Approximately 45 Democrats gathered to endorse a slate of candidates for local offices at Edmond Town Hall on July 24, with the ticket to be led by Dan Cruson as First Selectman and Michelle Embree Ku as his running mate for Board of Selectmen.

Though less dramatic and well-attended as the Republican Caucus the following night — possibly due to a lack of challenger to one of the town committee’s chosen candidates — the Democratic caucus was nonetheless an important stepping stone along the path to Election Day on Tuesday, November 7.

“I’m really happy I received the nomination and really excited to work with the slate elected tonight,” said Cruson.

Cruson said that since his June 7 announcement for his candidacy, he has been walking Newtown’s neighborhoods and making phone calls so he can actively listen to community members. He has also been watching and attending various boards and commissions meetings to ensure he is up to speed on all of the work currently being done across town.

Embree Ku echoed Cruson’s commitment to the community.

“I am honored to be Dan’s running mate, and look forward to joining Dan in engaging the community in conversations about how we can best serve Newtown,” said Embree Ku.

“Dan and I worked very well together on the Board of Education; whether it was implementing a healthier school start time for students, advocating for better air quality in the schools, or supporting the education of students during COVID, we were laser focused on how to best serve our community, and we got things done,” Embree Ku added. “I am excited at the prospect of teaming up with Dan and this incredibly qualified slate of Democratic candidates.”

Cruson has served on the Board of Education for seven years, has a lifetime of history in Newtown, and is now raising his two children here while also working as a website developer. He said he believes that Newtown can maintain its “unique, beautiful community and embrace its history while making it welcoming to all people, to new businesses and to new ideas.”

“I always appreciated Michelle’s expertise and perspective during our time working together on the Board of Education,” Cruson said. “We always had great conversations and were able to bounce ideas off of each other. Because of this, when I decided to run for First Selectman she was the first and only person I wanted by my side for this important role.

“She has not only been an active voice within Newtown, but has often taken the time to advocate for Newtown at the state level on important issues,” Cruson added.

Embree Ku is currently on the Legislative Council, and has served on several appointed or elected boards and commissions in Newtown since being appointed to a Charter Revision Commission in 2012. She served for eight years on the Board of Education, the last four as chair.

Embree Ku and her family have lived in Newtown for 14 years. She has a PhD in biology and works in regulatory submissions.

“We look forward to hearing from residents over the next several months,” said Cruson. “This campaign is about local issues — how we address growth and the well-being of all of our residents. It is about Newtown — our schools, our streets, and our security. The record that we have for getting things done shows that we’re here to serve everyone in our community.”

In addition to Cruson and Embree Ku, the following candidates were endorsed by the Democratic Caucus:

For Board of Education, incumbents Alison Plante and John Vouros as well as Chris Gilson and Lynn Hungaski; Legislative Council District 1, incumbent Chris Gardner with Ross Carley and Laura Miller; Legislative Council District 2, Keith Alexander, Jordana Bloom, and Eric Paradis; Legislative Council District 3, Heather Dean, Doria Linnetz, and Chris Smith; Board of Finance, Jim Gaston and John Fletcher; and Planning & Zoning Commission, incumbents Corinne Cox and David Rosen with Barb Manville.

Also, Planning & Zoning Commission Alternates, Jill Soderholm and Peter Schwarz; Zoning Board of Appeals, incumbent Prerna Rao and Don Mitchell; Zoning Board of Appeals alternate, incumbent Joe Bojonowski; Board of Assessment Appeals, Ed Randall and Trey Hazard; Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers, incumbent Jennifer Guman; and Police Commission, incumbent Stephen Sedensky with Philip Cruz and Julia Conlon.

A number of candidates were endorsed to positions as placeholders according to DTC Chairman Alex Villamil.

This allows the party to establish that they have a candidate’s name attached to a seat before the deadline to submit paperwork, and then later the placeholder candidate can resign to open up a slot for a different candidate on the ballot, he explained.

This is necessary due to Connecticut Secretary of State protocols, and both parties are using placeholders this year, particularly around the Board of Finance. Both parties also have other open ballot positions they need to fill.

The placeholders named at the DTC caucus are Jeanette Lamoureaux and Dan Honan for Board of Finance; and Mary Carr for Zoning Board of Appeals alternate.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.