The State Elections Enforcement Commission on Wednesday approved public grants to the campaigns of State Senate candidate Herron Gaston and incumbent State Rep. Jack Hennessy.
For party-endorsed Gaston it means he’ll receive roughly $100,000; for Hennessy about $33,000.
Right now Gaston is matched up head-to-head with incumbent Dennis Bradley in the August 9 Democratic primary in Connecticut’s 23rd District. Juliemar Ortiz hopes a state judge will add her name to the ballot. She’s contesting election officials rejection of dozens of petition signatures that would have qualified her for the primary. A court hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m.
Gaston, the city’s chief administrative officer and Bridgeport faith leader, was recruited to run by party regulars with Bradley in limbo awaiting trial on federal campaign finance violations. Bradley is pushing ahead with his run and is likely to compete on the spending side with Gaston via traditional campaign fundraising and ponying up his own loot, if necessary.
Connecticut’s public finance program is voluntary requiring a threshold of small donor amounts to qualify for taxpayer dollars.
Hennessy, the longest-serving member of the city’s legislative delegation, faces a battle from party-endorsed City Councilman Marcus Brown who has also qualified for public funds. Connecticut’s 127th District occupies a bulk of the North End and piece of the West Side.
A very thin piece of the West side!
Locally I was surprised to see that Jack Hennessy was dismissed by the DTC without ceremony this year and was replaced by Marcus Brown, currently of the City Council. The DTC did not go public on a reason for the dismissal so it wasn’t Hennessy’s support of union issues, military veteran issues, etc. that created the opportunity for Brown.
Why would voters look to a “newbie” for understanding on watercourse issues? Hennessy has been effective at listening and working through the many issues having to do with flooding within his district. Apparently water has collected in wetlands that were part of a reservoir used for drinking water in the vicinity of Elton Rogers Park. At times of heavy rain a watercourse, namely Ox Brook River carries the water through multiple neighborhoods in Bridgeport before reaching the Sound. Multiple towns (Trumbull and Bridgeport) originate the issues, and then flow through Bridgeport and Fairfield before ending their run. Neighbors near such watercourses including Rooster River live with the disruption and damage.
In the 90’s $6-10 Million had been appropriated by the State for engineering studies. Some was spent. And matters slipped from attention. Unspent dollars were reclaimed by the State for lack of use. By 2015-16 Hennessy pulled the historic reality together and went to work locally, State DEEP, Army Corps of Engineers and others, each have an approval process, separate and distinct from others, before they would sign off.
Hennessy oversaw those approvals and was rewarded with $5.2 Million for a rework and redesign of the project. Currently there is a request for proposal looking for continuation of work and groundbreaking, expected in fall 2022. The payoff will come when a “100 year storm” or more happens, and the wetlands plus watercourse design manage to handle the waters that for more than 30 years have flooded the homes of residents.
Hennessy has also for several terms worked as chair of the State delegation from Bridgeport. Though frustrated at times with underwhelming response to work together, he has worked beyond his district borders to secure a better result for Bridgeport citizens. If Hennessy shared that this would be his last term, what caused DTC and Brown to insist on having their way? What value or principle is observed? Time will tell.
John, can’t speak on Hennessy’s accomplishment in Hartford, but Brown was endorsed by the DTC to run against Moore. Notwithstanding Brown is more politically ambitious than Hennessy. He’s wiring in as an up-and-coming Port politician, similar to Newton’s day days on the Council.
There’s a long game with Brown that Hennessy doesn’t have. I believe I read Hennessy district was remapped that allowing Brown to run against him. The writing on the wall as to the rationale for DCT to endorse Brown over Hennessy.
I will say this, while the DCT endorsing Brown to take out Sen.Moore was a stretch, Hennessy is more feasible and marketable to go up against a “white” Hennessy. There’s no doubt in my mind G2 will lose his mayorship to a minority . The question is when. How long can Joe overcome his “whiteness” and keep winning?
If Bradley wasn’t in this “engagement” the Port would have been hearing/talking about a Sen. Bradley run against G2. His political ambition is on ice for now. I would assume his racial, biblical, firey rhetoric is not going to plays out as well against a Black Reverend. So instead of having Joe against the ropes. He finds himself on the rope.
John, I will give you this though. No retarded shit in Port politics surprises me. JS 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q80UL6pUas
It’s common for Mucus to change from clear to white, yellow, or Browne during a single illness. Many people believe the color of your Mucus indicates how sick you are and whether your infection is bacterial or viral or political, but deciphering Mucus color meaning isn’t that straightforward.
Changes in mucus color are a normal part of the natural course of Your District illness. When germs make you sick, one of the first ways your body fights the infection is by creating extra help from Jack Hennessy, to flush out the invading pathogen by August Primary .
A few days later, your body has sent in Hennessy immune cells to join the fight. .
People with severe Brown Muscus acute Political distress syndrome. (APDS) This Muscus is thick and concentrated and cannot be coughed up like the phlegm that’s comes out of The DTC or Testa & Ganim !
Brown Mucus will definitely turn your (District 127th) into Zoning Nightmare orchestrated by Testa & Ganim!
The best way to Snuff out Brown Mucus, is to vote for Jack Hennessy!
Brown is a proven liar and backstabber. ‘The emails’ he sent to Jack Hennessey said Marcus would support him and not run against him, waiting for the end of the next term and Jack’s planned retirement. Marcus lied in his press release April 25th that he had raised all the money needed to qualify for CEP dollars in such a short time… He hadn’t raised the required amount when he released the Press report.
Brown is a Ganim Lackey, doing what he is told. Joe G is using him to try to control the seat and vote.
This district Gerrymandering putting Brown in Hennessey’s district is not the only one affecting or effected by Brown this year. He was co-chair of the travesty that is stripping 300+ voters from the 138 and handing them to Newton. Distrocts are supposed to have equal population, but the 138th will now have 1000 voters less than other districts.
The boundary is crossing a major state/Federal Highway (which it shouldn’t and splitting a US Census tract, which is not permitted.
But what does Brown care? What is another lawsuit for Bridgeport to defend?
Bridgeport voters, residents and taxpayers deserve better than Brown and Ganim.
BTW>>>The emergency meeting to approve the redistricting of the 138th was called by EX-Con Ganim to benefit Ex-Con Newton. Makes a laughing stock of Bridgeport, again. Will Bradley be convicted this year to complete the Con Trifecta?
Marcus, when did Jake plan to retire before or after the redistricting? Either way, it’s all the more reason to, as John calls him, a newbie over a retiree.
However, if Jack only planned on retiring after the redistricting there might be some ulterior motive behind it, like getting Brown not to run against him.
From my perspective, as limited as it is. Brown’s political angle is the establishment. He’s not like Sen Bradley who can fire up emotional rhetoric to win the support of the populous that is equal to votes. Both are political and ambitious, but very different. Bradley has a sense of himself that is harder to control. He has no issues playing hardball politics in the wheeling and dealing of Port politics. In fact, he enjoys it, and seeks it out. He is not a politician in the Hennessy sense. Bradley could never stay idle as a senator for 18 years. So Teh question remains, did Bradley’s full-throttle political ambitions, crash and burn this quickly, passing like a shooting star, or can he overcome it and the new dynamics of Port Politics. JMO
Marcus, according to Gen Now unrig, Brown would have to kiss the ring, CHECK, be loyal, CHECK, and wait for his turn. So if Brown is embedded in the establishment, his run is not of his choosing. So maybe that email was Brown’s true intention and the establishment made the call, To his claim he qualified was CEP, that too was the establishment telling him don’t worry we got this. You will receive public funding and the newie spoke before its time. JS
P.S I think there is some exageration about the votes count in all of these. Ernie didn’t even get 300 total votes, Maria top out in the 500s However, this makes Ernie’s district more dynamic in ways with a 1000 new potential voters on the other side of Boston. That voting bock has the potential to determine the outcome of 129th district elections, with their traditional 250 votes. So one has to ask where the advantage and disadvantage lie and with whom. JS
Quick question, Ernie’s District has two polling places, Dumbar and Harding. What Harding did they vote in, the old or new school in the last election? Can a district polling place be outside of the district? JS
Thank OK for Google. 🙂
http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/city-council-democratic-primary-precinct-results/