Community Corner

Deb Kleckowski Wins Independent Party Endorsement in Close Vote

The two-term Republican Middletown councilwoman is running against Democratic state Rep. Matthew Lesser for the 100th District.

Republican Common Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski won the endorsement of Middletown's Independent Party for the 100th District.

The vote this evening was a close one. She prevailed 5-4 Thursday evening over incumbent Democratic state Rep. Matthew Lesser of Middletown, who has held the seat for two terms.

"The four supporters for Deb just recently joined the Independent Party," party Chair John Kilian said, "so we basically doubled our party membership just tonight."

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"I am very excited and honored to be endorsed by the Independent Party," Klekowski said. "This nomination is important because I believe the issues are community-based and not party-based and we all need to work to ensure the problems that we face are reconciled through solutions and not party ideology."

Chairman John Kilian said the party stands for, "transparency and it is a party that empowers people who are not in the special interests of the major parties, who aren't in the public unions, who aren't in the chamber of commerce — that sort of thing."

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They met last Thursday but didn't have a quorum, Kilian said.

During this election cycle, the Independents could have nominated candidates for the 100th and 13th Districts, Kilian said, but chose not to. "In the past we have run our own for governor, for instance, for president."

The Independent Party qualified this election year for only the 100th and 13th Districts, after receiving more than 1 percent of the vote last election.

Middletown's Independent Town Committee members include: John Kilian, Beth Kilian, Christine Carta, Jeff Knackel, Lauro Girosoulo, Peter Girosoulo and Fred Carroll.

At last week's caucus, the party endorsed Suzio for the 13th Senatorial District in November, with members from Meriden, Middletown, Middlefield and Cheshire voting.

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