Letter to the Editor:

I noted with great interest, Dan Drew’s latest campaign mailer hitting up would-be contributors to donate “$100 to Drew 2015 before the critical September 30th deadline’.” I was ready to dismiss this latest ploy as just another in an endless flood of shameless money grabs by the Drew Campaign until I read further.

Drew stated: ‘This election I am facing a new challenge. My Republican challenger is a self-funding wealthy opponent. She has already put in excess of $12,000 into her campaign to win this election.’” The Mayor’s latest whopper reveals a new level of hypocrisy, even for him, and would actually be comical were it not such a transparent and cynical attempt to insult the intelligence of Middletown voters.

A wealthy opponent?. Perhaps Dan Drew and his public relations handlers have me confused with Donald Trump! Middletown voters should understand that this ridiculous claim comes from the candidate who has raised more than $80,000 for this campaign, greater than 80% of which has come from donors outside of Middletown. Prominent among them, the Malloy-Drew axis of usual suspects- Democrat politicians and party insiders, the ‘pay to play’ crowd of contractors and consultants who do business with the State and the City, as well as the customary political hired guns- professional lobbyists and their special interests.

My campaign by contrast, demonstrates strong grassroots Middletown support from Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated alike, funded by family, friends, neighbors, and other local supporters, and yes, by me and my husband- in short, by hard-working Middletown citizens and small business owners. What we have in common is that weare sick and tired of seeing the Mayor’s Office under Dan Drew for sale to the highest bidder.

The voters of Middletown have news for Mr. Drew. This election cannot be bought by the free-spending Drew campaign and its high-paid professional political consultants. The voters are not fooled by either the Mayor’s empty rhetoric or his overflowing campaign coffers. This Mayor has over promised and under delivered. As I meet with Middletown residents, it is becoming clear that they have had their fill of this Administration, its politics as usual, and its fat cat donors.

If I am fortunate to be elected in November, I fully intend to restore the Mayor’s Office to the people of Middletown where it rightfully belongs. My guiding principle as your Mayor will be simple and straightforward – put people first, not politics. Good ideas and enlightened policies are not the monopoly of any one political party. I seek to be the Mayor of all of the people, and my Administration will reach across the aisle and across our City. We will assemble a diverse coalition of people of good will, committed to moving Middletown ahead , unencumbered by the political IOU’s , vendettas that sadly, have marked the last four years under the current Mayor.

Sandra Russo-Driska
Mayoral Republican Candidate FOR Middletown