fmaceachern@wiltonvillager.com

WILTON — Wilton Democrats held a combination breakfast meeting and pep rally Saturday, May 3, with Kim Fawcett serving as the chief cheerleader.

Fawcett, D-133, who is in her first term representing Fairfield and Westport in the state's House of Representatives, said Democrats have to outwork their opponents if they want to win traditionally Republican districts like Wilton, or like the 133rd in Fairfield and Westport which was a solidly Republican district.

Secretary of Sate Susan Bysiewicz, Jim Himes, who is seeking to topple U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, and Peggy Reeves of Wilton who is running in the 143rd District in the state House of Representatives, also spoke at the meeting.

Fawcett aggressively campaigned in her district by knocking on doors and meeting as many people as she can. But it's more than hard work, she urged Democratic candidates to develop a compelling theme, or story, to make them attractive to voters.

"It's not only about the issues, it's about developing a story about yourself," said Fawcett. She said voters have to be able to connect with a candidate and for Democratic candidates running in traditionally Republican districts that personal connection is vital in getting independent and Republican voters to cast their votes for Democratic candidates.

It was the challenge Fawcett faced in the 133rd District.

Prior to the 2006 campaign, Republican incumbent Cathy Tymniak won back-to-back victories without facing any Democratic challenge. Fawcett decided it was time to challenge Tymniak, but first she would have to convince local Democrats to support her.

"They sort of rolled their eyes and said: Go ahead and do it," said Fawcett. "There was no one else who wanted to try."

She was going up against a formidable candidate in Tymniak who was first elected in a special election in 1999. Tymniak's husband Paul, who had represented the district, died in July of that year.

In 2000 Cathy Tymniak crushed her only opponent, Terry Nevas of the Natural Law Party, in the district which then included Weston, along with Fairfield and a portion of Westport. The Democrats opted not to run a candidate.

In 2002 the district changed as Weston was cut out.

But Democrats didn't nominate a candidate then or in the following election in 2004. Fawcett decided there was an opening for her and in the 2006 election she upset Tymniak by collecting 4,138 votes to Tymniak's 4,620.

Democrats in Wilton have faced an uphill battle in getting elected at all levels of government including sending representatives to Hartford.

In 2002 and 2006 Wilton resident Toni Boucher, R-143, was unopposed in her election triumphs. In 2004, she rolled to victory over Democrat Paul Burnham by a margin of 2,662 votes (7,120 to 4,458).

Reeves, who is Wilton's Democratic Registrar of Voters, is seeking the Democratic nod for the 143rd District. In this year's election she will be facing Wilton's Second Selectman Susan Bruschi instead of Boucher. Boucher has decided to run for the State Senate, representing District 26 which includes Wilton, Westport, Ridgefield, Redding, Bethel, and parts of New Canaan and Weston.

"This is going to be a tough competitive race, but I'm going to win," promised Reeves.

There is an opening for Democrats, said the party's local state senate candidate, and that's in the demographic makeup of the area.

John Hartwell will be facing Boucher in a district which has been a Republican fortress for the last 22 years under retiring Judith Freedman, R-26.

"I think Toni Boucher is much too conservative for this district. It has changed over the years," said Hartwell.

It's also looking more positive for Democrats across the state, said Bysiewicz. She said the excitement surrounding the Feb. 5 primary saw a surge in new voter registration and of that there were three new Democrats to every new Republican voter. It was even more striking among younger voters, she said, as new registered voters between 18 and 29 years of age, overwhelming chose to be registered as Democrats by a six to one margin.