Republicans sweep top town seats

Written by Ken Borsuk and Chris Davis, Staff Reporters
Tuesday, 03 November 2009 22:44

UPDATED | 10:55 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009

A municipal election that was expected to be a tight contest quickly turned into the annual Greenwich Republican rout as First Selectman Peter Tesei decisively won a second term in the town’s top spot.

Victory was also achieved by the other members of the ticket. Selectman-elect David Theis bested Democrat Drew Marzullo and Tod Laudonia will be the new tax collector of Greenwich after defeating both Democrat Bill Grad and independent Rick Novakowski.

For the vote breakdown, click here.

“We stood by common decency and integrity and that’s what this country was founded on,” Mr. Tesei said in his victory speech to the loud cheers of jubilant supporters. Mr. Tesei took home 8,816 votes compared to Ms. Lavery's 4,586 votes. “We campaigned with a clear vision of what we would try to accomplish. And the voters responded. This is not a government of me. It’s a government of we.”

He later added, “Two years ago I was given the advice: Just be yourself and it’s the same today.”

Mr. Theis was able to capture 7,909 of the 12,831 votes for victory in his first run for public office and said he was eager to get started on the board.

“I am deeply honored to be able to serve my home town in this capacity,” Mr. Theis said. “I look forward to working with Peter to make this town greater.”

He added that this was a good sign for the national Republican party as well as it seeks to come back from two election cycles of decisive defeats.

“We drew a line in the sand and said we would take this country back one town at a time,” Mr. Theis said.

As word of the victories poured in, spirits were certainly high with Republicans. State Rep. Livvy Floren (R-149) said she was overjoyed with the clean sweep for the party.

“I am thrilled,” Ms. Floren said. “Quality counts, integrity counts and credentials count. And they won tonight.”

Selectman Peter Crumbine, who didn’t run for a new term after eight years on the board, also was happy to see the big wins for town Republicans.

“The voters were tested today and they passed,” he said.

And after a tense campaign, Republican Town Committee Chairman John Raben was able to exhale and smile over the results.

“When you do a job right, voters notice. When you campaign with decency and civility, voters notice,” Mr. Raben said.

Meanwhile at Democratic headquarters, early excitement quickly gave way to despair once the numbers began rolling in. With so many expecting a tight race, the blowout was an unexpected and unhappy surprise for the Democratic party faithful. In her concession speech, Ms. Lavery urged them to keep their spirits high and go on fighting for the issues she raised during the campaign.

“There is an agenda right now that we’re going to make sure happens,” Ms. Lavery said to her dispirited supporters, earning loud cheers. “We are going to make sure that in the next two years we’re not standing here without that agenda having been accomplished because you’re going to give them hell... There are too many important issues like affordable housing, seniors and a new Byram Pool that people are not paying attention to. We’re going to make sure they hear us.”

Ms. Lavery said it had been an “honor and a privilege” to work with Mr. Marzullo on the campaign and said the town would be “so well served” by his presence on the board. While Mr. Theis defeated Mr. Marzullo the top three vote getters in the election all end up on the Board of Selectmen and Mr. Marzullo exceeded Ms. Lavery’s total.

Mr. Marzullo thanked his family and his volunteers for their countless hours and energy and enthusiasm. He praised Ms. Lavery for all she had taught him on the campaign trail and said she should be applauded for her service to the town.

“I became a better candidate because of you,” Mr. Marzullo said.

Now as the lone Democrat on the board Mr. Marzullo, a supervisor with Greenwich Emergency Medical Services, said he look forward to working with everyone over the next two years. After the results came in, Frank Farricker, vice chairman of the DTC and Mr. Marzullo’s campaign manager, told the Post that he felt Mr. Marzullo would thrive on the board.

“Everything he said he would bring in the campaign he will bring to the board,” Mr. Farricker said. “He will bring compassion and knowledge of the lives of everyday people in town. He is truly a vital part of the community and he’s going to bring a perspective we’ve never had on the board. He’s going to do great. Everyone likes Drew.”

Mr. Grad’s defeat was seen as one of the bigger surprises of the night. He admitted he was “very disappointed” by the results but was quick to praise everyone who came out for the Democratic ticket.

“The energy of this campaign was like no other energy I had seen in the 10 years I had been involved in campaigning in Greenwich,” Mr. Grad said, adding that in just a few years Democrats had cut down the ratio in town of registered Republicans to Democrats from more than 2-1 to 1.5-1.

While the Democrats tried to keep their chins up in the face of defeat, Mr. Laudonia’s victory speech was all positive as he pledged to get right to work along with Mr. Tesei and Mr. Theis in moving the town forward. Mr. Laudonia captured 6,206 votes beating out Mr. Grad with 4,921 and Mr. Novakowski with 1,550.

“We’re going to do more for the Town of Greenwich in the next two years than anyone can imagine,” Mr. Laudonia said.

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