The Republican Party has no one running for mayor in New Haven Tuesday. (It last won a mayoral election in 1951.) It has no one running for any of the 30 seats on the Board of Aldermen. It hasn’t endorsed anyone running Tuesday. But it still needs its members to vote.
That message came from GOP Town Chairman Richter Elser in a letter to the faithful.
“Pundits & cynics will be looking at one thing: turnout,” Elser wrote to party members last week. “Let’s show them how much we care.”
And while the party didn’t make a formal endorsement, see if you can guess whom Elser says he is supporting in the mayor’s race. The letter follows:
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Dear New Haven Republican,
Election Day is a few days away and I need your help.
I need each and every one of you to commit right now to going to the polls and casting your vote on November 8th.
There is not a single Republican on the ballot. Don’t let that stop you from turning out. Pundits & cynics will be looking at one thing: turnout. People will be asking themselves one thing: Do New Haven Republicans care enough about good government in New Haven that they will answer the challenge and go to the polls even without a GOP candidate on the ballot. Let’s show them how much we care by having great turnout on November 8th.
You may ask: Why bother? The answer is simple. New Haven Republicans have always put our City ahead of our Party. New Haven is a better city when as many people as possible express their will and vote. I cannot tell you who to vote for. As a party we have not endorsed any candidate. However you and I both know that there are candidates for Mayor and in some Aldermanic races that represent a thoughtful alternative to the status quo in City Hall. I am voting for change. I encourage you to do the same.
Now, why don’t Republicans have any candidates? As Chairman I have not succeeded in attracting new voters to our party. That won’t stop me from trying and asking you to help two more ways.
We cannot operate as a party without available funds. Please use the enclosed contribution form & return envelope and make a contribution of $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to The New Haven RTC. The only way to attract candidates & voters in the future is to have more Republicans volunteer their time now so that we have an effective town committee. Your time is as important as your money – New Haven Republicans need both.
Join me in completing these three tasks for your local Republican party:
1)Vote November 8th
2)Make a contribution of $50, $100, or whatever you can afford to the New Haven RTC
3)Get (or stay) involved with your town committee. The town committee meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7pm in the ground floor meeting room at 200 Orange St.
Thank You.
Richter Elser,
Republican Town Chairman
rickelser@gmail.com