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Mary-Jane Foster

“She’s a formidable candidate,” Testa said. “I don’t know if she will have the town committee endorsement. Mayor Finch has got the endorsement.”

He hemmed a bit. Hawed a little. “She does have a record as a business woman,” he said. “I would not discourage and I would not encourage her,” he said.

He paused a moment and then declared: “But, hey. This is democracy.”

Mario and the mayor don’t have the greatest relationship, but Mario really doesn’t have anyone else. Not yet, anyway. If Foster decides to segue from exploratory committee to candidate committee the mayoral race will not be so boring afterall. “This is democracy,” states Mario. If you talk privately to most of the rank and file members of the Democratic Town Committee they’ll tell you Foster would make a far better mayor than Finch. She’s smart and thoughtful and not infected with the narcissism that strangles his decision making. Finch wasn’t always this way. Perhaps it’s too much Pequonnock River water.

But they will also tell you that, for now, they’re sticking with Finch because his excessive admiration for himself hasn’t translated into full blown implosion. They have their job and legal work and consulting gigs controlled by hizzoner. Such courage, eh? But the notion that the DTC is unbeatable in a primary is a bunch of chicken droppings. They’ve been beaten before. And if they control so many votes why did they throw John Fabrizi under the bus in 2007? Because they didn’t think he could win.

Mary-Jane Foster and her husband Jack McGregor (full disclosure: I am his biographer) created an excitement in Bridgeport this city hadn’t seen in decades with the development of  the Bridgeport Bluefish, and ballpark and arena at Harbor Yard. She no longer co-owns the team and the whisper campaign the Finch forces have started questions the economic viability of the fish. Amazing, the Finch people didn’t say a peep about that when Finch implored Foster for campaign donations, when he urged her to serve as his mayoral transition team chair in 2007. I want you, I need you, I love you, Finch said then.

Now that she’s a potential threat, differently story. But, ah, it’s democracy, isn’t it?

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

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From Keila Torres, CT Post:

BRIDGEPORT — Former Mayor Joe Ganim brought his two sons along Monday afternoon for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorative march in the city’s East End.

The former city leader, who was released from prison last year, used to attend the event every year. “It’s good to be back,” Ganim said.

When asked if he would ever consider another run for office, Ganim replied: “You never know what the future holds.”

“It’s always a pleasure to be back in Bridgeport, to be in the East End,” said the Easton resident, who received several rounds of applause throughout the day from the people at the march and following ceremony.

Ganim called the day’s events “inspiring.”

“That type of inspiration can lead in so many different directions,” he said, not ruling out a move back to Bridgeport in the future.

So, would you vote for Joe?

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

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With one decision Chris Caruso has triggered a bunch of decisions for city pols. Accepting a gubernatorial appointment from Dan Malloy, and staying out of the mayoral sweepstakes, has unleashed political musical chairs.

Caruso, who waged close challenges for the mayoralty in 2003 and 2007, will take a position with the state economic development department working on urban issues. He resigned his state representative seat on Tuesday. A special election will take place in March to fill the vacancy.

Why did Caruso take the state job? At age 51, and living on a base salary of roughly $32,000, accepting the $72, 500 a year job sets up Caruso’s retirement years. He had served in the state legislature since 1991. Caruso supported Malloy in the Democratic primary over Ned Lamont.

Caruso says as a result of accepting the state job, he’ll not be a candidate for mayor this year. That decision knocks out an immediate threat to Mayor Bill Finch but opens up opportunities for others to capture a constituency not enamored with his first term. Former Finch administration official John Gomes is the only formally announced candidate. He had directed the city’s government-efficiency Citi-Stat Program before a falling out with Finch over direction of the department.

Mary-Jane Foster, a vice president at the University of Bridgeport and co-founder of the Bridgeport Bluefish, is conisdering a run and no doubt will be encouraged to get in by anti-Finch forces.

Former Mayor John Fabrizi would love his old job back, but Fabs has never been a self starter when it comes to campaign life. He’ll need a group of pols to put it together for him.

Former State Rep. Ernie Newton is looking to get back in the political action after returning home last year following completion of his public corruption sentence. Will he run for mayor or seek his old state senate seat occupied by Ed Gomes in 2012?

Others may get in.

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