West Hartford GOP Sets Slate For Council, School Board

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The West Hartford Republican Town Committee has chosen its slate of candidates for municipal office.

For Town Council, it has endorsed Mary Fay, Mark Zydanowicz and Alberto Cortes.

For the Board of Education, it has endorsed Dr. Gayle Harris.

"I could not be prouder of our group of endorsed candidates and our West Hartford Republican Town Committee," said Shawn Daly, the chairman of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee. "For Town Council, our committee focused on endorsing candidates that had a diverse, strong, positive track record for enhancing the resident experience for all West Hartford residents. For Board of Education, we are thrilled to also have a fantastic, well-qualified candidate with an extensive history of serving our townspeople."

Here is a summary:

For Town Council candidates, Mary Fay, an MBA and finance senior executive, is the current Republican Minority Leader for the West Hartford Town Council. Joining the Town Council from the 2017 election, she is currently serving her second term. Mark Zydanowicz is currently serving his third term as one of the Republican Representatives of the West Hartford Board of Education. Alberto Cortes, a 20-year public servant and Republican Town Council candidate back in 2019, Alberto formerly served on the West Hartford Veterans Affairs Commission and now serves on the Civilian Police Review Board.

Dr. Gayle Harris is a long-time resident of West Hartford and mother of four children. An OBGYN in private practice for over 20 years serving the West Hartford community, she has previously worked as a one-on-one mentor with high school students for the DCF program.

“I’m so impressed with this group.” said Mary Fay. “We are all friends and work really well together. It’s a slate of candidates ready to work hard and represent the voters of West Hartford as a solid team. Serving the town that I love has been a terrific honor and responsibility. West Hartford faces many critical issues and I look forward to continue leading and serving with this highly talented and spirited team.”

“I’m excited to bring my Board of Education experience to the Town Council,” said Mark Zydanowicz. “As a Republican, I’ve been able to successfully reach across the aisle to get many initiatives accomplished that have kept our public schools some of the best in the state and the country. I can’t wait to do the same with our Town Council.”
Alberto Cortes had some concerns with the current direction of West Hartford. “I’m running for Town Council because as a long-time West Hartford resident, I’m concerned with the fiscal climate and public safety issues in our town. With my experience in law enforcement, I know that I can help make significant improvements to our town.”

Dr. Gayle Harris joins the slate as a candidate for the Board of Education. “I’m thrilled to be endorsed as a Board of Education candidate for the Republicans,” said Dr. Harris. “My children have attended Jewish schools, West Hartford Public Schools and private schools so, I will bring a diverse and unique perspective to the Board of Education. After serving on various executive boards of area schools, I’m ready to help move West Hartford Public Schools into an even greater parent and student experience.” Current Board of Education member, Liz Wilcox, will not be seeking reelection.

“Our Republican Town Committee has significantly grown in just the past couple of months,” said P.J. Louis, Vice-Chairman of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee. “We have a terrific slate of candidates, a rejuvenated town committee and an army of diverse volunteers who are assembled and ready to work diligently to earn every single vote in town, providing a plan with real solutions to the real issues that are affecting our community.”

Residents can find more information about the endorsed West Hartford Republican Town Council and Board of Education candidates by viewing the West Hartford Republican Town Committee website at www.whgop.org.