Murray Elected To Lead IPN

By John Voket

The Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) took its first step toward organizing into an official political party by electing Robert E. Murray, Jr, as its chairman Monday evening. Mr Murray was unsuccessful in an IPN District 3 Council bid November 5, but according to a release, supporters unanimously chose him to chair the fledgling party at the organization’s first meeting since Election Day. 

Following a recount of votes cast in Legislative Council District 3, Mr Murray was determined to have lost by four votes to Republican incumbent Jeff Capeci.

In a November 21 release, Mr Murray said his first two priorities were to complete the transition to making IPN a recognized minor party, and to identify Newtown citizens who might like to get involved in IPN activities, and possibly run for local office in 2009. 

“I encourage anyone who has a real interest in long-range planning, transparency in government, and working to forge solutions with local citizens on critical town issues to become engaged in our new party,” Mr Murray says in the release.

According to Ted Bromley at the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s Office, based on receiving votes from more than one percent of the total number of names checked off as having voted in each participating race, the positions represented by IPN candidates will receive official minor party status in the next election cycle.