The counting of petition signatures by elections officials is finally complete, 7 of 10 districts, representing more than 120 candidates, will compete in a March 4 showdown for control of the 90-member Democratic Town Committee. Fire up those absentee ballots. There’s nothing quite like winter campaigning. This could be a political holy war.
Who are these people? Town committee members conduct party business, endorse candidates for public office and select a chairman. The party hasn’t experienced this type of turmoil in more than a decade, on the heels of last September’s Democratic primary when all endorsed candidates for school board and City Council flamed out. These primaries are a shot at redemption for some candidates, settling scores for others and validation of vote strength. The North End 134th District, East End 139th District and South End 131st District are the only three without primaries.
In the coming days and weeks we’ll get into the various personalities of the respective districts. Even Mayor Bill Finch’s ex-wife Claire Mastromonaco is getting in on the action as a member of the challenge slate in the 133rd District, the home base of City Council President Tom McCarthy. The candidates in each district follow. The first set of names represent candidates generally affiliated with the district leader establishment, although in some cases newcomers have been recruited. The second set of names represent the challenge slate. The top nine vote producers in each respective district will join the town committee.
130th District: Daniel Roach, JoAnn Manzo, Michael Meehan, Melissa Henton, Anne Larcheveque, Thomas Mulligan, Jr., Joy Cline, John McCarthy, Jr., Eric Amado, Jr.
Challenge slate: Hector Diaz, Edna Garcia, Lee Samowitz, Rob Sullivan, James Fox, Robert Foley, David King, Joel Gonzalez.
132nd District: Michael Freddino, Mary Evette Brantley, Carol Cocco, Anthony Lancia, Sr., John Olson, Lisa Parziale, Elaine Pivirotto, Joan Thornton, Reginald Walker.
Challenge slate:: Robert Halstead, Michael Jacques, Howard Gardner, Patricia Swain, Arlene Walsh, Stephon Wynter, Jessica Materna, Pierre Page Jr, Angel Echevarria.
133rd District: Thomas McCarthy, Howard Austin, Sr., Joseph Hatrick, Sr., Joseph Moura, Peretz Robinson, Abel Chaparro, Jeanette Herron, Albertina Baptista, Vincent DiPlama.
Challenge slate: Jessica Allen, Josh Kristy, Louis Innacell, Gail Janensch, Mahlon Goma, Claire Mastromonaco, Ann Martin, Earl King Jr., Eugene Gailliard.
135th District: Wilfred Murphy, Diane Richards, Warren Blunt, Audrey Barr, Richard Bonney, Steven Ferreira, Deborah DeIrish, Curtis Mae McNair, Richard Cruz.
Challenge slate: Stephen Nelson, Doris Roman Nelson, Waith Mitchell, Carmen Harron, Charlie Stallworth, Mary McBride Lee, Fred Gee Jr, Darrett Evans Moss, Craig Jones.
136th District: Carlos Silva, John Gomes, Adelaide Esteves, Gloria Carbone, Jose DePina, Derek Williams, Lawrence Moore Jr., Mark Bush, Angel DePara Jr.
Challenge slate: Christopher Rosario, Jose Casco, Fabio Mazo, Lawrence Osborne Jr., Wanda Geter Pataky, Cruz Cotto, Dennis Bradley, Richard DeJesus, Mark Trojanowski.
137th District: Gilberto Hernandez, Lydia Martinez, Banjed Labrador, Joe Rosario, Guillermo Marin, Aidee Nieves, Juan Hernandez, Maria Ines Valle.
Challenge slate: Clinton Iannotti, Anderson Ayala, Alberto (Tito) Ayala, Jacqueline Richardson, Rueben LeBron Jr.
138th District: Richard Paoletto Jr, Martha Santiago, Michael Marella Jr., Christopher Anastasi, Kevin Monks, Kelly Ann Perez, Madeline Lopez, Andrezej Narolewski, Barbara Powell.
Challenge slate: Scott Hughes, Ann Barney, Pat Fardy, Twana Johnson, Pearlye Sams-Allen, James Morton III, Nadia Pearce, Noel Sepulveda.
*** 7 come 11 may prove to be lucky for the challenge slate candidates, no? *** BEST OF LUCK! ***
Lennie, thanks so much for calling in tonight. I hope the city wakes up and realizes just what is at stake here. Rob and I have booked and invited all DTC slates to come on the show–or we will come to you and film why you and your slate deserve support and votes. There are ONLY three shows until the election, and we do not have the time for everyone to be on the last show. Call and get your time slot–203-984-7422.
I am proud of the voters of Bridgeport for leveraging their inherent power, the power of the vote, last September. I am thrilled to be one of them. It looks as if our voting citizenry has reached the point of no return with putting up with the mockery the leaders we elected are making of us.
I just don’t understand how these elected and appointed officials can look themselves in the mirror. I am not necessarily an OIB doom freak. I don’t read espionage into every decision made or situation that arises in this City. But I do feel there are some individuals and leaders who mercilessly use the citizens and the city of Bridgeport for their own personal power and financial gain, and don’t lose a wink of sleep over it. I am particularly repulsed by Americo Santiago, Lydia Martinez, Adam Wood and Anthony Musto. They absolutely make me want to vomit.
I say out with the old and in with the new. But we need to be careful, voters. We need to be thoughtful. We need to keep those who currently occupy seats who are open to reform. We need to keep them to teach the newcomers how it’s currently done. Change for the sake of change will not help us if we have no navigational experience. It actually could get worse. Let’s be thoughtful voters.
We need to THINK first and then ACT. We DON’T need to REACT. It’s time to vote intelligently. We can do this.
WOW Mustang Sally, you are spot on. I don’t know who you are, but your insight screams experience!!!
“Open to reform” are words you have used.
How does a citizen form an opinion of whether a Council person, or any other public figure has such a posture?
I guess you can watch them campaign and observe their written and spoken comments. Or you can see what issues have moved them in the past and learn what concerns them today, and what possible courses of action might be pursued.
How do you assess public courage? Or the energy to show up, on time, and dressed to play on behalf of your neighbors? And finally what is the COMMONSENSE Quotient for candidates that has seemed to defy a number of those elected by Bridgeport voters in recent years? Where have you seen the public interest be part of what a person works for (and therefore sacrifices time, energy and maybe wealth) when personal advantage and pleasure might have been pursued instead? Time will tell.
We have seen a lot lately. I don’t feel a need to “judge.” I simply look at what has been going on in the city and talk to people. That is how I do it. You may have your own way.
Before Mustang Sally becomes more thoughtful, she will need to remove the word “vomit” from her political vocabulary. I know she can do it.
While we’re at it, where can a lowly blogger accuse Lisa Parziale of confusing puke with experience?
Answer: Only in Bridgeport.
What is it you are actually saying, LE? If you want an exchange, make the thoughts you “vomit” forth on OIB understandable to more than just you and your therapist.
*** It’s on and when you really think about it, does anyone in these districts really give a damn? *** ADVERTISE BIG-TIME! ***
Opportunity is knocking for a better, fairer legislative branch of our City of Bridgeport. LWV member Gail Janensch (71) here who called Tom McCarthy personally to tell him my name would appear on the Challenge Slate in 133rd. I taught Civics at Westhill and I believe paid city employees (no matter how nice they may be) do not belong on the body that votes the City Budget. I am the 3030 Park resident who brought both Chris Murphy and Linda McMahon to greet our seniors and spell out their positions. I am the one who arranged for a LWV sponsored forum for ALL EIGHT candidates who ran in last November’s Board of Ed election. My new blood is needed in the city where I will live until death shuts me up.