WINSTED — Town Democrats are beginning to make some noise about this year’s municipal elections in November, and the party’s de facto leader says the group is poised for a battle.
Democratic Selectman Candy Perez said in a recent interview that she intends to run for a third term. The Democratic Town Committee met last week to discuss strategies and potential candidates for office in this year’s election.
“I am going to be the campaign coordinator for 2009,� Perez said. “Democrats have been very active and we have put into place numerous committees to organize many of the tasks associated with the campaign.� Perez acknowledged that Winsted has been controlled by Republican majorities for most of the last 20 years and that Democrats have not been perceived as strong opponents.
“The truth is most people do not want to expose themselves to the rough and tumble politics that happen in Winsted, and finding candidates is a very difficult process,� Perez said. “Having said that, finding candidates who meet our standards and who want to enter the process will be difficult.�
Republicans currently hold a supermajority on the seven-member Winchester Board of Selectmen and contentious votes invariably end up falling along party lines, with Republicans outvoting the Democrats 5-2. Perez and fellow Democratic Selectman Michael Renzullo have complained that decisions have been made without their input.
“We need to make our work on the Board of Selectmen something that can be respected,� Perez said. “We need to be extremely transparent and earn people’s trust. I’m not asking people to automatically trust us, but over the course of the next several months, our actions will earn trust. I think if we were in the majority we would include the minority in the decisions.�
A press release came from the town Democrats this week noting that last week’s meeting had been held and that the party is actively seeking candidates for 2009. Fundraising, media and debate committees have been organized. Perez said she is eager to debate members of other parties, and if they don’t want to debate, she’ll appear by herself. “I’ll debate the air if no one wants to come,� she said.
Perez said she hopes to get a small group of residents to change history in Winsted. “My goal is that the Democrats will not only be in the discussion but we will be leading the discussion,� she said. “The Democrats have not been in the majority for the last 20 years, and I think it’s about time.�
