Written by Juliana Simone
The Barkhamsted Republican Town Committee held its biannual fundraiser on October 11th. The event was held at the home of the committee Chair, Juliana Simone. Committee members brought food and beverages for guests to enjoy. Candidates for state and federal office were on hand to talk to and later address the guests giving campaign speeches.
District candidates, Barkhamsted State Representative, William Simanski (R-62), who is running unopposed to serve his fourth term, and State Senator Kevin Witkos (R-8), whose district includes the town of Barkhamsted as well as ten other towns, is running for reelection to serve his fifth term in the Senate, after serving in the State House. He is currently the Deputy Minority Leader, second to State Senator Len Fasano, in senate leadership.
Simanksi and Witkos both used their time as speakers to acknowledge the failures of the Malloy administration, and how under two terms of this democrat Governor, things have only worsened.
First Congressional candidate Matthew Corey (CT-1), challenging entrenched democrat Congressman John Larson for a third time, is a small businessman who owns and operates two companies in Hartford and is a Navy veteran. {To see his recent interview on our RTC committee cable show click this link}
https://communityaccesstv.viebit.com/#WPoSvM0AP01E
U.S. Senate candidate, Dan Carter, who is presently a State Representative in Connecticut’s second district after being elected to office in 2010, is an Air Force veteran, and has a background in the health care industry. {To see his recent interview on our RTC committee cable show click this link}
https://communityaccesstv.viebit.com/#bWb5oh5gZAGn
Corey and Carter used their time as speakers to acknowledge both the failures to Connecticut residents and taxpayers under the Democrat majority in our state legislature, and how the federal delegation that represents the Constitution State in Washington, D.C., that consists of five members of the House of Representatives, and two U.S. Senators, all members of the democrat party, have voted consistently with their caucus leadership, and fail Connecticut’s needs overall.
Corey is challenging U.S. Rep. John Larson (D), who exemplifies why term limits need to be imposed, after making a career in Washington for seventeen years. Carter is challenging one-term incumbent, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who has also made a lifetime profession working for the government, as Connecticut’s Attorney General for twenty years, before moving on to a federal seat.
Peter Lumaj, also gave a moving speech to the crowd. The 2014 Secretary of the State candidate, who doubled the amount of votes the prior nominee received four years earlier, currently has an exploratory committee for a statewide office race in 2018. Lumaj also sought the nomination to be the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in 2012. Barkhamsted RTC Chair, Juliana Simone, seconded his nomination at the state convention that year.
Lumaj reminded everyone “If you can’t vote for Trump, vote for Republican Party,” he said. “We must support any and every office we can. We cannot keep fighting each other. If you do not vote for Trump, it is a vote for Hillary.”
He also reminded people that he grew up in a communist country, and how he escaped to America to live a life of liberty and opportunity. Like others with his background, he fears the country he came to embrace for its freedoms, he now sees becoming more like the country he and his brothers fled, with the liberal democrat agenda of making America a socialist nation.
State Representative Tim LeGeyt (R-17), who took over the Witkos seat when he moved forward to the Senate, also came to the event. Harwinton First Selectman Mike Criss, and Barkhamsted Selectman, Mark Hemenway (R), was another elected official present as well as Rich Tutunjian, who is a State Central Committee member for the senate district eight, in addition to BRTC treasurer, Rev. Steven Blackburn, Ph.D., along with former RTC Chair, Robert Brainard III, who serve on the Board of Assessment Appeals in addition to being RTC members.
Hard-working reporter, Kathryn Boughton, came to cover the occasion for The Republican American, a respected state newspaper in circulation for over 150 years, known for its conservative investigative reporting*. Ms. Boughton spoke at length to all the candidates and published a fine report that accurately described the candidates’ positions in the October 13th edition. {Editor’s note: see attached scan}
Party members and unaffiliated voters came from both native Barkhamsted and towns around the state. A good time was had by all. Thank you to the many committee members who came out in support of our RTC, and to our candidates and guests who made the evening memorable and informative.
Vote November 8th, for all of our Republican candidates, everyone! The difference in how the future of America will proceed is monumental.
