Democrats Pick Tickey as State Party Vice Chair.

Shelton Democrat Jimmy Tickey is the new vice chair of the Democratic State Central Committee. Tickey, who succeeds treasurer endorsed candidate Erick Russell, is a veteran of Rosa DeLauro’s and Susan Bysiewicz’s offices and works for Jim Himes.

Tickey has proved himself a notable vote-getter in the Republican bastion of Shelton in his campaigns for the local zoning board. He’ll bring practical local experience to party central, which can sometimes become distracted by needy statewide candidates.

Students of politics will find two practical lessons from Tickey’s easy Monday night win. He began calling state central committee members as soon as Russell indicated he’d leave his party position to run for the opening created by incumbent Shawn Woden’s announcement he would not seek re-election in order to spend time with his children. Party committee members prefer being asked to being told. Tickey applied the enduring formula of an ounce of wisdom and a pound of gall to outflank at least one candidate who mistook entitlement for votes. The irrepressible Karen Murrow explains above.

The other lesson is universal. Never under estimate the power of a successful party. Tickey, Kristin Campanelli and Sam Carmody organized the hit party of the May 6th and 7th state party convention. The joint was jumping’ at the Old State House when the trio’s LGBT caucus got underway, eventually attracting Senator Chris Murphy to follow the exodus from his own party to the “Conventions are a Drag” wing-ding. The trio knows how to make it gel.

Democrats created a new position on Tuesday. The party’s first officer for voter protection is Adrienne Billings-Smith, a member of West Hartford’s town council. Billings-Smith will make her biggest impact if she addresses the state’s obstacles to ballot access.

Published May 16, 2022.