Statehouse Campaigns For The 106th District Ramping Up

By John Voket

While it is still unclear whether Newtown will have two or three candidates on the November ballot for the 106th District (see related story), local Republicans and Democrats have begun ramping up their campaigns, according to releases from the candidates’ committees.

Lisa Romano, the endorsed Democratic contender, and Republican candidate Mitch Bolinsky each have designs on the seat being vacated by two-term Democrat Chris Lyddy, who announced he would not seek a third term earlier this summer.

The Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) functioning as a town committee for the state Independent Party, endorsed Bruce Walczak as a 106th District candidate August 31, although certain Independents claiming leadership of a faction of the state minor party previously tendered a cross-endorsement of Mr Bolinsky.

During remarks at the opening of the Democratic headquarters, Ms Romano gave tribute to the many town workers and emergency responders who just one year ago were helping residents and businesses dealing with the first of two intense storms that battered the community severing power to thousands of residents — some for more than a week.

Ms Romano then turned her attention to her goal to grow the state’s economy, create more jobs, and encouraging people to start new businesses.

“A job creation bill was passed in the last legislative session, and I will make certain that Newtown businesses and residents benefit from this legislation,” she said during a prepared speech September 3. “I will also look for ways to jumpstart new businesses.”

Touting her completion of two teacher certification programs and her work in the public school arena, Ms Romano said the state not only needs to “test students, but find ways to inspire them.”

“In our state, all children deserve the opportunity to attend preschool and full-day kindergarten, to set them up to learn,” she said. “Also, we need to address individual learning difficulties as early as possible, to allow all children to succeed in school and become productive members of society.”

The Democrat promoted her idea to permit parents, alumni, and other supporters to donate money to an endowment benefiting the public schools.

“The state can help towns set this up, and it would reduce the local property tax burden,” she said. “I will also be sure to protect, and try to increase state revenues that are allocated to Newtown, such as Educational Cost Sharing and economic development grants.”

Mr Bolinsky, who is poised to open the local Republican Town Committee headquarters on September 23, met recently with retired state representative Julia Wasserman to talk about his campaign.

Sharing coffee in the kitchen of her Walnut Tree Hill home, the two swapped stories and discussed strategies for his campaign.

“We’re all grateful for Julia’s 18 years of service to this community,” said Mr Bolinsky in a release. “I consider myself a Wasserman-style candidate and hope to follow her tradition of building consensus and getting things done.”

Mr Bolinsky, who launched his campaign in July, has been visiting potential voters on a daily basis. He and Mrs Wassermann will jointly seek voter input Sunday, September 16, in the Queen Street/Church Hill Road shopping areas between 9 and 11 am.

The Newtown RTC will then open its new headquarters at 117 Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook on Sunday, September 23, at 12:30 pm. RTC Chairman Dennis Bloom, Mr Bolinsky, and the GOP team will be on hand to meet the public and to conduct an official ribbon cutting.

Besides Mr Bolinsky, fellow Republican legislative candidates Representative DebraLee Hovey and Representative Dan Carter, State Senator John McKinney, US Senate candidate Linda McMahon, and US Congressional candidate Andrew Roraback are expected to attend the headquarters opening.

The Newtown Bee has scheduled its annual Candidates’ Forum at Edmond Town Hall for all statewide legislative candidates on Tuesday, October 16, from 7:30 to 9 pm. The event is free and open to the public.