On Party Politics and Ground Rules for CT Examiner’s Political Coverage

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On Monday, October 14, CT Examiner will roll out its local campaign coverage for the region beginning with the race for First Selectman of Essex.

Reporters Cate Hewitt, Julia Werth and Christopher McDermott have spoken to dozens of Democratic and Republican candidates in competitive races across the region from Stonington to Essex.

CT Examiner staff (from left to right) Julia Werth, Christopher McDermott and Cate Hewitt

That’s night and day from Old Lyme, where — with notable exceptions of Jim Lampos and Jane Cable who sat for interviews — every other Democratic candidate we asked declined to be interviewed (most frankly didn’t respond at all) that includes Sarah W. Bowman, Jason L. Kemp, and Lorianne Panzara-Griswold for Board of Education, Harvey Gemme for Zoning Commission, Alexander Klose for Planning Commission, and Bonnie Reemsnyder for First Selectman.

Now here’s the Rorschach test… CT Examiner is owned, operated and edited by a lifelong, active Democrat…. that’s me. The paper is funded by David Kelsey, a Republican and head of the local Republican Town Committee. It is staffed by experienced print journalists.

It’s hardly a secret that Reemsnyder and I have not always seen eye to eye on a variety of issues facing Old Lyme and the region. In fact, Reemsnyder’s own circle bandied about my name as someone they thought would challenge her last winter — no interest — at the same time that I queried whether any other Democrat, Republican or independent would run.

We’ll let you take all that as you may…

But I would ask (and perhaps someone will respond) given that Old Lyme is split between 30% Democrats, 30% Republicans and 40% unaffiliateds — as candidates are you running to represent only 30% percent of residents, parents, and children in schools?


Whatever your politics, we welcome your letters on the election with the following ground rules:

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And why share your views with CT Examiner? Because with readers stretching across 49 states, and 152 towns in Connecticut over the last month alone, we are southeastern Connecticut’s only source of in-depth local news coverage available to the public for free.

A map of readers in Connecticut since October 1

Just send your letters to editor@ctexaminer.com and be sure to include your full name, and the town where you reside.