Republicans to Elect New Leader of State Party Committee Tuesday Evening. Boughton Wants to Short-Circuit Roll Call. With an Update.

Republican State Central Committee members will gather in Bristol Tuesday night to elect a new committee chairman. Hopefuls Joe Markley, John Pavia and J. R. Romano and their supporters were scampering to confirm votes they think are committed to them and secure others in the long contest.

Rumors remain a staple of this race. Nevertheless, informal soundings suggest that Romano holds an advantage in the party hothouse as uncommitted members make up their minds and unscrupulous ones ponder the ones they have made. Honor can take a pummeling in intra-party contests.

Mark Boughton, mayor of Danbury and a member of the state party committee, has an unusual suggestion. Boughton wants to end the roll call as soon as one candidate achieves a majority and make the committee’s choice unanimous. This could keep members who have passed at the beginning of the roll call or are at the end of it from casting a vote. That does not seem right. The trio of candidates deserve a proper vote.

Here’s Boughton’s email:

Friends,

Tonight we will elected a new State Party Chair. We have three candidates who have been working most of the spring to secure our support.

Regardless of who your favorite candidate is. I would like to offer the following suggestion for tonight’s vote in the interest of party unity.

Once a candidate has acquired the required number of votes to win (50% plus 1) – as a showing of support for the new Chair and a message that we are unified, that we switch our ballot for the Chairman – elect so that the election will be unanimous.

This can be accomplished by having the Chair of the meeting pause once it has been determined that a candidate has crossed the threshold for election, announce the tally of the vote, and then asking if any members would like to switch their vote.

Of course any member has the right not to switch, it’s just an idea.

Regards,

Mark Boughton