At Wednesday night’s Greenwich Town Committee meeting, Christina Downey was elected for another term as chair and Dr. Jen Barro was elected vice chair.
A highlight of the meeting was State Rep Hector Arzeno announcing he will seek another term representing the 151st district.
Arzeno drew applause after sharing a story about “everyday courage.”
Citing Jason Kander’s book, “Outside The Wire,” and the importance of political courage, Arzeno talked about a tough decision he made last fall.
“I have to always remember that I chose to be here because I wanted to do something, rather than be something,” he said.
Arzeno’s recent e-blast included a link to a video of a March 17 briefing in Hartford about contributions of local immigrants where he said he was born and raised in Argentina and descended from immigrants.
“On my mother’s side, my grandfather was Swiss. My grandmother was French. And on my father’s side, my great grandfather was Italian and my great grandmother was Spanish. This is what I am. Like many of us, if not all of us,” he said.
State Rep Hector Arzeno announced he will seek another term representing the 151st district. March 25, 2026 Photo: Leslie Yager
State Rep Hector Arzeno announced he will seek another term representing the 151st district. March 25, 2026 Photo: Leslie Yager
At that briefing and at Wednesday’s DTC meeting Arzeno talked about a call he received last September from Javid Siddiqui, who is the Director of Immigrant Support Services for Jewish Family Services.
“His son was taken by ICE while going to a scheduled visit at a court for his visa work in progress. Thanks to the work and advocacy from many of us – two letters in my case to a federal judge in Texas – Massi was able to return home after 100 days, having lost over 30 lbs and bearing the marks of abuse and mistreatment, including marks of chains around his chest and other parts of his body.”
Arzeno recalled that at the time he had a tough decision to make.
“I had two options: to look for self preservation and not do anything, protecting myself, also as an immigrant with a name that is not William Smith, or do something,” he said. “I chose to do something.”
At that March 17 press conference in Hartford, Mr. Siddiqui, who previously worked as a humanitarian and international civil servant for over two decades including in Afghanistan and Africa, shared his personal story. He described the horrible experience not only of his son being swept up by ICE, but his wife being so afraid that she wouldn’t leave their house and kept their younger child home from school out of fear he would also be taken.
“There are a countless number of clients dealing with the same situation. They are not able to go and access food pantries. They are not able to go and access health services,” Siddiqui said.
And so, on Wednesday, Arzeno told the DTC, “This is not what we are! We have always welcomed immigrants. In the 1800s in the 1900s, in the first World War and second World War, we have always welcomed immigrants.”
“That is not what we’re seeing today. When Javid’s son was taken by ICE, I immediately jumped in,” Arzeno said, adding that Rep Steve Meskers, Senator Chris Murphy, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Congressman Jim Himes also assisted in the effort.
Arzeno, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1987, invoked Nelson Mandela when he said, “Silence in the face of injustice constitutes complicity. Fools multiply when wise men are silent.”
Hector Arzeno and his wife Paula Picco with Democrats on election night. Nov 8, 2022 Photo: Leslie Yager
Jill Oberlander addressed the Greenwich DTC. March 25, 2026 Photo: Leslie Yager
Later in the meeting ballots were distributed for selecting Greenwich’s 34 delegates to the convention that will endorse a candidate in the 36th state senatorial district.
That seat is currently held by Republican Ryan Fazio, who is running for Governor.
Republican Joe Kelly has announced his run to fill that seat.
Both Jill Oberlander and Janet Stone McGuigan shared remarks with the DTC in the packed town hall meeting room before ballots were tabulated – a lengthy process that took over an hour.
The DTC bylaws provide that anyone seeking to be a delegate must disclose which candidate (Jill Oberlander or Janet Stone McGuigan) they intend to vote for. Thirty-four candidates needed to receive a majority on the ballot – indeed 34 of the delegates favored Ms Oberlander and were elected Wednesday night.
Subsequently, Ms Stone McGuigan withdrew her candidacy.
In an email on Thursday, Oberlander said, “I am deeply honored to have earned the trust of my fellow Greenwich Democrats in support of my campaign to become the State Senator for Connecticut’s 36th District. I will work hard over the upcoming months to meet voters throughout the district, hear their concerns, and learn their priorities for our state legislature.”
Ms Stone McGuigan shared her remarks from Wednesday night:
“Thank you, everyone, for the time and thought that went into this vote. I congratulate Jill, and withdraw my candidacy so that we all can move forward and begin the campaign to win this seat back in November. A huge thank you to my supporters who worked tirelessly on my behalf. I am honored by your support. Now, I hope you will join me in coming together, rolling up our sleeves, and doing what is needed for a win in November!”