GOP mayoral nominee Torres: Bring it on

Republican mayoral nominee Rick Torres issued this statement after Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch won the Democratic primary Tuesday:

Tonight’s primary results bring to an end a long, arduous primary season for the Democrats. After a bitterly fought race and a valiant effort put forth by Mary-Jane Foster, the Democratic party has chosen its candidate. Regrettably, once again the political machine has prevailed.

Thankfully though, the war is not lost. Although bloodied, Bridgeport’s opposition forces have one more chance to defeat a common enemy. Just as we did in 2003, we can now focus on uniting Democrats tired of machine politics with Independents and Republicans to purge our city once and for all of Mario Testa, Bill Finch, and the Bridgeport Democratic Machine.

Since 2003, Bridgeport’s fortunes have receded to the point that we are in a state of financial peril. Testa, Finch, and Fabrizi before him have mismanaged and pirated our city’s resources. Economically, unemployment is in double digits, and our property taxes are the highest in the nation. Our schools fail 9 out of 10 children and the percentage of individuals living below the poverty line is higher than ever – all a result of the oppressive Democratic machine’s stranglehold on our city.

We must unite all of the good people of Bridgeport. We must not allow Testa and Finch to walk away as winners. I hope that the citizens of Bridgeport will stand with me to defeat this juggernaut. We must give Bridgeport another shot at liberty.