23-year-old enters mayoral race
BRIDGEPORT — Plenty of residents at one time or another have likely grumbled that they would do a better job running the city than whoever held that office.
At 23 years old, Dishon Francis is already a few steps beyond complaining. He has filed paperwork with the Town Clerk’s Office to run for the job of Bridgeport’s chief elected official. He has also launched a website — dishonfrancis.com — and a Twitter feed.
The latter boldly claims Francis is the “future mayor.” Whether the future is now remains to be seen, though the odds are tough given the other contenders — Mayor Joe Ganim and challengers state Sen. Marilyn Moore and state Rep. Charlie Stallworth.
All three Democrats have name recognition, experience and, in Ganim’s case, a couple hundredthousand dollars in contributions.
So far Francis just has confidence and youth. In a brief interview Wednesday he said he had supported Moore in the past, but feels Connecticut’s largest city needs his fresh perspective. And rather than starting out in local politics seeking an appointment to a board or a seat on the City Council, Francis said he felt that by running for mayor he “can make the most change.”
Like Moore and Stallworth, were he to win, Francis would be the city’s first black mayor.
Francis only registered to vote here last week, according to City Hall. Prior to that he was registered in Stratford, where he said his family relocated from the Bronx.
Francis learned carpentry at Bullard-Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport and studied liberal arts at Housatonic Community College downtown. He said he is currently a salesman for The Jun- kluggers junk removal company.
Though new to politics, Francis took a quick shot at ongoing speculation that Ganim does not live full time in Bridgeport.
“I live here — unlike our mayor now,” Francis said, already sounding like he is ready for the rough-andtumble world of a Bridgeport campaign.
Francis’ website outlines an “11 point plan” with goals like improving public safety and municipal ethics, beautifying the city, offering universal pre-kindergarten and banning plastic bags and straws.
As for his party affiliation, that is confusing. Francis registered as a Democrat and told the Town Clerk’s Office he would be running for mayor as such. But on Wednesday, he said he plans to become a Republican.
“It aligns more with my values,” Francis said. “I’m a social Democrat, but a fiscal conservative.”
Michael Garrett, Bridgeport’s GOP chairman, said Francis wrote him an email last week about his desire to run. Greatly outnumbered, Bridgeport Republicans can have a tough time fielding viable candidates, but Garrett is wary of Francis’ ambition.
“We haven’t talked, (but) what I would say is this — why don’t you run for City Council? How do you know you even like this?” Garrett said.