Bob Keeley, the longest-serving legislator in the city’s history, has been relatively quiet since his failed bid in the 2011 special election to fill the state legislative seat vacated by Chris Caruso who took a job with the administration of Governor Dan Malloy. But the three-time mayoral candidate has been showing his face at political functions of late trying to gauge viability to challenge Mayor Bill Finch in a Democratic primary next year.
Keeley lost his State House seat to Auden Grogins in a Democratic primary in 2008 after a more than 20-year run in the state legislature. He finished third in the special election won by Charlie Stallworth to fill Caruso’s seat. Last week Keeley attended political conventions to endorse candidates for state legislative and municipal slots reconnecting with some familiar faces.
He told OIB he’s seriously considering a mayoral run. Keeley has the same challenge every other candidate faces in positioning a challenge of a well-funded Finch: can he raise money?
The mayor already has more than $100K in the bank as he seeks a third four-year term in 2015. While candidates for state office can rely on public financing for campaign cash, candidates for mayor must go about it the old-fashioned way trying to find sources of dough outside the traditional givers to the incumbent mayor. No easy task. The Finch political operation is mighty good at raising money.
While Keeley was largely successful in his legislative races throughout the decades, he was unable to wage serious challenges in his races for mayor in 1987, 1989 and 2003.
Keeley says Finch is vulnerable, but it takes more to defeat an incumbent with a boatload of cash on hand: it takes MOM–money, organization and message. There’s no mo without MOM.
Former Mayor John Fabrizi is also making the rounds gauging support for next year. Supporters of Finch’s 2011 primary opponent Mary-Jane Foster are also encouraging her to make another run. Will she?
The people in Black Rock love Bob Keeley!
Go Bob!
Here’s one of Bob’s volunteers at work.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=ayx4rU9bJrU
That is so messed up, Joel. 😉
Former Mayor Bloomberg said do not let his bankroll fool you. If you have passion and a message, two fundraisers outside of Bridgeport could match that as discussed at St. Andrews golf club in New York. It’s tough when you have fundraisers with city employees who are not living in the City and are supporting another candidate who is destined to lose. You have to want people to share your vision, not run away from one.
Keeley is the only person to show up fewer days for his job at the DSSD than Bill Finch did at BEDCO/BRBC. All things considered, we’d all be better off if Finch didn’t show up however our topic today is what Bob Keeley can bring to the job. That would be pretty much what he did for Bridgeport as a legislator–almost zippo and has zero work ethic.
So we have Finch who has raised taxes almost daily and created near chaos wherever he turns or Fabrizi who will bring all that personal hot mess he does so well or Keeley who actually does nothing. So far, great choice for next year. At this rate, it could be Charlie Coviello’s year!
Take a whiff of this, Bob: We put Grogins in the seat because you stunk. We are not looking to hold our noses and vote for the least odoriferous candidate for Mayor. Bridgeport deserves to breathe easy with a new Mayor who actually has our backs.
There you have it–another recycled candidate for office in Bridgeport. Ms. Grogins puts his past performance to shame. Another egomaniac who believes he’s electable.
*** Can the city do any worse with Bob running the show? “One never knows, do one?” ***