Election 2023: Republicans Back Dionna Carlson for First Selectman; Contested BOE, Town Council Slates Set

Dionna Carlson on Tuesday received Republican party backing in her bid to win New Canaan’s highest elected office.

The former Board of Education chair, who campaigned for party backing on a platform of increased transparency, civility, teamwork and public input, received more votes than incumbent Kevin Moynihan and fellow challenger Kimberly Norton combined in the Republican Caucus, held at Saxe Middle School.

Here’s a snapshot of voting results in contested Caucus races:

Republican Caucus Results—July 25, 2023

“I’m thrilled to be moving on,” Carlson told NewCanaanite.com.

Dionna Carlson

“A huge thank you to all the voters who came out,” she continued. “This was a really high turnout election so I think the voice of the Republican party in New Canaan was heard this evening. And I want to thank Kevin for managing the town over the last six years and to Kim for being part of the process and look forward to bringing everybody together to move the party forward in the November general.”

Carlson added, “I also want to thank my team. It was definitely a team campaign and I couldn’t have done it without so many supportive members of the both the Republican leadership and my great team of supporters. So I’d like to thank them as well.”

She’s on track to face off against Democrat Amy Murphy Carroll, a longtime member of the Board of Finance, in the general on Nov. 7.

The Caucus saw very high turnout—very nearly as high as 2017, when there were contested first selectman and selectman races—and a technical problem with a ballot tabulating machine caused a delay in securing the tally, officials said.

It isn’t clear whether the runners-up at the GOP Caucus will challenge Carlson in a primary prior to the general election.

After a Caucus, a person can petition for a primary. Primary petitions are available from each of the Registrars of Voters, for candidacies of the two major political parties, the day after that party’s Caucus. Petitioners must collect a certain amount of signatures and return the petitions to the Registrars of Voters by 4 p.m. on Aug. 9. If the petition qualifies with the required number of signatures and if there are more people running for an office than can be seated, a primary will occur on Sept. 12. 

During a July 18 Republican Town Committee-hosted debate, the three candidates for first selectman were asked by RTC Chair Chris Wilson, “If you do not win the Caucus, will you support the winner?”

Their responses were as follows:

• Carlson: “I would agree to support my opponents if tonight they agree to do the same.”
• Moynihan: “Historically we have never gone to primary. In other towns, a committee recommends candidates, nominates candidates, and then you can go to primary. This may be the first time in history that we need to go to primary. The problem with the Caucus—and just by the turnout tonight—not many people are here in July. It’s not the most representative process, and a primary in July would not be a bad process. But we’ll make that decision after the results are known next Tuesday night.”
• Norton: “I haven’t felt that level of peer pressure, Dionna, since I was in high school. Thank you. I am focused on winning the Caucus. I’d like to be one-and-done. And that’s all I’m thinking about at this time.”

At the GOP Caucus, voters also backed Board of Ed candidates Matthew Campbell, Lara Kelly and Matt Wexler. They’ll face off against unaffiliated candidate Giacomo Landi and two Democrat-nominated candidates for a four-year term on the school board —Brendan Hayes, and Lauren Connolly Nussbaum. Democrat Josh Kaye is challenging incumbent Republican Hugo Alves for a two-year seat.

The GOP also backed four candidates for the Town Council—Eric Thunem and incumbents Mike Mauro, Maria Naughton and Cristina A. Ross. The Democrats are not challenging for GOP-held seats on the legislative body this year.