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Former Third Party Candidate Says Piesner Is Doing It Right

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Former Third Party Candidate Says Piesner Is Doing It Right

By Steve Bigham

Newtown resident Andrew Polito says he still regrets having run by himself in his unsuccessful bid for first selectman in 1993 as a third party candidate.

Mr Polito did receive 20 percent of the vote, but it was not enough to defeat Republican winner Bob Cascella, who sailed to victory over both Mr Polito and Democratic incumbent Zita McMahon.

“We did a lot of things right, but what we did wrong was just to have a one-person ticket. We should have gone further and offered more candidates,” Mr Polito said last week. “I came at a time when people were really angry. They were looking for something else. I gave them a glimmer of hope. But the major faux pas was not to have more candidates.”

Mr Polito said Barry Piesner and the NICE Party appear to have the right idea by putting up multiple candidates for various boards and commissions.

This week, the NICE Party unveiled the names of four more candidates, including Richard Haas, an engineer, who will serve as Mr Piesner’s running mate as a selectman candidate.

Also added to the list were Robert Sibley, Dawn Swendeen, and Dick Dunseith, bringing the total number of NICE candidate to 12. Both Mr Sibley and Mr Swendeen are Legislative Council candidates from District III, while Mr Dunseith is a candidate for the Police Commission.

Mr Piesner follows in Mr Polito’s footsteps as a third party candidate and has sought the advice of his predecessor. The two met earlier this year at a supermarket here in town.

These days, Mr Polito prefers to remain out of the political arena, although he still keeps close tabs on the latest doings in town.

“We almost made it, didn’t, and that was it,” he said. “Things seem different now. There is no concerned group that raises its voice any more. The town is slowly digging itself deeper and deeper with long term debt. The latest escapade of this town [voting to buy Fairfield Hills] gets us into the real estate business. That makes no sense to me.”

Mr Piesner filed all petitions with the town clerk’s office by 4 pm Wednesday, making all 12 candidates of the NICE Party eligible to be placed on the November 6 ballot.

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