Bridgeport mayor claims win, but do-over looms in election upended by video of ballot box stuffing
The mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, declared himself the winner early Wednesday of a disputed election thrown into uncertainty by allegations of voting irregularities in a now-voided primary.
Speaking to supporters shortly after midnight, with the city's vote tally showing him with a 175-vote lead, Mayor Joe Ganim called on his strongest challenger
John Gomes, to withdraw from a court fight that has the election probably headed to a do-over.
"You’ve been rejected twice by the voters. Respect the voters of the City of Bridgeport!” Ganim said,
in remarks directed at Gomes, a fellow Democrat. “Withdraw these claims. They have now lost their legitimacy.”
The Democratic mayoral primary results were thrown out by a judge last week, who ordered a new one instead, citing "mishandled" absentee ballots that prevented the court from determining the winner.