognition, personality, and incumbency it was not a realistic option. And he had an actual campaign behind him, unlike Moore’s disorganized mess.
No, there’s a big difference, with all of the mistakes in the Moore campaign Senator Marilyn Moore defeated Joe Ganim by over 300 votes at the voting polls which is something nobody has ever done. Here’s the mistake, “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” Voltaire said, “the best is the enemy of the good,” and Confucius, “better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”
She’ll go down in the history books as a “who?”
Is that you Stevie A.(?????)
Oh well. An incumbent with nearly total backing of his town committee loses the vote count of people who came to polling places. Certainly not an endorsement of the incumbent.
No problem! The DTC has something better than money; Absentee ballots.
Just as money is the ‘mothers milk of politics’, absentee ballots are like ‘money in the bank’.
Just imagine if a credible and motivated Democrat with a competent management team challenged Ganim/Testa?
They say that a broke clock is right twice a day well Tom White has it right at this time.
Lennie, your question, “Tell us what she has advanced in any originality, other than I’m not Joe Ganim?” The voters who came to the voting polls gave you their answer, they had no problem with (Marilyn Moore) I’m not Joe Ganim, again Lennie, the voters had no problem.
He did the same thing before the primary, and guess what happen he lost by almost 400 votes at the polls. He lost from the east end to the west end back up to the north end and down in black rock. He can campaign all he wants if people do not like you it doesn’t matter how much you campaign. I’d this happens to be a redp primary then I think he looses if not I believe he wins. What moore campaign needs to do is hand out pens and paper at every polling sight in bridgeport instructing people how to write her name in. It’s going to be hard though I will say that. Let’s just hope the judge makes a right decision.
Joe has to much baggage now and it’s all bad!
> We gave him a second chance and he ran for Governor, that was his ” hooray for me” and fluck you Bridgeport!
> Name one other Mayor or First Selectman in the 169 towns in Ct that would hold back money from 20,400 students ?
> Sure he wants the Congress Street Bridge and so does his Family!
> He still running the Theater Scam a bogus $400 million project, with no start date, don’t hold your breath Bridgeport!
Hey, Maria Pereira has no problem with Ganim because all she has been doing during this election cycle is to dog Senator Marilyn Moore and nothing about Ioe Ganim because Maria, Mario and Joe have common good friend who gives all three of them money, John Ricci.
Who thinks Governor Lamont will play kingmaker by endorsing Marilyn Moore at the last minute?
They’re perfect for each other. Here’s why:
They’re long term allies/friends.
They’re both fake entrepreneurs.
Both have a common foe and
Both are products of the status quo.
To put a little sugar on it, Lamont would likely take a sabbatical from his “debt diet” to offer the funds needed to complete the Congress Street Bridge.
Lennie, thank you for the invitation to comment on the originality advanced by Senator Marilyn Moore and her candidacy.
Do I find the campaign itself frustrating, too long, and short on any fiscal messages from any quarter? Yes.
Do I seek to know the story of people who came to the primary campaign, as professionals or volunteers, initially, and then were gone leaving work undone, uncopied or incomplete and unusable? Yes, but I can live without the likely “sell-out” or “dirty tricks” that may be uncovered, frankly.
Campaigns are by their nature chaotic and administration of organized manpower has critical intersections. (The two most recent mayoral contests have revealed that campaign managers have failed to assure an opportunity to run another day twice! Where is Elections-Safety Nets 101?) That is an error, on Marilyn Moore as the buck stops with her. It is an additional challenge to her supporters but not yet mortal. For second chance Ganim2, after his nearly four year reign, his constant campaign continues about what can be, not what he has done…..other than betray his TAXATION campaign promise!!! And to call his sense of Public Safety Management during the past four years as necessary and appropriate, much less “genius” also cries for a backstory to be told. It reveals multiple failures in spending too much for value received and in allowing Police overtime practices to weigh heavily on taxpayer expense for their least important assigned duties IMO. Millions that would have been available for education or elsewhere. Consultants without comment, political control of PD and Commission info, and two years to rig an appointment are signs of administrative cancer eating away at us in the City.
And perhaps that’s where it ends? The body politic of the Democratic Party at primary time was buying independence and integrity without ballyhoo or detail. Joe represented neither, nor had he changed or optimized his second chance for folks who went to the polls. And the folks identified the name MOORE, and moreover can do so again now that Republicans and Independents are in the voter mix.
Doubtless there will be some last minute info that folks may respond to, or not, but for me that combination of Independence, Integrity and idealistic caring for others will cause me to spell MOORE on November 5 if I must.
Four years ago for several months I attempted to be available to share observations, insights and fiscal viewpoint with Candidate Ganim. He did not have the time then nor has he had any time in the four years since for an open, much less public conversation on a multitude of items that I have addressed to the City Council and which I have sought publication on OIB.
Lennie, I respectfully disagree with your opening statement above, where you stated of Ganim2, “at least he provides a forum to examine his positions.” What were the dates? Where were the places? What were his agendas? Priorities? Reason for ignoring MARB? And much more, serious stuff, you know? He has provided fund raisers, parades, photo-op and video gatherings, often with a few supporters from the City Council, current administration, DTC, etc. but generally not a group to discuss issues and gain a better grasp of where our municipality stands today or is headed.
Lennie, there have been times in my life where I enjoyed “second chance apizza” the following morning at room temperature when it had rested on the stove top all night. However, the choice to “eat it” or “delete it” becomes obvious not too long thereafter. Public taste for the brand that Mario and Joe offer is going out of style and Election Day is a chance to “delete” by filling the bubble at the bottom and writing in that we want MOORE. Time will tell.
Let’s give Gemeem Davis a chance. A write-in victory would be stunning. Write-in campaigns don’t make a lot of news-they’re quiet-but if they’re successful, they make a lot of noise!
(wink)
Moore late issued an economic plan for the City, just days prior to the primary election. The plan was in part lifted from the plan which I published in early June (also published in OIB). Part of the borrowed plan deals with proper auditing of city departments, something which I have been doing for several years and have continued to do during this campaign season (including regarding mid-handing by the City Attorney of sales of bundled tax liens and of non City customers of the City Print Shop). The public needs to recognize that many of Moore’s supporters do so because she’s a woman and because she’s Black. Ganim deserves the criticisms. He’s so compromised that he’s unable to exercise real leadership!
I’ve already expressed my extreme disappointment with campaign of Marilyn Moore. It being caught between a rock and a hard place. The only thing is that we have seen an embryonic beginning of of more people getting involved in all matters Bridgeport. We have a group of young leaders and I count Bridgeport Generation Now as part of that and there are other groups.
Well geeze, Lennie. You can’t throw down the gauntlet and then delete all my responses. Are you off your meds?
Derek,
I thought my comments were the only ones deleted….. I’m glad I’m in good company!!
SMH
I don’t know what the problem is, Frank.
Are you ready for this?
Ganim has the swagger
That makes his foes stagger
While Derek Brown wears the frown that makes him look like a clown.