With the ink barely dry on Steve Serasis’ paperwork, Andy Garfunkel said today he’s leaning towards a mayoral run. “I’ve been asked to in the last few months and it’s a strong possibility that I’ll file to do it in the next few weeks.” The news comes on the heals of the announcement planned for Tuesday that Mary Roman will be announced as the Republican candidate for Town Clerk, the position Garfunkel currently holds.
What really makes this interesting is the 2007 vote totals:
Moccia- 7763
Briggs-D 5174
Town Clerk
Romano-R 4909
Garfunkel-D 7799
Garfunkel had more votes than Moccia did when usually the top of the ticket gets more votes than the under ticket. Council people running at large, for example:
Council At Large
Brown-D 6454
Sutton-D 6498
Bondi-D 7069
Bradley-D 5686
Geake -D 5823
Pattengill-R 5097
Tobin -R 5542
Beggan -R 5458
McQuaid-R 6709
Lopez -R 5463
This campaign might actually shape up to be interesting. Garfunkel too will have difficulty raising money at this stage, but at least has proven in the past that he can raise big donations in his Town Clerk races.
Mary Roman is an interesting pick for the Republicans. The usual knock against Norwalk Republicans from the Democrats is that the Republicans don’t run a diverse slate of candidates. For some reason, Norwalk Democrats never notice Hispanic candidates running as Republicans. With Garfunkel switching races, the Dems will have to scramble to find a compelling candidate to run as Town Clerk.
Does Garfunkel want to risk his Town Clerk seat and possibly lose a race for mayor? … No
Does Moccia want to run against Garfunkel?…. No
Is Mary Roman really being considered by the Republicans for the Town Clerk nomination? …Yes
Does Mary Roman really want the Town Clerk job?…. She could probably take it or leave it.
Now watch the Republicans offer Garfunkel a cross endorsement for Town Clerk just to keep him out of the mayoral race.
Moccia will run against anyone.
Garfunkel vs. Moccia? Smackdown! That would be a race. Let’s hope so. If the Dems have a clue they’ll get him to run. Krummel doesn’t have a chance.
That could be a very interesting race (Moccia vs Garfunkel). Do you think the republicans will try whatever measures they can muster to dissuade Garfunkel from throwing his hat in the ring? Another interesting tidbit is Roman running for town clerk, didn’t she just retire so she has more time for herself? So if Roman is running for Town Clerk is Romano running for Council or any position? I think that if Garfunkel runs for Mayor then Romano should step back up and run for Town Clerk. She could win it hands down. That is if the party would give her support this time around and not just figure like last time that she didn’t have a chance. The repubs seem to forget that she has alot of respect from both parties both in and out of politics. Too bad they don’t recognize it.
Moccia beats Garfunkel 60 – 40.
No Dissuading necessary.
As long as Garfunkel is merely thinking about it….. it’s when he tries to DO something about it that we’re going to have to worry.
Go for it Andy!
The Republicans cross endorsed him last time by default and for convenience. Don’t think that he can run for Mayor without the skeletons bursting out of the closet. OOH, Boy, they be bursting out. He’d be known as the Luv Mayor.
Gotta watch those skeletons!
Let hope Andy runs hes a good man for the job…Roman is an old has been..she’s retired and that where she needs to stay..We have too many retirees in Norwalk Goverment..Moccia is the worst mayor Norwalk ever had…..
which candidate has the most ex-wives. Maybe theyll form EX Wives for ….
What is going on with the LOCAL democratic party- is the lights on- is their somebody home?
This cannot be the same party that controlled- all the town’s elected seats- a few years ago!
This is really sad to see- why did they pick a former member of the Gop to lead the local party?
Andy is the new front runner for mayor- so far- the other guys- damn. Some real back benchers -steve, otha and donnie.
Time for some new leadership!
Well,. #11,. I think that would have to be Moccia, especially if you count the woman he LIVED with who wouldn’t marry him for 12+ years – but then do you remove the current wife who was also ex #3 since she’s now an “honest” woman again?
Garfunkel – don’t know as much except that he fired someone to hire his then girlfriend, who I think he then married – and he recently fired a young woman who was working part time in order to bring in someone else, but I have no idea what his relationship is wtih the “someone else.”
Me again – My own personal life isnt’ exactly spotless and I actually think Moccia’s doing a pretty good job under difficult circumstances.
ye gads. People running for office may even have dust bunnies under the sofa! Sound the alarm. Let’s try to keep the personal out of the politics. If you are about to type something that has nothing to do with issues or job performance delete it or I will for you.
The Management.
Thankx TG. Don’t we all have dust bunnies under our sofa.
Andy is ticked that the GOP may run Mary against him. So in reaction he makes a “well if you do that, then I can do something too” type of comment. Andy needs a steady salary – if he runs for Mayor, he loses by 15 points, and becomes unemployed. Not where he wants to be in the midst of a huge recession.
Hey people lets try to focus on who would be the best man/women for the job…why does it always have to come down to personal attacks.
Many people work for years to overcome things they may or may not have done in their past and believe it or not many have overcome many obstacles and have put much into this community.
The candidates should also know that voters do not like negative campains.
Lets try to put a positive spin on things and stick to the issues at hand. There are plenty of issues to pick at so have at it.
Don’t look at party lines, look at the individual seeking office and what they have done or not done that affects you as an individual and the community as a whole.
Sorry, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate here. It’s my feeling that when a political candidate makes him/herself available for public scrutiny, that’s our job, particularly if there is no experience, credentials, or other way to assess the complete package we are asked to buy. When it comes to the complete package, character weighs heavy. It’s human nature to judge. How else do we wade through every sale’s pitch that is tossed our way?
The good candidates are the ones who you don’t just see for photo opps…they are the ones you see rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty!
#20 – LOL! You mean the good ones are the ones you see dirtying their hands with rolled-up sleeves in a photo op?
No, thats not what I meant…there are thos who will do just that because they can get their picture in the paper and then there are those who actually work at getting things done. And…it is up to the voter to familiarize themselves with those who are elcted, running for office or sit on commissions and committees in order tomake educated decisions. Many candidates will sell you a bill of goods thats not worth the paper its printed on just because to them it sounds good. Educate yourself, seek out others who know about these people, go to meetings and see them first hand but its not necessary that if you don’t have the information you need to go out and try to dig up dirt and trash someone because you are too lazy to do your homework. and I don’t mean you in particular…its a general statement.
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The Mayors office will now be filled with ALL women under 100 pounds that wear the sexiest clothes …God Help City Hall..If Andy gets to be Mayor, I will move for sure..Go into Andy’s office and see if you ever see a man work there since Andy took the job..Womanizer..Your poor 6th future wife!!!
Andy Garfunkel would be a shoe in for mayor. He brought the Clerks Office in to the 21st century. It used to be months before documents would be returned after being recorded. Now it is lightning speed and efficient!
If the republicans were not scared the mudslinging wouldn’t have begun so early.
Sorry, wasn’t that Kevin Fritzgerald? I think you need to recheck that. I think Mr. Garfunkel worked at Stew’s with out any experience. His office was in good shape due to the knowlegde of Kevin whom became ill.
25 – I’m not so sure it’s Republicans in as much as it is people who actually know Andy.
Nahh. I’ve done many recordings, it was Andy. I remember the article in “The Hour” when the announcement was made regarding the new software that was going to be purchased to expedite the recording process. It was then, that I noticed a major improvement.
I think the local party- should support Krummel-as a life time acheivement award. However, I dont he will get the nod.
If- Andy wants to run- he will get the nod- and win this election.
1. Local democratic groups will united because- Andy G. does not have any beef- with the south norwalk crew or the usual democratic hellraisers.
2. Moccia wins because the democrats- keep pointing the guns on each other- not the Moccia is a rockstar- mayor.
3. In 2005 Moccia beat Knopp by a razor thin margin 200 or so votes. Had Knopp taken the working familes line he would be mayor today.
4. In 2007- the Briggs- campaign was flat- no real message and no ground troops- or what we in the political biz- call “street money’.
5. In 2009- Moccia could be defeated by democrats working togther and fight street by street for votes.
The voter roles is not in Moccia favor- and the town gop knows this- so Moccia must pick off- all the democrats in name only (dinos) he can to win or get local democratic party members to sit on their ass.
Hmm, 29. So if Andy runs, do you think it’s time for Hempstead to take on the opposing challenge?
Garfunkel just got checkmated. If he runs for Clerk against a well-accomplished and well-respected African American woman (who’s taller, by the way) he loses, narrowly but he loses. If he gives up Town Clerk and runs for Mayor against a popular and better funded two-term incumbent, he loses, and by a wider margin, mainly because the Democrats have NO issue. Transparency? Yeah, right. Looks like Andy needs to find another job and quick.
#26 and #28 Yes, it was Fitzgerald who first started the upgrades in the Town Clerks office and did so without the open pocketbook that Andy was afforded. Unfortunately Fitzgerald had cancer in 5 places while he served as Town Clerk (went through chemo and radiation and went to work every day no matter how badly he felt) and the democrats made sure he didn’t get re-elected with the help of Alex Knopp who refused to cross endorse Fitzgerald after all the years that the republicans cross endorsed mary Keegan, a democrat. Alex Knopp said he would wipe out the republicans and that included fitzgerald. So # 28, get your facts staright because those of us who used that office when Fitzgerald was Town Clerk were so greatful for the computers he put in and the many changes he made and had planned on making but wasn’t allowed to continue. Andy is never in the office, his staff runs the place. The hands on only happens at election time.
Andy Garfunkel was a stagehand before he became Town Clerk. ..so much for managerial experience.
OK… #32. You are arguing with yourself. I never said anything negative about Mr. Fitzgerald. You brought him into your response while trying to dis-credit Andy Garfunkel. In fact I will even agree with you. It is very admirable that Mr. Fitzpatrick stayed so dedicated to his job while suffering such a nasty illness. However, my point was that Andy Garfunkel definately streamlined the clerks office. Regardlass of the budget afforded to him. I would certainly hope that there were computers in the clerks office when Mr. Fitzgerald was there. This is 2009. I had an Apple IIe in my 2nd grade class in 1981. If he is able to manage the clerks office without having to be there all the time, than imagine the job he could apply to managing the City of Norwalk. It is a known belief that Knopp was too controlling, and micro managing. We don’t need that either.
Every time I go to that office, Andy is there and very involved in customer service. His staff is excellent, but don’t tell lies about how much time he spends working in the office. I don’t know who should get credit for starting the upgrades, but the regular visitors noticed the effect after Andy took over. He certainly has an engaging personality and the ability to get along with people. Norwalk Mayors are not required to be Phd’s in municipal management. Moccia certainly is no genius, but does a generally commendable job.
Andy could probably get elected. He has the personality to get city-wide support. He comes across as an energetic young man, and that gives him an advantage with the voters over a lot of the competition.
I wasn’t trying to discredit Andy..I was merely stating facts that the upgrades started way before he was elected. I actually agree that Andy would be a formidable opponent to Moccia but it would be a poor judgement call for Andy to give up the Town clerks position now since things have progressed in that office. Why would he want to take on another huge responsibility when he has put this much time where he is? As far as him always being in the office, I have to disagree on that one. For some reason when I and others have been there the staff is running the show. Perhaps we just go there at different times. As far as mudslinging goes, you will see alot of that in the coming months, it part of the whole political game. Can you imagine whats going to happen with the hopefuls on the democrat side? They’ll be chewing each other up and spitting each other out and the same would be the case if someone on the republican side decided to primary Moccia. Its all politics at its best/worse.
I hope this won’t be considered “personal” – ’cause it isn’t an attack. I happen to know that, regardless of what went on in their personal lives, the ex g-f, who had an unbelievably sad thing happen in her own life last year, thinks Moccia is doing a good job and is planning to vote for him.
#37 you can do better than that…what B/S
The fact of the matter is if Andy runs for mayor we will be rid of the bum we know have as he is the worst mayor Norwalk ever had in every way..
In my life time, we have had some pretty bad mayors, I would hesitate to call Moccia anywhere near the worst. Who would you say was the best ?
#39, where’s the love?
#39, where’s the love?
well old timer i would say that Moccia is by far the worst not to mention a disgrace.
You must be on drugs, #43. Knopp was by far the worst mayor to his this town in the last 20 years. And I really loved how he “forgot” that he took all those files with him when he left office. Not to mention the mess he made with his various “committees formed to watch comissions appointed to check on other commissions” style of micro-management.
37 Aonymous
And you know this secret ballot information this far ahead of time how ?
#44 you seem to be the one on drugs because you are see things….or could it be that you are the bum moccia himself pretending to be otherwise
Knopp was a great mayor…one of the few to actually make city workers work for a change….
Yeah, he made the firefighters work without a contract for 4 years. What a guy!
Oh lets get over the firefighters…First off its not all about them…I am sure #48 is a firefighter…What other job do you know that you can switch days with your buddy when you are working at you own business that day…Or better yet what other job do you know that you can pay your buddy to work for you…They got a great deal going…Also they did get a pay check during that time…YES…Jusy remember the reason the contract to so long was the firefightesr fault because of the ridiculous demands that they had…See what Knopp did is what happens in the real world as in the private sector…employees don’t right the rules…Knopp ran the city like a CEO would run a successful large corporation…I say we need d more of this attitude instead of the Norwalk old boys club.
And explain to us exactly how successful Knopp’s style of management really was, #49.
You had a mayor whose micro-management of commissions and committees turned the city into a laughingstock and alienated most of the employees of City Hall.
Whose City Clerk/grantwriter was a joke, at a cost of $73,000 to the City.
Whose BOE piddled away vast sums of money on overly-expensive school repairs and unneeded revamping of lunch programs without being reined in (and the shady dealings of Opdahl took place under Knopp’s watch also).
Who left office carrying with him innumerable files of material that he just happened to “forget” he had (shades of Sandy Berger).
Compared to Knopp’s so-called “management” he makes Moccia look like Barack Obama.
I know Barack Obama and you, Mr. Moccia, are no Barack Obama!