Mary Chapar Moran (born August 1, 1933) is an American politician who served as

mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut The Mayor is the chief executive of Bridgeport, Connecticut who is directly elected for a four-year term. They have the power to issue executive orders, declare emergencies, submit a yearly budget to the city council and makes appointments to city ...

from 1989 to 1991. She is the first and only woman to be mayor of Bridgeport. A member of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

, Moran ran in 1989 and defeated incumbent mayor

Thomas W. Bucci Thomas William Bucci (born April 17, 1948) is an American lawyer and former mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut. A member of the Democratic Party, Bucci ran in 1985 and defeated incumbent mayor Leonard S. Paoletta flipping Bridgeport's leadership ...

flipping Bridgeport's leadership from

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to Republican. Her victory was considered an upset as Bridgeport was heavily Democratic.Nick Ravo
A Novice Reigns as Bridgeport Mayor
''New York Times'' (November 15, 1989). She served for one term, before being defeated by

Joe Ganim Joseph Peter Ganim (born October 21, 1959) is an American Democratic politician, former attorney, and convicted felon who is currently serving as the mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut. He was elected mayor of the city six times serving from 199 ...

thus returning Bridgeport back to Democratic leadership. Her tenure was extremely unpopular exclusively due to her decision to file for municipal bankruptcy for the City Of

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...

,Sullivan, p. 93. which the

U.S. bankruptcy court United States bankruptcy courts are courts created under Article I of the United States Constitution. The current system of bankruptcy courts was created by the United States Congress in 1978, effective April 1, 1984. United States bankruptcy c ...

ultimately rejected.George Judson
U.S. Judge Blocks Bridgeport From Bankruptcy Court
''New York Times'' (August 2, 1991).

Electoral history

In 1977, Moran unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for

city clerk A clerk is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a Tow ...

.For First Time, Democrats Choose A Black for Mayor in New Haven
Associated Press (September 14, 1989). In 1989, Moran–then "a self-described housewife and real-estate broker" without experience in public office—won the Republican nomination for mayor in an upset, narrowly defeating the party-endorsed candidate, former mayor Leonard S. Paoletta, with 2,004 votes (50.4%) to Paoletta's 1,972 votes (49.6%). Moran proceeded to defeat two-term incumbent mayor

. She received support mainly from white voters,The 1989 Elections: Connecticut: New Haven Picks First Black Mayor
''New York Times'' (November 8, 1989). and argued that under Bucci crime went up as and financial issues became worse. Moran was a Republican nominee in a heavily Democratic city, yet won the election by 11 percentage points. Moran was sworn in at the Klein Memorial Auditorium on November 13, 1989. Her victory was considered an upset by observers and was understood to be a rejection towards Bucci rather than an acceptance of her policies who called for "cutting city services, except for police and fire" and not increasing taxes except during a potential municipal bankruptcy.

Mayor of Bridgeport

In 1988, the year prior to her election, the State of Connecticut had imposed a financial review board for the city. In 1991, Moran became famous for filing a municipal bankruptcy petition for the city in

in an effort to avoid an 18 percent tax that the financial review board had proposed. The petition was unsuccessful; the bankruptcy court determined that Bridgeport was not insolvent. Moran's move was deeply unpopular, even vilified.Mary C. Moran
In 1991, bankruptcy was best for Bridgeport
''Connecticut Post'' (September 14, 2012). The filing "made Connecticut's largest city a symbol of the nation's urban struggles."Kirk Johnson

''New York Times'' (November 6, 1991). In a 2012 op-ed, Moran defended the decision as the only way to address Bridgeport's steep structural budget deficits. Moran lost the 1991 election to

Joseph P. Ganim Joseph Peter Ganim (born October 21, 1959) is an American Democratic politician, former attorney, and convicted felon who is currently serving as the mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut. He was elected mayor of the city six times serving from 199 ...

. Ganim received 15,768 votes (54%) compared to 10,951 for Moran and 2,258 for other candidates.Kirk Johnson
New Mayor in Bridgeport Faces the Same Old Problems
''New York Times'' (November 7, 1991).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moran, Mary C. 1933 births Connecticut Republicans Living people Mayors of Bridgeport, Connecticut Real estate brokers Women mayors of places in Connecticut 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians