To the Editor:

My mother, a registered Republican, was a discerning voter. I don’t know if she ever voted the party line. She talked about both Democratic and Republican candidates. Like her, I’ve always appreciated the subtler colors of the political spectrum, especially at the local level.

As a registered Republican until 2016, I tried to choose a candidate regardless of party. Reagan was my first Presidential vote, but I also voted for Bill Clinton. Doing the research and settling on the right person is the responsibility of an informed voter.

This year it’s different. I don’t need to inform myself about Republican candidates. The past four years have taught me everything I need to know. Many GOP candidates who are asking for your vote, including some local representatives, have embraced President Trump or stood silent during his tenure no matter how outrageous the behavior. They were mute on the racism, the bullying, and pure meanness. I expect it comes down to a simple fact. By embracing the villainy they retain political and personal power.

The GOP doesn’t have a national platform this year. With all that’s changed, they just said, “Too hard, let’s just use 2016’s platform.” We have lost loved ones, lost jobs, and lost whatever “normal” used to be. With the responsibility to find a path forward, the Republicans took a pass. It’s as if they really don’t believe in anything.

This year, in a move that would probably disappoint my mother, I voted straight across the Democratic line. Yes, some good folks got thrown out with the bath water. But until the GOP believes in something, until Republican candidates find the courage to speak truth in the face of fearsome power, until Republican candidates denounce repugnant behavior in the clearest terms, they should not get our vote. Not one.

Stephen Zakur

32 Lyrical Lane, Sandy Hook October 26, 2020