Submitted by Edward Dadakis
Greenwich Republicans are reeling from their disastrous elections this year
Just a year ago Greenwich Republicans and the Republican Town Committee celebrated its best year ever. The RTC turned a blue senate seat red with Senator Ryan Fazio and then they enjoyed a landslide victory with Fred Camillo racking up the highest vote totals ever by a First Selectman. Camillo’s coattails brought every single Republican on the ballot with him. It was clear to everyone Greenwich remained a Republican town.
Now one year later, the Greenwich RTC looks back at its worst performance in history having lost every single state house seat. Senator Fazio was their one bright light fighting the headwinds from the other floundering local campaigns with a traditional Republican message. Fazio is now the only Republican representing Greenwich in Hartford. That was unimaginable just 12 short months ago.
Some argue since Republicans are now the minority party in Greenwich, its hard to win. But the year over year results prove that argument specious. The Republican message still resonates in Greenwich–if it is the right message.
Greenwich is a great town because it has been well governed by Republicans for over a century. The Republicans delivered low taxes, safe streets, good schools, a strong local economy and beautiful neighborhoods. In contrast, Connecticut suffers under decades of Democrat control. Democrats delivered high taxes, no economic or population growth, rising crime and centralized power.
The RTC has just one job to do– elect Republicans to office. Greenwich voters want a local Republican party which nominates candidates who will appeal to all Republicans— moderate and conservative, as well as unaffiliated voters. The RTC must listen to what the voters want (not dictate to them), then craft a message and nominate candidates who appeal to a wide portion of the electorate. Expanding the Republican tent this way means Republicans will be elected who will protect our town and state. That didn’t happen this past election. So what did happen?
Last January a group of very conservative Republicans took control of Greenwich’s Republican Town Committee. While their margins were slim they nonetheless ousted dozens of long serving members who had delivered repeated Republican wins.
The victors proclaimed themselves “The 41” meaning they controlled 41 of the 63 RTC seats. They spent their first months developing a strategy only with themselves ignoring everyone else including the remaining 22 RTC members who were also elected.
Now they have done historic damage to our party. They promised a departure from the way things were done in the winning past. Instead of careful and judicious leadership that voters rewarded for generations they opted for a more boisterous and pugnacious style which voters rejected.
They sure did things differently. Under the new RTC, our party lost more House seats in one night then it did in the previous 100 years. The 151st, an R+4 district, never elected a Democrat until now. The loss in the 149th district was the only Republican incumbent statewide who lost. So this was a uniquely Greenwich problem.
Greenwich Republican voters are rightfully furious at the failures of this new RTC leadership who promised historic success but delivered a humiliating defeat—the worst in town history. Any business leader who presided over such a clear failure of the company’s performance would be forced to resign or be fired. Yet there is no accountability from the Greenwich RTC as party leaders already say they will double down.
I believe Greenwich voters value the past success of Republican elected and party officials. They likely want that to continue but clearly rejected how things went this year. Greenwich RTC leadership must lead with a steady hand. They must reach out to everyone, even those who don’t agree fully with them and they need to stop calling Republicans they disagree with RINOs.
Under the right leadership the RTC should present to the electorate trusted and popular Republican candidates for office. Their campaigns should both listen to unaffiliated voters, who represent a plurality of our electorate, and address their concerns to earn their trust. The RTC needs to provide an infrastructure for new candidates to use when they wage their campaigns. All this can be done while staying true to Republican values.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Greenwich Republicans, but it was never like this. Yet I believe its still repairable. There are many Republicans in our community who are committed to keeping our local party strong, united, and winning elections. The Greenwich Republican Party has served our town well in the past and they still can in the future.
Edward Dadakis served three terms as Chairman of the Republican Town Committee presiding over repeated Republican victories unprecedented since. He has chaired or vice chaired numerous winning Republican campaigns in Greenwich. He served 4 terms representing Greenwich, Stamford and New Canaan on the Republican State Central Committee.