Republicans Will Run One Candidate In City Elections

For the first time in years, and perhaps the first time in decades - the City of Groton Republican Committee is submitting only one name to run for City Council in the upcoming May election, leaving five party-endorsed slots for City Council, and the seat for mayor, treasurer and town clerk blank.

Committee Co-Chairman Robert L. Zuliani said people aren’t willing to run for positions they believe they can’t win.

“A lot of them look at this as a challenge and they don’t think it’s beatable,” he said. “We don’t think it’s beatable. People aren’t willing to do it.”

Keith Hedrick, a retired U.S. Naval officer and member of the City Council, will seek re-election. Hendrick also serves as a city representative on Groton Representative Town Meeting.

In a statement released by the city Republican party, Zuliani said Democrats have had “domineering control” over city government for the last 12 years.

“It is obvious to the City Republican Committee that the voters, specifically Democrats and independents in the city, feel that a one-party governmental system is most effective and efficient,” the statement said. “It is unfortunate that the voters have not listened to the city Republican candidates who have run in the past and pointed out the inefficiencies and risks of a governmental system that is controlled by one party.” 

Democrats outnumber Republicans in Groton city by about 2 to 1, but there are also a large number of unaffiliated voters. As of the last election, the city had 751 registered Republicans, 1,549 registered Democrats and 2,520 unaffiliated voters.

Zuliani said Republicans spent $10,000 on the last election, went door to door and logged countless hours to no avail. Republicans turned out 45 percent of the vote and still lost; all but one candidate was defeated by an average of about 150 votes, Zuliani said.

“We’re outgunned,” he said.

The sole candidate who won - James Streeter- later left the post to join the town council. Streeter is Groton’s town mayor.  Streeter declined comment Tuesday, saying the committee had decided Zuliani would be its spokesman.

Harry Watson, a town councilor who ran unsuccessfully for City Council as a Republican in the last election, said he couldn’t immediately comment.

Marian Galbraith, the City Democratic Committee’s candidate for mayor, said she will reach out to voters to find out what’s important to them. She said both parties are represented, even though one party is choosing to put forward fewer candidates.

“I’m still going to work just as hard,” she said.

Zuliani said the city Republican Committee tentatively made the decision Thursday to run one candidate, but continued to try until Tuesday to find others willing to run.

“You want to be able to offer new ideas, have healthy political debate,” he said.  “That doesn’t exist right now. You just have one-way thinking. It’s not healthy for the voter, and it’s not healthy for the taxpayer.”