August 3, 2009

Casar: GOP lucky to have quality candidates

Bob Casar, a Republican leader from the 3rd District, sent this along:

The Third District was fortunate enough to have a large number of people step forward and volunteer to run for City Council this coming fall. At one point seven people were either declared candidates or were compiling campaign teams to support their candidacy. In the months leading up to the nominations some candidates made the choice to withdraw from the process and contribute to our town in a different fashion while others decided to seek another elected office.

Two weeks prior to the nominating convention, all of the potential candidates attended a district meeting and the process was discussed. The candidates were asked to provide a campaign update and to make a pitch for their campaign to the RTC members present, as their votes would decide who received the nomination. Following this meeting some of the candidates followed up with personal phone calls to committee members, while others sent emails or dropped letters at members’ homes.

At the nominating event, 3 candidates – Derek Czenczelewski, Gary Lawton and David Mills - were nominated to run for the district’s two council seats. Derek, who had been campaigning aggressively since February, and David, who had publically announced his candidacy and compiled a solid campaign team behind him, won the nominations.

Other Third District members secured nominations that night for city-wide office: Rose Parenti for City Treasurer, Tim Ceritello for constable, and Stacy Raymond and I for seats on the Board of Assessment Appeals.

After the results were announced it became obvious that Gary was disappointed that he failed to secure the nomination. Since then myself and a few other folks from the district have tried to reach out to Gary and keep him involved in our committee but have had limited success.

In this time of cynicism and mistrust, it’s encouraging to see so many good people want to get involved in the electoral process. In so doing they expose themselves to a high-degree of scrutiny and make themselves quite vulnerable. As a leader in the district I was excited by the interest and enthusiasm each of these folks brought to the process, and am proud to be supporting David, Derek, and our mayoral candidate, John Gill, this fall.


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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my short time in meeting with Bob Casar, I have found him to be a phoney, pompous bag of wind. The idea that this blow-hard knows anything about getting people elected is proposterous.

Anonymous said...

In my ime that I have known Bob Casar, I have found him to be an honest and good natured person looking to offer Bristol a choice in the 3rd District. There is no need for name calling because you disagree with him.

Let the facts speak for themselves. There were two slots to be filled and the 3rd District filled them with the two people they felt would best represent the District and the City of Bristol. End of story. Gary Lawton has a right to be upset, a right to primary and a right to run as an independent. He made his decision and so did the 3rd District. Let's wish everyone well and a good campaign.

Anonymous said...

I guess Mr. Casar is very easily excited. Reminds me of a poodle my grandmother once had.

Anonymous said...

In my long time in meeting with Bob Casar, I have found him to be a genuine, intelligent man. The idea that this man knows anything about getting people elected is dead on, as he has a proven history of such from his college days and beyond. Anyone who says different just simply doesn't know him and wishes ill on the party. I pity you 12:32.

Anonymous said...

12:32 PM
Anonymous,
Could you please give some specific examples of why you feel this way? Come election time, when choosing a candidate for the Board of Assessment Appeals I would like to be able to make an educated decision based on views from a reliable source.

If you are not able to do this perhaps you should keep your opinions to yourself.

Anonymous said...

Why was 12:32 allowed to post. He/she didn't have anything of value to add to the discussion. It was a personal attack of
Mr. Casar. The local GOP did their job and have given Bristol a choice this fall. Now the voters can decide. Mr. Casar deserves credit for his leadership in getting candidates onto the Ballot.

Steve Collins said...

2:03 -- If things go according to plan, at some point in the not too distant future, the comments on this blog will no longer be moderated when the blog shifts onto the Press website. Hence, I'm relaxing my vigilance a bit in the sure knowledge that the level of venom is going to rise.
I'll do what I can to hold it in check.

Anonymous said...

Steve now that both parties have endorsed can you list candidates for all offices on the blog.

Steve Collins said...

I don't have a list of the candidates for constable or the Board of Assessment Appeals. When I get them, I'll post them on here. Meanwhile, all of the other candidates are listed to the right. Some are linked to the first real story about them.

Anonymous said...

hope the Press rethinks the non-moderated idea. The Courant uses a non-moderated comments website and the stuff posted there is truly horrific.

Steve Collins said...

If there's any way I can keep moderating it, I will. I don't like leaving it open to anything. It gets awfully ugly.

Anonymous said...

GOP Candidates:
Board of Assement Appeals

Stacy Raymond
Bob Casar

Constables:
Brock Weber
Tom Hick
Tim Ceritello

Anonymous said...

Rose:

Say it ain't so!

He thinks he is all that and a bag of chips said...

Read Gary's response under No Primary.... Just wondering why he did not feel the need to send a press release like Bob" I'm just in it for myself" Casar.

Anonymous said...

Again, there is no need for name calling. Bob was representing his district. You may disagree with him but he was trying to show all sides of the story in reference to Mr. Lawton.

Anonymous said...

3:26, His story definitely had a negative slant to it with regards to Mr. Lawton.

Anonymous said...

August 3, 2009 1:42 PM and 12:58 PM:

I apologize about my comments regarding Casar. I forgot to mention "arrogant".

Anonymous said...

Mr. Casar certainly is entitled to his views and opions , as is Mr. Lawton, once agian though this should not be a personal attack time we need to focus on Bristol and how to get it back on it's feet.

Anonymous said...

11:05, Try not to think of these comments as a "personal attack" on Casar. Just think of them as views and opinions of other people with a negative slant.

Anonymous said...

August 7, 2009 8:27 AM:

Right, and those of whom are correct as well (regarding Casar).