It’s time to state what should be obvious to all. It is time for Bristol’s voters who value tradition and common sense to wake up and make the effort needed to know your candidates and their positions on the issues you deem important before voting.

Bristol’s Democrat Town Committee has been co-opted and taken over by the new breed of progressive (socialist) democrats.

These are the same folks who enthusiastically promoted the 2018 candidacy of Laufton Longo Ascencao, who soon after being elected as our District 68 state representative had to resign in disgrace because of felony embezzlement allegations for which he was eventually charged.

Most regrettably, Ascencao defeated the much better man, Andy Tyska, in the primary. Tyska, an accomplished and successful businessman, had done more for Bristol economically and socially than Ascencao could have ever dreamed of doing. Big mistake by the District 68 voters.

More recently, the chairman of the Democrat Town Committee and our current state representative for District 69 knowingly decided to share on social media a viciously vile article riddled with repeated statements portraying police officers as unrepentant murderers of blacks.

Both wrote letters blaming the Phoenix for printing an anonymous Speakout comment that first brought to the public’s attention their anti-police diatribe. The truth hurts. Both claimed unconvincingly they did not understand the meaning of the acronym they shared — “ACAB,” which stands for, “All Cops Are Bastards.” And this was the mildest of the statements.

Based solely on their conscious decision to share these vile statements, they displayed not just poor judgment but a mindset that makes them unfit for the positions they hold.

And now for the 2020 election, we have a slate of Democrat candidates for state representative and Town Council who subscribe to this same progressive socialist agenda. They enthusiastically endorse the practice of inviting drag queens to our library to read to our very young, innocent and impressionable children.

They endorse one or both of the Marxist organizations that are directly responsible for the rioting that has been taking place for months in many of our largest Democrat-controlled cities – Antifa and Black Lives Matter. Apparently, they also subscribe to the absurd radical belief that defunding police is the best way to quell rioting mobs and establish a summer of love.

Bristol’s democrat party has a problem. Erich Haslehurst and Rep. Susan Donovan should immediately resign their positions. Bristol’s voters have work to do. Choose wisely who you want to be your state representative and serve on your town council.

Peter Hewett
Bristol