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Step right up for poll results.

Approaching the mid point of his mayoralty, Bill Finch has a lot of work to do to position himself for reelection in 2011.

An OIB poll administered by Connecticut-based Merriman River Associates www.merrimanriver.com  shows Finch trailing his Democratic primary rival from 2007 State Rep. Chris Caruso by roughly three percentage points with former Mayor John Fabrizi running just four points behind Finch. Both those numbers fall within the poll’s margin of error of three percent.

But margin of error is the least of Finch’s worries. The good news for Finch? He still has time to turn it around.

See full poll results at www.onlyinbridgeport.com

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Hey, wake up! There’s a municipal election in less than two weeks.

I can hear those yawns. No mayor on this ballot this cycle. That happens in 2011.

City Council and Board of Education seats are up for grabs. Plus the $6.9 million question: Shall a one mil tax be levied to establish and maintain a free public library and reading room?

One mil, according to city bean counters, represents roughly $6.9 million, the amount to enrich library services should electors vote yes. Library Board President Jim O’Donnell says soup to nuts library services cost roughly $6 million. But, he adds, that the library system has been underfunded for years.

A race to watch is the BOE where two Connecticut Working Families Party candidates Sauda Baraka and Maria Pereira hope to upset major party candidates. State law allows minority party representation on the BOE. Baraka is the incumbent GOP BOE member who was dumped by the party for, they claim, lack of effort. Pereira decided to get involved when her daughter ended up having nine different teachers for one subject.

Baraka and Pereira have been knocking on doors to woo support, and Working Families campaign organizers will make a final push to turn out a vote. Is an upset possible? In a low turnout — and this turnout will be low — you never know.

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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Can you believe it? Most of the election action is in the suburbs. This can’t be.

Yeah, I know, lots of city political operatives moved to the ‘burbs to cause trouble. Beyond a compelling referendum question to decide funding for Bridgeport’s library system, City Council and Board of Education elections are ho hum. No real action in the state’s largest city this election cycle. Mayor Bill Finch, who enjoys a four-year term, is not up for two more years.

That should not deter political junkies from enjoying the fisticuffs  in the suburbs where incumbents in Shelton, Stratford and Trumbull are hanging by their fingernails.

Why does any of this matter to Bridgeport? The better the relationships Bridgeport has with the suburbs the better for the entire region. And a lot of the usual suspects that donate to Bridgeport races are dumping money into suburban races. Yeah, they cannot help themselves.

First up, Shelton. Republican Mayor Mark Lauretti has a lot more to worry about than Democrat Chris Jones. Federal officials have been going through every orifice of the long-term mayor for several years. The mayor has not been charged with any wrong doing, but he is clearly in the crosshairs of a federal investigation and just two weeks before the general election developer James Botti will be on trial for greasing a public official (guess who? ask the feds).

This cannot be good for a popular mayor who has enjoyed nearly 20 years of balanced budgets, low taxes and economic extravaganza. But if Lauretti’s so dirty why hasn’t he been charged? Well, the guy the government thinks can do the most damage to Lauretti will not fold. Botti has stubbornly decided to go to trial and, as a result, is a major toothache to the feds. And maybe, the mayor hopes, the electorate will give him the benefit of the doubt on election day.

If the feds case is so strong why haven’t they charged me?

In Stratford, Democrat Jim “I pack” Miron, the first mayor in history (even though he opposed a mayoral form of government) has his hands full with Republican State Rep. John Harkins. Mayor Miron likes to take on all comers: pols  in his own party and opposing party, local scribes, council members, park preservationists, education officials while holstering added thunder in case things get real tough. Maybe we should set up a steel cage match between the mayor and Harkins at Booth Memorial Park to settle this whole thing.

In Trumbull, four-term Democrat Ray Baldwin is fighting for his political life against Republican Tim Herbst, chairman of the the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Tax increases, a $5 million Trumbull High School swimming pool, inflated sewer assessments have contributed to Baldwin’s woes. Ray, a mighty good golfer, is spending a few less rounds this cycle at Tashua Knolls than usual.

None of this suggests suburban incumbents will not survive come election night.  But don’t be shocked if Mayor Finch calls opponents the morning after asking: can we talk?

(Check out my daily webzine www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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Nothing like giggles to kick off a campaign.

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Almost a year now since Jim Himes lanced 20-year Republican incumbent Congressman Chris Shays.

Before Shays occupied Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District, Stewart McKinney had it. Lowell Weicker before him. All Republicans. In fact Himes gutted the last surviving New England Republican in the House of Representatives. Republicans thought they had a decent shot of regaining the seat with State Senator John McKinney (son of Stewart) but John let the air out of their balloon when he announced he was working through some family issues. His kids come first.

Whew! said Himes supporters.

Himes was the beneficiary of a Democratic blowout in Bridgeport led by Barack. Last year it was about the war and the economy. Now it’s about health care and the economy. I chatted with Himes the other day and he talked about the never-ending campaigning of the congressional two-year term. Elected today, form a campaign committee tomorrow, raise lots of dough to position for reelection. Himes will have not just dough but tons of it, and Vice President Joe Biden helped pad his bank account with a visit on Monday.

Himes will be hard to beat, but he’s not acting like so many pols do when they get elected for the first time: look in the mirror and love what they see. Republicans had occupied his seat for 40 years. They want it back. He seems to understand how fragile a first term can be.

The leading Republicans to challenge Himes are State Senator Dan Debicella of Shelton and former State Senator Rob Russo of Bridgeport. Both are pounding phones raising money. The one that excels here and woos party regulars will get the party nod. It’s always possible that a fatted Republican shows up and says here’s my $3 million, I want to play. That changes the game.

Meanwhile Himes visits the 17 cities and towns in the district, does the constituent work, makes friends, tries to deliver stimulus money, and raises lots and lots of moolah.

He’s hoping in 2010, as my friend Tommy Kelly says, Let The Good Himes Roll. Stay tuned.

(Check me out at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)