A Connecticut mayor who served time in prison on felony corruption charges is looking to run for governor as the next step in his political comeback.
Democrat Joe Ganim, the mayor of Bridgeport, on Wednesday filed paperwork to kick off his gubernatorial campaign, The Associated Press reported.
“I’ve taken my hits. I’ve taken my knocks and made my mistakes. I’ve been knocked down and I’ve come back. I asked people for a chance and they’ve given me that chance. I’ve added a level of transparency and commitment that has been unexpected,” Ganim told a local news outlet in an interview.
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“Hopefully, we can take the positives through good and bad experiences and make them a positive for Connecticut and give Connecticut a second chance,” he continued.
Ganim was convicted of 16 charges of corruption in 2003 including felonies such as bribery, extortion and racketeering, The New York Times reported.
He served almost seven years in prison before being released 2010. It took him roughly five years before he made a comeback and was again elected as Bridgeport’s mayor in 2015.
Ganim will be vying against a handful of candidates who are looking to fill the seat of Gov. Dannel Malloy (D), who is not seeking reelection. Two other Democratic mayors in the state are also running for the seat including Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and Middletown Mayor Dan Drew. There are 13 Republicans who are also running for the seat, according to Ballotpedia.
As a result of his past conviction, Ganim is not allowed to take part in Connecticut’s public campaign financing program.
The election for the seat will be held in early November of this year.