Democratic Primary Challenge Plans Made In Oxford

OXFORD, CT — Democratic Town Committee Chairman Betti Hellman said she plans to have a primary challenge against the town committee's candidate Scott Flaherty.

She lost the nomination by 10 votes and said that Flaherty's support is around three percent of registered Democrats in town, according to the Republican-American. She said Flaherty as a selectman tended to vote with Republican First Selectman George Temple.

Hellman and Heather Haney, who lost the selectmen DTC nomination need to gather 81 signatures by Aug. 7 to force a primary.

The two urged registered Democrats to sign the petition even if they choose to support another candidate during the primary so that all 1,606 Oxford Democrats can be heard, according to their campaign website.

The two are campaigning on a promise of more government transparency, including less special meetings and searchable meeting minutes and agendas. They also want to reduce the first selectman's pay increase, which went from around $65,000 to more than $89,300.

Read the full Republican-American story here.