YourCT.com header image 2
← Norwalk: State Supreme Court Agrees On Oversleeping Case Veterans Day Open Thread →

Darien: Bucking History, Turning Democratic


by turfgrrl


November 11th, 2007 · 9 Comments

GOP leaders are scratching their heads after Tuesday’s Democratic sweep in Darien.

Town and state Republican leaders believe Darien, one of the most Republican towns in the state, is still aligned with the GOP, even if last week’s municipal elections suggest otherwise.History was made Tuesday night in a town where registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats 3-to-1. Darien voters elected incumbent Democratic First Selectwoman Evonne Klein by a landslide to a third term and gave Democrats their first-ever majority on the Board of Selectman, choosing Callie Sullivan and David Bayne.

After the election, Republicans and Democrats downplayed the significance of party lines in municipal races. Still, a Democratic sweep raised the question of whether the town is leaning to the left four decades after it was 75 percent Republican and 12 percent Democrat.

“It’s still very much a Republican town. It’s just that the Republican sentiment comes more into play when it comes to statewide and national elections,” said Jack Orchulli, chairman of Darien’s Republican Town Committee. “Most people who come to Darien happen to be more Republican-leaning.”

Recent presidential elections suggest the town has not abandoned its GOP roots. In 2004, President Bush captured 62 percent of the town’s vote over Democratic challenger John Kerry. Bush won the town by a similar margin over Democrat Al Gore in 2000.

But the number of registered Republicans has trended downward, from 58.4 percent of registered voters in 2000 to 52.1 percent last year. And while the number of registered Democrats has upticked slightly - 15.5 percent in 2000 to 16.9 percent last year - the voter demographic that seems to be growing most aggressively in Darien is the unaffiliated voter.

Last year, 30.9 percent of all voters were unaffiliated, compared with 26.1 percent in 2000. There have been 2,427 newly registered unaffiliated voters in Darien during those six years, compared with 2,068 Republicans and 898 Democrats.

source: Advocate, After loss, Darien Republicans seek new, By Mark Ginocchio, November 11 2007

Tags: Darien · In the News

9 Responses so far ↓ “Darien: Bucking History, Turning Democratic”



  • 1 katie // Nov 11, 2007 at 12:16 pm

    Perhaps the slate that the Republican Town Committiee in Darien put up for election is not representative of the actual makeup of Darien. It seems like the age difference and having younger representation makes more sense. Also, Evonne, quite frankly hasn’t done anything wrong so why not give her another chance. It didn’t seem like the Republican Team had anything new to offer people in Darien.
    And, municipal politics is not about philosophical party differences as much as it is about getting things done, efficiently and quickly.

  • 2 oy vey // Nov 11, 2007 at 2:57 pm

    A dem is a dem is a dem, (A rat is a rat is a rat) whether from Darien or Bridgeport. There’s not a tax they don’t like. Stay tuned.

  • 3 Very Funny // Nov 11, 2007 at 5:36 pm

    It makes me laugh whenever I read a typical anti-liberal post that references the mythical “tax and spend” Yet the budget deficits only grew under Reagan, Bush and Bush. Spending without accountability seems to be more of a modern Republican problem. Better update your cliches.

  • 4 anonymous // Nov 11, 2007 at 6:34 pm

    Katie’s right; Evonne has done nothing wrong. Local politics is all about gertting things done and party doesn’t enter into 95% of it. Until the Republicans get back from “Bubba” to “Live Free or Die” we’re pretty much dead in the water in Connecticut.

  • 5 barnstorm // Nov 11, 2007 at 9:30 pm

    In the debate between #2 & #3.

    Ever notice how the republicans refuse to raise taxes, and let the infrastructure crumble to the point where once a democrat gets into office, they’re more or less forced to raise taxes to pay for all the repairs that now cost at least twice as much?
    Then as soon as they do that, the conservatives come out of the woodwork with their “tax & spend liberal” mantra.It’s been happening nationally since Reagan and locally in Norwalk since King Esposito.

    I’m neither a republican or democrat, but I have noticed that the republicans don’t play fair. They stack the deck and then make the most noise when it hits the fan.

    And then they usually try to blame it on Bill Clinton.

    I agree with #1 & #4. Local politics are usually issue-based and rarely ideology-based.

  • 6 anonymous // Nov 11, 2007 at 11:07 pm

    Barnstorm - great points in your post. They also love to blame everything on Knopp!

  • 7 norwalkphil // Nov 14, 2007 at 2:47 pm

    Is anyone surprised? I congratulate Darien voters for their high intelligence and common sense.

    The Republican party is decayed and corrupted to the core. Republican voters started to realize it in massive numbers after the 2004 national elections.

    Nationwide statistics show that only 36% of Republican party members agree that the Republican Party is doing a good job.

  • 8 anonymous // Nov 14, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    I’m not surprised, the First Selectwoman in Darien has been doing a terrific job, and they had a great slate of candidates. I believe the same thing happened in Norwalk. Obviously, the voters of Norwalk thought the Mayor was doing a great job, but the Democrats put up a great slate.

  • 9 norwalkphil // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:08 pm

    This year’s victories in places like Kentucky, Virginia and Mississippi prove that 2006 wasn’t a fluke.

    In Kentucky, Democrat Steve Beshear took back the Governor’s mansion, defeating Republican incumbent Ernie Fletcher by a 20 point margin. And he wasn’t alone - Democrats won the Attorney General, Auditor and Treasurer elections, sweeping the failed, corrupt Republican leadership out of office, and they did it in the home of both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and RNC Chairman Mike Duncan.

    But Kentucky wasn’t the only place where Democrats won big. In Virginia, Democrats made significant gains in the state House and took back the Senate. In Mississippi, we took back the state Senate. And in states across the country, we had tremendous victories in local and state legislative races.

    We will take back the White House in 2008 and build on our majorities in the House and Senate.

    Virginia and Kentucky aren’t the places most people think of as Democratic — but they’re exactly the sort of places we are winning now, and win in 2008.

    Democrats Marching to Victory in 2008

    The 2007 elections offered good news for Democrats, both in terms of this year’s gains and as we look to the long-term goal of winning in 2008 and beyond to build a permanent Democratic Majority.

    Across the country, strong Democratic candidates showed that we can challenge Republicans on values and win anywhere.

    As a result, despite competing primarily in Republican states, Democrats still hold 28 of 50 governorships, picked up two new legislatures to expand Democratic control to 56 of 98 chambers, and are poised to build on our Congressional majorities and elect a Democratic president in 2008.

    In Kentucky, Governor-elect Steve Beshear overwhelmingly won in a state that President Bush carried with 58.6 percent of the vote in 2004 and is home to both RNC Chairman Mike Duncan and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

    Beshear showed that strong Democratic candidates offering a clear vision for the future and real solutions on the issues that matter to voters — health care, jobs, stagnant wages, and corruption — can beat entrenched Republicans offering more of the same failed GOP leadership.

    Fletcher’s demise, the victory of Democrats down ballot, and Senator McConnell’s failure to rescue Fletcher shows both a Democratic Party moving in the right direction and trouble for Senator McConnell’s chances of reelection.

    Democrats won decisive victories in the Virginia legislative races, gaining Assembly seats and winning control of the Senate for the first time since 1999–showing that the Commonwealth continues to trend Democratic.

    Following Governor Kaine’s victory in 2005, Senator Webb’s election in 2006, and yesterday’s gains in the legislature, Virginia will be in play for the presidential contest and Democrats are positioned to win the Senate seat being vacated by John Warner.

    In Mississippi, Democrats made important gains, reelecting Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood and taking back the State Senate. Gubernatorial candidate John Arthur Eaves ran a strong campaign that took values issues directly to the people.

    A CLOSER LOOK AT 2007 RACES AND TRENDS:

    The message of the 2007 elections is two-fold: 1) the country is hungry for change, as the American people continue to view the Democratic Party as the Party best prepared to offer real solutions; and 2) strong Democratic candidates can win anywhere they show up and talk about Democratic values.

    In contrast, by adopting the Ann Coulter politics of hate, continuing to blindly follow President Bush’s failed foreign policy, and standing behind the President’s opposition to domestic priorities like children’s health care, Republicans have distanced themselves from mainstream American values.

    Kentucky

    Democratic Governor-elect Steve Beshear defeated Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher 58.7 to 41.3 percent. Beshear actually outperformed President Bush, who carried Kentucky with a 58.6 percent of the vote in 2004 and 57 percent in 2000. President Clinton won the state in 1992 and 1996, with 44.5 percent of the vote in 1992 and 45.8 percent in 1996.

    Not only is the Bluegrass State home to Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, but it is also home to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who failed to rescue Fletcher and himself faces a tough re-election campaign in 2008.

    Building on last year’s election of Congressman John Yarmuth, Democrats won four of six statewide elections, including electing a Democratic Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, and Treasurer.

    The DNC investments in the Bluegrass State, including an infusion of millions this year and the hiring of two DNC-funded full-time organizers and a DNC- funded outreach director at the state party, have contributed to the resurgence of Kentucky Democrats.

    The voters in Kentucky — a so-called “red state” — joined so many other Americans in soundly rejecting the corruption and incompetence that came with four years of Republican rule. This is one more state where the positive, optimistic, Democratic brand of leadership is prevailing.

    This is bad news for vulnerable Republican governors running for re-election in 2008. The three people most disappointed in Tuesday’s results were Ernie Fletcher, Matt Blunt, and Mitch Daniels.

    Virginia

    Democrats won at least four seats in the Assembly and took back the State Senate for the first time since 1999.

    Virginia has developed into a critical swing state in recent elections. After electing Democratic Governor Tim Kaine in 2005 and Senator Jim Webb in 2006,

    Virginia

    Democrats are positioned to elect another Democratic Senator and chose the Democratic Presidential nominee for the first time since 1964.

    A recent poll of Virginians showed our top three Democratic presidential candidates leading or tied with the top three Republicans in head to head match-ups. [SurveyUSA, 9/25/07]

    THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

    This year’s victories were the result of strong candidates running competitive races based on their values, but they also reflected the wider political landscape. Democrats are poised to take advantage of widespread dissatisfaction with President Bush’s failed leadership, the increasing weakness of the Republican “brand,” and the increasing strength of our Party.

    While the GOP is losing ground in its traditional strongholds and their base is shrinking, Republican efforts to use immigration as a wedge issue to distract from their failed leadership once again were unsuccessful.

    Republicans Are Losing Ground in Traditional Strongholds: Democrats are expanding the political playing field and eroding the preference for Republicans in key so-called “red state” regions. Dixie, once the heart of the Republican electoral map, is in play again as Southern voters’ preference for Republicans continues to wane and break Democratic.

    At the end of the summer of 2006, Republicans held a four point advantage over Democrats in the generic congressional horserace in the South. According to internal polling from earlier this month, Democrats now enjoy a five point advantage (46 to 41 percent) over the GOP in Southern states.

    Republican support also continues to erode in the Mountain and Plains states, where Democrats now hold an eight point advantage in the once solidly Republican Plains region. [brilliant corners Research, November 2007]

    GOP Brand is Suffering: While a majority of Americans (51 percent) view the Democratic Party favorably, the percentage of Americans with a favorable view of the Republican Party has plummeted to 39 percent, down 12 points since March 2006. The GOP’s unfavorable rating is up ten points to 56 percent in that same period. [Washington Post, 11/5/07]

    Republican Base is Shrinking: Key elements of the GOP base, including “fiscal conservatives” and “business leaders” are drifting away from the Republican Party “because of the war in Iraq, the growing federal debt and a conservative social agenda they don’t share.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/2/07]

    Even white evangelical voters feel that Democrats, not Republicans, are paying more attention to their top issues–the war in Iraq and health care. Just 10 percent of white evangelical voters said Republicans are addressing their top issue, compared to 24 percent who said Democrats are. [CBSNews.com, 1/18/07]

    The number of young evangelicals (ages 18 - 29) who “steadfastly proclaimed themselves Republicans” dropped 15 points, from 55 percent in 2001 to 40 percent today. [Washington TimesU, 10/2/07]

    GOP Party IDs at Record Lows: Just one in three Americans identify themselves as Republican in the latest Pew Research Center poll, giving Democrats the widest advantage in voter identification in two decades. [Baltimore Sun, 11/4/07]

    Republican Failures on Immigration, Economic Issues Fueling Fall: Despite frustration in many communities with President Bush’s failure to address immigration reform and refusal to provide state and local communities the resources they need to enforce existing laws, Republican efforts to use immigration as a wedge issue failed once again.

    GOP efforts to fan anti-immigration fears and play on growing economic insecurity and voter’s anxiety over job security, stagnating wages, higher living costs, gas prices, and other facets of the George W. Bush “You’re On Your Own” Economy failed in the face of strong Democratic candidates who offered real solutions on the critical issues.

    Republicans Are Losing On The Issues: The Democratic Party now has double-digit leads over Republicans when voters are asked which party is “better able to manage the federal government,” is “more honest and ethical,” is “more concerned about people like me” (Democrats lead by 29 points), and is best able to bring about “needed change” (Democrats lead by 22 points).

    Even on security, Democrats and Republicans are viewed as “equally qualified to face down national security threats.” [Pew Research Center for the People and the Press poll, November 2007]

    Republican Morale is Plummeting: Only 36 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents say the GOP “does an excellent or good job” of “standing up for traditional GOP positions,” a decline of 25 points since July 2004. [Pew Research Center for the People and the Press poll, November 2007]

    Republicans Aren’t Happy With Their Candidates: According to the latest UWashington PostU/ABC News poll, “Republicans continue to be less satisfied with their candidate options than Democrats are with theirs.” [Washington PostU, 11/5/07]

    For the first time since 1979, no Republican candidate has been able to gain the support of more than 40 percent of Republican voters in the November heading into an election year. Among white evangelical voters, 51 percent are dissatisfied with their choices and say they wish they had more options. [CBSNews.com, 10/18/07]

    GOP Obstructionism Is Hurting Congressional Candidates: A recent SurveyUSA poll in seven states with vulnerable Republican Senate seats showed that Democrats are “leading or tied” in five of those races and trailing narrowly in another. [Roll Call, 11/5/07]

    This shows that the Republican Congressional strategy of obstructing Democratic efforts to fight for the priorities of America’s working families is failing, and will cost them seats next year.

    THE BOTTOM LINE

    In short, while the Democratic Party is better organized, better motivated, and better positioned to make the case for change, the Republican Party is increasingly challenged by “Bush Fatigue,” a damaged “brand,” a shrinking and demoralized base, and a lack of enthusiasm for its candidates.

    If Democrats continue the current trend, run on values, and offer clear solutions on the critical issues, the clear lesson of 2007 is that Democrats are well-positioned to win anywhere in 2008.

Leave a Reply