Sarah Locke is New Executive Director of Democratic State Party.

New Haven Democrat Sarah Locke is the new executive director of the state Democratic party organization. Locke is a co-chair of New Haven’s party committee.

Locke gained important experience in the opera company management aspect of politics. She was Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s 2020 campaign manager. DeLauro faced a wealthy self-financing candidate and did not like it at all. Republican Margaret Streicker’s television ads infuriated DeLauro, who was seeking a 16th term and had not faced a vigorous opponent for decades. DeLauro did not like it. Competition in a democracy is for others. Locke was also an enthusiastic supporter of Democrat Christopher Mattei’s bid for the party’s nomination for attorney general.

Locke appears to have come through the 2020 campaign unscathed. That experience will be helpful preparation for the 2022 campaign. President Joe Biden’s plummeting approval ratings has Democratic candidates even in deep blue Connecticut feeling the vapors coming on. That may be why it took so long to find a new party ED.

There will be many demands on finite party resources. Locke’s job will be to deploy them in the most effective way. She’ll have to say no to candidates more often than she says yes, except for the candidate at the top of the ticket.

For the sake of posterity and entertainment, Locke should keep a journal. It is the only was to remember the rich details of what awaits her.

Published January 21, 2022.