Submitted by Michael Hahn, RTC member-elect District 5
The Greenwich Republican Party held their caucuses Tuesday night through a winter storm in a contested and lively affair. In District Five (Riverside) incumbent District Leader Paul Olmsted was reelected as well as incumbents Jerry Cincotta and Marc Johnson. Joining Mr. Olmsted, Mr. Cincotta and Mr. Johnson were newcomers Anthony Calabrese, Andy Duus and Michael Hahn.
Early confusion occurred in District Five, when it was reported Mila Spilo, RTC candidate in District 11 and wife of former RTM member Michael Spilo, provided pre-printed “official ballots” before proper nominations were made on the caucus floor.
This slate consisted of candidates endorsed by Former State Representative and failed State Treasurer, CT-4 congressional candidate, Harry Arora, who endorsed his own group of candidates across all twelve districts. This would mark a second defeat in as many days for a member of the Arora family, as Harry’s wife Nisha, the Republican Candidate whom received the smallest amount of general election votes of any Republican, failed in her bid to become Chairman of the Board of Estimation and Taxation.
In speeches, Cincotta, Hahn, Johnson and Olmstead committed to “advocating for Republican Candidates, ideals and party development through strategic planning and execution.
Newcomers Duus and Calabrese were not present, however nominating speeches by Marc Johnson and Michael Hahn urged caucus goers to support each Duus a former investment banker and BET member who co-chairs the First Selectman Advisory Committee on Havemeyer building while Calabrese, a member of the Brunswick School Athletic Hall of Fame who supports pro-business causes and expresses a passion for community maintenance and whom stands in opposition to progressive tax policies. When reached for comment Calabrese said, “Mike and I look forward to working with our new colleagues to establish an effective and disciplined campaign team.
Rounding out the District Five incoming members are Michael Hahn, former Vice Chairman to the Connecticut State Republican Party and informal advisor to First Selectmen Fred Camillo’s campaign. He promises to bring campaign expertise and operational knowledge to the RTC.
This year’s caucuses where the first in which multiple caucus meetings were held in locations not consistent with citizens normal voting locations. Caucuses held for Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were held in alternate locations.
“This is normally a tactic used by incumbent party leadership to confuse non-insider citizens,” said Hahn. Reports throughout the night of at times confrontational tactics, invalid pre populated official ballots, and procedural irregularities.
“This is indicative of the current RTC leadership,” said Hahn. “Beth MacGillivray and Joe Montanaro are passionate advocates, however lack the operational knowledge to run a political party. There needs to be wholesale change to ensure proper procedure is understood, visible and transparent.”
I give a lot of credit to Sharon Kistler for putting herself into nomination. She had a lot of questions about proper procedure and was not informed by current leadership.