Name: J.R. Romano, the chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, abruptly resigned on Tuesday
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J.R. Romano, the chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, abruptly resigned on Tuesday

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AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantJan 13, 2021 at 11:50 amJ.R. Romano, the chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party resigned Tuesday night, saying it was “best for the organization” for him to leave six months before his term ends.“After much personal reflection, I am officially resigning my chairmanship,’' Romano wrote in a tersely worded email to members of the party’s central committee. “The decision is what’s best for the organization to move forward. It is time for a new voice to be heard from the Connecticut Republicans.”AdvertisementHis sudden departure comes as the party is gearing up for the 2022 gubernatorial election cycle while attempting to heal from the divisions of the Trump era.The hard-charging former political consultant, who has led the Connecticut Republican Party since 2015, had announced in October that he would not seek another term as chairman. But Romano said at the time he would stay on in the $80,000 a year job until his term ends this spring.AdvertisementRomano did not specify why he changed his mind and is leaving now. Some have speculated that his departure is tied to the party’s flagging fundraising: its federal account had just $64,000 in the bank at the end of 2020, according to recent campaign filings.In a brief interview Wednesday morning, Romano said there were no larger issues driving his decision.“Sometimes reporters think there’s a bigger story to the statement but it’s actually is one hundred percent accurate,’' he said. “A big part of being party chairman is you have to raise money. I was not seeking reelection. There’s a little bit of a lame duck.”The timing was right for the party to bring in a new leader, he said. “I just felt it was time for a new voice to engage donors and volunteers, and right now in the political world, at least on a state level, there’s not a whole lot of activity going on. It’s kind of a lull. So it was a good opportunity to kind of bring someone new in to get a head start on the election cycle for this year.”Under the party’s bylaws, an interim chairperson will be selected to fill the remainder of Romano’s term, said Vice Chairwoman Sue Hatfield. That will likely be done at the end of February, she said. The election for a permanent replacement will be held in June.Hatfield said she does not intend to seek the chair’s position; she announced last year that she is stepping down as vice chair when her term ends in June.Romano has long been a loyal defender of President Trump and the Connecticut chairman’s surprise announcement came as the U.S. House moves to begin impeachment proceedings against the president.“He was very determined and driven,’' said Jonathan Wharton, a political scientist at Southern Connecticut State University and a former member of the Republican State Central Committee. “But you can’t ignore the Trump factor.”AdvertisementEven without Trump, Romano’s tenure has been rocky, and some of his former allies have become political enemies over his term as chairman.In August, some top party members, including House Republican leader Themis Klarides and 2018 gubernatorial nominee Bob Stefanowski, called on Romano to resign, saying he mishandled allegations of domestic violence involving a Republican candidate for Congress.He presided over the party that has been chronically under-funded and outnumbered. In 2016, the GOP achieved parity in the state Senate, a major win for Romano and the GOP.But the gain was short-lived: Within two years, the Democrats had regained the majority. Democrats also hold all statewide elective positions and every Congressional seat.Hatfield, who made an unsuccessful run for attorney general in 2018, said Romano worked hard and treated candidates fairly. “He took his job seriously and was easy to work with,’' Hatfield said. “He was very dedicated to the position and as a candidate, I found him accessible and fair.”AdvertisementThe son of a history teacher and a janitor, Romano sought to broaden the party’s appeal. His strategy worked in blue collar parts of the state, such as eastern Connecticut and the Naugatuck Valley, where Republicans have had success in recent years. But the party lost ground in many other parts of the state, including Fairfield County, which had long been a stronghold for the Connecticut GOP.Daniela Altimari can be reached at . Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantJan 13, 2021 at 11:50 amJ.R. Romano, the chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party resigned Tuesday night, saying it was “best for the organization” for him to leave six months before his term ends.“After much personal reflection, I am officially resigning my chairmanship,’' Romano wrote in a tersely worded email to members of the party’s central committee. “The decision is what’s best for the organization to move forward. It is time for a new voice to be heard from the Connecticut Republicans.”AdvertisementHis sudden departure comes as the party is...

J.R. Romano, the chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, abruptly resigned on Tuesday

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