New London Republicans reduce their candidate roster ahead of November election
Sep. 15—NEW LONDON — The Republican Town Committee will back a pared-down list of City Council and Board of Education candidates for the November general election as part of an effort to promote "quality over quantity," the committee head said on Friday.
"We're not looking to win a majority," committee Chairwoman Kat Goulart said on Friday. "We just looking to have a voice, a seat at the table."
In July, the committee endorsed five council candidates — Aaron Ide, Gina Phillips, Karen Paul, John Russell and Steve Brenek — along with John Martin, Lisa Martin, Marilyn Deshields and Goulart for the school board race.
Goulart said several previously endorsed "place-holder" candidates — Paul, Brenek, Martin and Deshields — have since bowed-out of their races. Goulart said the number of candidates the committee can field during any given election cycle varies.
"Some years we'll have a full slate with no (candidate) changes and in some years it's less," she said. "It depends on the political climate and who we have that's willing to step up and run."
Democrats have held a majority on the council and school board, as well as in the mayor's office, for the last several years with the party currently occupying all those seats.
Democratic voters though a Tuesday primary confirmed a slate of town committee-endorsed City Council candidates — Reona Dyess, Jocelyn Rosario, John Satti, Efrain Dominguez Jr., Alma Nartatez, Akil Peck and Jefferey Hart — for placement on November general election ballots.
The major parties' council candidates, along with New London Green Party member Seanice Austin, will vie for seven council seats.
The Democratic slate remains unchanged for the upcoming school board race with Bianca Alexis, Nathan Caron, Danni Cruz, Bryan Doughty and Elaine Maynard-Adams seeking re-election. Alisha Blake and Susan Hambry will vie for seats set to be left open after Hart and Frank Silva opted not to seek re-election on the seven-member board.
The Nov. 7 election will also feature three mayoral candidates, with Republican Beloved Grace Carter and Green Party candidate Leon "Eddie" Long challenging incumbent Democrat Michael Passero, who is seeking a third term in office.
