2025 NHDTC Wrapped

It’s been a tremendous year and I feel so fortunate and honored to have been able to Chair the North Haven Democratic Town Committee for the vast majority of it.   At our holiday party earlier this week, we did a lot of reminiscing.  In particular, many were struck by how so many of us started off the year in a dark spot.  We were fearful of the direction our country was going in, disappointed at the seeming capitulation of our national Democratic leaders and many of those in power to a new fascistic norm, and feeling overwhelmed by our inability on an individual level to stop any of it.  Immediately after Trump’s inauguration, many found themselves in the unpleasant situation of adjusting to a rapid series of severe and often illegal demands from the federal government.  We self-policed language we were using in the workplace, found out that grants and federally funding were being rescinded because of previous commitments to social justice, and worried about the safety of our neighbors and loved ones.

While many of these worries remain, what we found to be transformative was the hope we found from engaging at the local level.  In working side by side with one another in solidarity, we were able to light the pit of despair a bit brighter and gather strength to find our way through, together.  On the other side of that pit there was a tinge of hope being made possible by relentless and consistent hard work.   Here’s how we got there, month by month, inch by inch, as I like to say.

January

At the beginning of the year, our DTC elected a new committee chair and our Activism Committee organized 75 care packages to be delivered to the North Haven-based APT Foundation as part of our Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

February

Our February DTC meeting was a particularly eventful one.  It started with community, games, and tasty treats at the Love Your Fellow Dems Valentine’s Day social event.  We then launched into a meeting where we passed what may be the DTC’s first annual budget, as well as a resolution condemning the destructive actions of the Trump Administration.

March

In March, we held a free event called the Winter Warm-Up at the Clarion Inn to offer a welcoming space for Democrats looking for community in the wake of DOGE cuts and a series of devastating executive orders.  The warm-up not only offered great food, photo-ops, crafts, and good company, but supplies were gathered to benefit the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services.   Elsewhere that month, a Power of Women event in nearby Wallingford honored the top elected Democratic women in Congressional District 3, including five right here in North Haven.  Our DTC monthly meeting included both Attorney General William Tong and Fire Chief Paul Janusziewski as guest speakers, talking about how we’re fighting back at the state level and the state of our local safety readiness respectively.  A virtual fundraiser to benefit the Reach Fund was also held in honor of Women’s History Month

April

In April, Superintendent Patrick Stirk talked to the DTC and answered questions about the school budget.  The DTC also participated in two great local traditions; the Earth Day celebration at the Rec Center organized by the Conservation Commission and a Trivia Night fundraiser for the North Haven Education Foundation.  At the Earth Day event, we debuted our custom-made DTC T-shirts.

May

In May, the DTC was instrumental in helping drive a historic turnout to pass a very difficult budget. We also marched across town as part of the annual Memorial Day parade, some of us representing the DTC, others representing various other groups they participate in.   Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz joined us at our DTC meeting. 

June

At our June DTC meeting, we passed updates to our bylaws ensuring that the DTC would remain a more open, transparent, welcoming, and accountable organization for years to come. 

July

In July, we endorsed candidates for municipal office.  Our own Brandi Mandato was also honored at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville with an Ella T. Grasso award for leadership in Congressional District 3, with Rep. Rosa Delauro herself handing out the award.

August

We had a fantastic “Democracy in Bloom” fundraiser in August that featured Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, Treasurer Erick Russell, and Hamden Representative Josh Elliott, as well as a taco truck AND an ice cream truck.

September

This month kicked off with the DTC hosting a table for the entirety of the North Haven Fair, greeting thousands of smiling faces despite some weather setbacks at times.  Our endorsed Democratic candidate for Selectmen, David Cohen, then drove a historic turnout for a Democratic primary.  DTC and CERT member Michael Nappe also gathered school supplies for those in need at the weekly Music Under the Stars concerts to help families set back by rising costs. 

October

The Activism Committee helped unveil a new gate at Grover Wyman Park donated by the North Haven DTC to ensure families and children could continue enjoying this space safely without worrying about children running into the parking lot. Rep. Josh Elliott joined our DTC meeting to pump us up about the upcoming municipal election.

November

1346 more people showed up for our municipal election this year than in the previous municipal cycle, despite this being a year without a competitive race at the top of the ticket.  This was thanks in no small part to DTC efforts.  Across the board our candidates saw their vote numbers increase by an average of 700 votes (roughly 40% above previous amounts).  This helps narrow our gap to victory in upcoming municipal races and proves that Democrats in town agree that our party is headed in the right direction.  Shortly after the election, we held two fundraisers; one to gather nonperishables to restock the local food pantries in lieu of a government shutdown that threatened to cut SNAP benefits, and another to load funds onto gift cards for a family in town who shared 3 DTC members as neighbors who were affected by a devastating fire.

Elections

We have been so thrilled with the turnouts at the Budget Referendum, the Democratic Primary, and the municipal election.  None of this happened by accident.  We were able to do so via an ongoing series of actions, which began with initial meetings of our nominating committee in March and persisted to November election day poll-standing at all five polling locations.  The nominating committee interviewed every single person who applied, from constable to selectman, posting detailed descriptions of each role and outlining the process and selection criteria in clear terms.   By November, we had solicited 43 letters to the editors, sent over 5000 text messages to constituents, mailed 800 postcards, made over 2800 phone calls, and knocked countless doors.   We ran a stream of ads on Meta platforms and streaming services, print ads in traditional media, and hosted a self-produced 30 minute block of programming on NHTV to introduce folks to our candidates.  Three of our municipal candidates were able to gather union endorsements, while our slate led by David Cohen got a great series of endorsements from Senator Chris Murphy, Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, Attorney General Tong, and Comptroller Scanlon.

Ongoing Communications

Our communications team worked hard throughout the year, producing an almost ceaseless stream of weekly newsletters and social media posts.  These included updates about the community, state and national news stories, legislative updates from the state legislature and opportunities to act on important bills,  and flyers that spotlighted ways to participate in community events, support local coalition groups, and resist the encroachment of Trumpism. They also published 24 blog posts this year from DTC members (25 if you count this one) and offered a monthly report from our Board and Commission members.

Social Gatherings

If all we did was tirelessly push, we’d all drop dead from exhaustion.  None of the work above even factors in the fact that life continues to go on as we do this community organizing and electoral work.  Our kids get older, our pets get sick, cars break down, our career paths change, we lose people in our lives and gain new ones.   Because of this, we’ve tried to make sure there are plenty of opportunities for us to unwind, the holiday party this week being just one example.  Apart from one-off gatherings, I’ve held a series of First Friday events at my house, usually with a bonfire, music, and some refreshments.   In addition, the North Haven Explorers group established a regular series of meetups for caregivers of young children, exploring the local parks and playgrounds together.  Lastly, our local history expert and fearless Vice Chair Steve Gifford has held the occasional hike through our various public trails when the weather permits.

Supporting Social Change

In addition to the work the DTC does, our members were proud to support the efforts of other local groups working to enact change.  Members in 2025 gave public comment or testimony, not only at North Haven meetings, but anywhere from Hartford to Washington D.C. as well.  During the legislative session, there was a steady stream of expert testimony delivered both in person and in writing to our representatives on bills of significance, and several members were regular visitors to the capitol representing their unions, nonprofits, or other civic organizations to help fight for a better, stronger Connecticut.  Right here in North Haven, we supported the drive for retail workers at the North Haven Barnes and Noble to form their first union, canvassed multiple times as part of the Working Families Party’s Tax the Rich campaign, and helped organize or participate in events run by apolitical civic groups like North Haven Pride, the North Haven Lions Club, or the North Haven Rotary.   In nearby towns, we participated in rallies and gatherings together like the Not My President day, Hands Off rally, No Kings Rally, May Day rally, and Iris Run for Refugees. 

Going Forward

So, what’s up next for the DTC?  Well, the first item on the docket for 2026 is our biennial caucus held on Tuesday, January 6^th at 6pm at the Mildred Wakeley Recreation Center.  Here, the Democrats of North Haven have the opportunity to elect committee members.  While the choice is theirs, I can’t endorse any of our current crew who wishes to rejoin us enough.  If you’re not among them though, don’t let that discourage you.  We want to find a space for everyone. If you’re thinking of getting involved and if any of the above sounds like something you could commit to (don’t worry, you won’t need to do all of this!), please reach out to info@northhavendemocrats.com.  We need all committed Democrats in town working together, pulling in the same direction if we’re ever going to see the changes we’d like to see in North Haven in 2026 and beyond. It’s an exciting time to be a Democrat in North Haven.  Let’s go build this community together.