City Democrats made three changes to their slate of candidates for the November election Tuesday night, but are denying Republican charges that the changes are evidence of a party in turmoil.
“They only wish there was chaos,” said Sam Rizzitelli, chairman of the Derby Town Democratic Committee. “Why they won’t debate Dan Foley is a better question.”
Foley is running against Republican incumbent Mayor Anthony Staffieri.
The Democrats met Tuesday night at their campaign headquarters on Elizabeth Street, where three new candidates were nominated without opposition.
Tim Conlon will be running for Tax Board, Rob Hyder for Third Ward Alderman and Andy Mancini for the Board of Education.
The trio of Conlon, Hyder and Mancini replaces Thomas Lionetti, Ronald Slowik and Susan Churchill, respectively.
Hyder said the changes have been in the works for a few weeks.
This may be why, even before the start of the meeting, there were already copies of third district aldermanic campaign literature bearing Hyder’s biographical information.
Even though there are less than 50 days left until the Nov. 3 election, Rizzitelli said the candidate changes are routine.
“Every election, somebody have movement in a slate,” he said. “It’s very common.”
The three candidates all dropped out of the race for personal reasons, Rizzitelli said, declining to elaborate further.
However, city Republicans aren’t buying it. They said the candidates are simply jumping ship.
“Jockeying around candidates this close to an election is a sure sign of political turmoil within the campaign,” said Ken Hughes, the president of the Derby Board of Aldermen. “It seems as if certain candidates are realizing there are no issues other than those fabricated by certain members of the Democratic Town Committee.”
Debate? No Debate?
Rizzitelli said the real question is why Republicans won’t accept a challenge for a debate between Foley and Staffieri.
He said he sent a letter to Republican Town Committee Chairman Joseph Bomba Sept 8.
In the letter, Rizzitelli proposed three debates between the two candidates. He sent the letter Tuesday evening to the Valley Independent Sentinel. It is below.
Hughes did not say whether Republicans want to participate in a debate — but he did say neither he, Bomba or Staffieri received Rizzitelli’s letter.
“I’m surprised he decided to go directly to the press without first hearing a reply from Tony’s campaign. This proves it was purely a political stunt,” Hughes said.
