To The Editor:

Newtown has long been a community of level‑headed, centrist voters who are willing to split their ballots. In most years, that instinct serves us well. But 2026 is not most years. This fall, voters will have to think seriously about two issues that matter more than any others: their wallets, and what they want for the country. An honest examination of both leads to the same conclusion.

Voters should support Democrats — and do so across the board.

Let’s start with affordability.

Too often in American politics, the price of gas determines whether the party in the White House fares well in elections. I’ve always objected to that, because fuel prices are usually determined by global forces beyond presidential control. But not this time. This President’s reckless choices directly contributed to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and gas prices have jumped more than 30 percent since February.

Likewise, inflation is usually driven more by the Federal Reserve than by the Oval Office. But again, not this time. Tariff policies enacted by this administration have added directly to prices at the cash register and pushed interest rates higher for families trying to buy homes, pay tuition, or simply keep up.

These are not abstract national issues. They affect Newtown families every day.

That brings me to the second issue: what kind of country we want to be.

I believe deeply that America is more than a country — it is a brand. A brand built on freedom, opportunity, free trade, strong alliances, and a commitment to moral leadership. That brand has been severely damaged by the Trump Administration through its unparalleled grift, its sale of pardons, its payment‑for‑access to governments often hostile to the United States, and its unceasing efforts to flood the zone with news aimed at sowing chaos and disruption while diverting our attention from the still‑unreleased Epstein files.

What is even more troubling is the tolerance of that behavior by Republican leaders who once stood for ethics, accountability, and the rule of law.

Former Legislative Council member John Zachos wrote recently that “this race should not be about Trump or Washington.” I understand the wish behind that statement: if voters can be convinced to look away from the corruption, the incompetence, the affordability crisis, and the ongoing efforts to undermine the American project, then maybe — just maybe — some local Republicans will be able to hold on to their seats.

But wishing does not change reality. What’s going on in Washington and at the very top of the Republican Party affects all of us.

In last week’s Bee, Jeff Capeci argued that Connecticut needs “checks and balances” because “absolute power erodes accountability.” I agree. Accountability begins with holding a reckless President to account — and holding Republicans at every level of government to account for failing to repudiate, or even mildly criticize, this President who exerts iron control over his party.

Until the Republican Party is willing to confront and cleanse itself of Trump and Trumpism voters who might otherwise split their ballots should not support Republicans for any office — not even for dog catcher.

Arnie Berman Newtown