February 13, 2024 – Leading up to the 2023 municipal elections an astounding 87% of Bridgeport voters told pollsters that corruption needed to be addressed. To be honest that number surprised us. Surely people were tired of hearing about it and just wanted to hear something positive from our mayoral candidates. 

Sadly for Bridgeporters, rather than moving the city forward by trying to persuade people to vote for him based on his record and the issues we care about, Joe Ganim’s corruption has landed on the front pages of local, national and international news. The ballot stuffing scandal perpetrated by his campaign supporters, Wanda Geter-Pataky, Eneida Martinez and others not only exposed how broken Bridgeport’s electoral process is, it amplified just how fragile American democracy has become. 

Ganim’s Corruption Has Forced Bridgeport To Pay For 4 Mayoral Elections.

Rather than being honest stewards of democracy, Ganim and his team chose to run roughshod over the thing our country holds most sacred, the voice of the people. Evidence presented in court showed that the Ganim campaign conspired to defraud Bridgeport voters by illegally abusing the absentee ballot process, as a result Judge William Clark overturned the September primary, rendered the results of the November general election null and void and ordered two new elections. Ganim’s corruption has forced Bridgeport to pay for 4 mayoral elections. What we hope will be the final General Election is now two weeks away, on Tuesday, February 27.

In the words of the late Fannie Lou Hamer, famous civil rights leader and voting rights advocate, Bridgeport residents are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” And we are especially aggrieved when people say we are satisfied with the status quo. We are not. We know, deep in our hearts, that we deserve so much more than a mayor who only shows up during election season, shuckin’ and jivin’ in photos and for the news media. Joe Ganim is a trickster, not a serious, policy driven mayor. A fact that has been documented over and over again.

Waiting to exhale. It’s time to move on with John Gomes for Mayor.

We’ve heard all the rumors the Ganim folks are saying about John Gomes in this protracted mudslinging election season. Lucky for us, we are not easily fooled. One of John’s supporters, Kate Spain, summed it up in a recent Facebook post.

“I had initially bought into the narrative that “Gomes was fired under Ganim so how good can he be.” And then I learned that Gomes was fired when he started his exploratory committee to challenge Ganim. Interesting. And then I started to volunteer for Gomes’ campaign and saw the positivity and inclusiveness he brought to every person who walked in the door. He has real nuts and bolts ideas to make the most of our taxpayer dollars – starting with a forensic audit of the budget. Wouldn’t that be a significant change for the better! He is cool under pressure which is not at all the preferred characterization from his [opponents]. He’s outlined some of his platform on his website: https://www.johngomesformayor.com/proposals We can’t keep expecting Bridgeport to change at all without ridding this place of a corrupt mayor who has abused his office for over 20 years.”

John Gomes is a good brother. He grew up in Bridgeport and attended Columbus, Blackham and Central High School. He has lived and raised his family in Bridgeport for the last 40 years. His children attended Bridgeport Public Schools as well. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and is a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.  

He has pledged to increase education funding and will strengthen our local government, grow our economy, and improve public safety. He is committed to managing the city’s budget with integrity, using city funds to help all Bridgeport residents – not just a selected few.

John Gomes has a brave heart. He has proven over the last year that he has the courage to take on the political machine that has stolen from and abused our communities for decades. Corey Booker, the great Senator from New Jersey, once said “democracy is not a spectator sport.” You’ve got to get up and take action after action, day after day. On February 27, we urge all eligible voters to show up at the polls to usher in a new era for Bridgeport. One that places us on a new track of prosperity, justice and equity. A track that restores our fledgling democracy and respects its people.

Moving forward with John Gomes as Mayor will finally allow Bridgeport some breathing room to grow.