In February of 2017, the resistance began in Connecticut’s 8th Senate District. Over 130 Democratic Town Committee members, activists, first-time candidates, and newly-reinvigorated citizens joined the 8th District Democrats for its first Municipal Campaign Training event in Canton.
In the 2017 municipal cycle, towns across the district employed new tools to get better at the work of winning town elections. These efforts pushed the envelope for conventional local campaigns, pairing the enthusiasm of the resistance with data-driven approaches.
In New Hartford, the DTC entered Election Day 2017 having identified nearly three times as many supporters as they had votes two years earlier, and their candidate for First Selectman finished with more than 1,000 votes for the first time since 2011.
In an unprecedented field effort dedicated to meeting voters at their doors, the Avon DTC ran a full slate of candidates, captured seven of the eleven seats they ran for, and came within 74 votes of winning a majority on the Town Council for the first time ever.
Canton called, canvassed, and got out the vote to add another Democrat to the Board of Selectmen, and came very close to adding a third.
As a first-time candidate, Simsbury’s Eric Wellman was elected First Selectman over a long-time Republican Selectman whose name is on everyone’s trash can.
In 2018, Democrats in the district were more energized than ever before. Leaving no seat unchallenged, the Democratic ticket was the most qualified, diverse, and hardest working group of candidates we've ever seen.
The work continued in 2019, with more success adding to the deepening bench of local elected Democrats--taking control of the Canton Board of Selectmen, reelecting the First Selectman of Simsbury, and adding to the Democratic team on Avon's Town Council.
In 2020, our candidates are faced with an unprecedented environment for campaigning. We'll need to learn some new tactics, arm ourselves with new tools, and recommit ourselves to this important work.
Join us. Join the 8th District Democrats as we work every day to connect with voters at their doors, on their phones, and in their social media feeds to build the party’s competitiveness from Simsbury to Torrington, and to make our towns, state and country better places for all.