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Branford Republicans are looking for a new day as they unanimously approve a political unknown as their candidate for first selectman.
Joy McConnell (pictured) won unanimous votes from both the Republican Town Committee (RTC) and the nominating committee Monday night. About 30 of the 58 RTC members attended the event.
“It’s going to be a different way of governing and different ideas,” RTC Chair Ray Ingraham told the Eagle. “Being a newcomer is going to be a strength. She’s a fresh face with fresh ideas.”
McConnell, who was not available for an interview this afternoon, has been a Branford resident for 12 years. She and her husband Kevin have three children.
Ingraham said 10 people were initially considered by the nominating committee. Four were interviewed — - McConnell; John Opie, current Third Selectman; Jeff Clark, who chairs the Board of Ethics; and Beth Bryan-Almeida, a member of the Representative Town Meeting. He said both Opie and Clark subsequently “decided not to run.”
McConnell was interviewed three times, Ingraham said, and was also questioned at length during the RTC meeting Monday night. He said there was some concern by longtime RTC members about her inexperience, but that she set their minds at ease.
“Her strength is being able to communicate with many different people,” Ingraham said. “She has a good focus on what she’d like to see in economic development.” He also referred to her as a “fiscal conservative.”
According to her resume, McConnell is self-employed, operating a home-based business that provides medical records services to physicians and medical facilities. She also serves as a consultant for grant writing, Web content development, and corporate communication projects.
She received a BA in English and Latin in 1990 from Marquette University in Wisconsin; an M.A. in 1994 from Rutgers University in New Jersey; and a J.D. in 2001 from the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford.
McConnell is a member of the Branford Point Association; a volunteer at St. Mary School in Branford; a former member of the development board for St. Mary School; and a former president of the board of the Pine Orchard Nursery School.
Branford Republicans have not won a race for First Selectman since John Opie captured the seat in 2003. McConnell will be challenging incumbent Anthony “Unk” DaRos if he seeks re-election. DaRos has 10 years experience as the town’s chief executive.
The Democratic Town Committee meets later this week. Neither slate is official until the party caucuses are held in late July.
Ingraham said the RTC initially reached out to McConnell to assist with the upcoming campaign. They were looking for people to help bring in unaffiliated voters, who comprise the largest voting bloc in Branford. He said they quickly realized McConnell’s potential as a candidate.
The Republican Caucus will be held at 7 p.m. July 26 at the Canoe Brook Senior Center. Ingraham said the caucus, unlike the monthly RTC meetings, will be open to the media.
The RTC has not yet selected a candidate for the second celectman’s seat. Ingraham said they decided it would be best to let the candidate for the first selectman help choose the nominee for running mate.“We’re asking her to look at the list of names” of possible candidates, he said.
Ingraham said the biggest challenge for Republicans in Branford is “getting the numbers” at the polls. Of the roughly 18,000 registered voters in town, about 9,000 are unaffiliated, 6,000 are Democrats, and 3,000 are Republicans. McConnell was unaffiliated until she recently joined the Republican Party.
McConnell briefly considered running as a grassroots Independent candidate last spring for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Third District. She hosted a Facebook page called “Take Back Ct’s Third District” in which she stated, “We are mobilizing Connecticut conservatives to prove that Connecticut does not belong to the Democrats.” The Third District has been represented since 1990 by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who won a landslide reelection in November.
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