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January is Caucus Season
Throughout most of Connecticut, Republican towns recently held their Republican Town Committee (RTC) caucuses. These caucuses appoint representatives from each town and district to serve on local Republican governing bodies. Despite how consequential this process is, most people in Connecticut have no idea it even exists—or how profoundly it affects who ultimately appears on the ballot.
This is the gatekeeping mechanism of local politics. Before anyone can run for office, before a name appears on a primary or general-election ballot, it must first pass through the town committee structure.
Each town is divided into districts, and each district is allocated a specific number of RTC seats. Candidates for these seats are technically elected, but in practice turnout is often limited to friends, family, and party insiders who know when and where the caucus is happening. The process itself is antiquated, relying on obscure newspaper notices and minimal public outreach. There is almost no media coverage—Republican or Democrat— the Democratic Town Committees follow a similar system.
Collectivism Over Individualism
The current caucus system frequently favors collectivism over individualism. Slates are assembled behind the scenes (and sometimes multiple slates), and challengers who have the chutzpah to run independently are often discouraged or opposed.
Competition is not discouraged as the rules still allow for competition: if ANY challenger is nominated, seconded, and brings enough people to vote, they can win. Popularity still matters—at least on paper.
What’s striking is how small these elections usually are. In most districts, caucus attendance ranges from 15 to 25 people total, including the candidates themselves and their family members. Typically, four to six people are competing for a handful of seats. Occasionally, during moments of genuine grassroots energy, turnout can surge to 75 or even 100 people per district that show up to vote—but that is the exception, not the norm.
Over the past several years, many towns have experienced “old guard versus new guard” struggles within their RTCs. These internal battles have produced reversals, takeovers, and sustained infighting. It is a troubling dynamic: people who largely share the same values and principles unable to reach consensus—or unwilling to accept the legitimacy of popular support.
If someone can persuade more people to show up and vote for them, why shouldn’t they have a seat at the table?
When internal divisions become severe, the caucus can spill into primaries. These primaries are often not driven by ideology, but by unresolved personal or factional disputes that should have been addressed internally long before a ballot was printed.
What RTC Service is Not
It is also important to understand what service on an RTC is not. Serving on a Republican Town Committee is not the same as serving on a Board of Education or on formal municipal bodies such as taxation, planning, or zoning commissions. RTC members are not setting tax rates, approving developments, or managing schools. An RTC’s role is far narrower and far more political: to participate in the monthly workings of local party governance—endorsements, strategy, messaging, and candidate development and support.
When will the fighting end?
The broader problem is that the Connecticut Republican Party too often ends up fighting itself. In a state dominated by a Democratic supermajority, internal warfare only weakens an already disadvantaged minority. Every ounce of energy spent battling fellow Republicans is energy not spent challenging Democratic dominance, expanding the party’s base, or developing competitive candidates.
How will this year’s caucus shake out?
Over the next several weeks, the impact of these caucuses will become clear as the new mix of RTC members settles in across the state. Whether you won a seat, lost one, or never ran at all, the takeaway is the same: local politics matters. These small, overlooked meetings shape the future of elections in Connecticut.
You don’t need an appointed vote to make a difference on an RTC—but you do need to show up and bring a few friends to the next RTC Meeting.
In the words of Bruce Hornsby - “That’s Just the Way It Is” until the Tonya Hardings and the Nancy Kerrigan’s start fighting for Team Connecticut
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