To the Editor:

If ever there was any doubt that Republicans at the local level embrace the bullying tactics of Donald Trump, it was dispelled this past Saturday. Led by the husband-and-wife-Republican candidates running for office in Lyme, a small group of sign-wavers set up along an unusual stretch of Rt. 156, near Sterling City Road. While their behavior appeared peaceful, their intent was suspect at best. They deliberately chose a spot directly across the street from the home of Christy Zelek, the Unaffiliated candidate who the Democrats are supporting for First Selectman.

As a strong supporter of the First Amendment, I embrace peaceful political activities by all persuasions, including roadside sign waving and shouting. I am even amused by Republican efforts to disguise themselves by featuring a proliferation of blue signs for their candidates. However, I am profoundly disturbed by the Trump’s Republican Party’s embrace of threats and widespread efforts to intimidate political opponents and voters.

So, I cannot help but conclude that the true purpose of the Lyme Republican show on Saturday was to alert the opposing candidate that she and her family are targets. This pattern of Republican behavior is antithetical to the civil discourse the citizens of Lyme and the state of Connecticut expect and deserve.

Lyme has always prided itself on being neighborly. We argue about zoning and budgets, sure — but we remain civil. We hold doors for each other at the Town Hall; we wave to our neighbors, and we show up to support our schools and seniors, regardless of party. We can disagree without being disagreeable.

That’s what makes this moment disappointing. This hostile campaign led by Republican candidates Tom St. Louis and his wife, Mary, seems to resort to personal attacks, treating politics as a culture war, rather than a service to community.

This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about character. Leadership in a small town is about bringing people together, not trying to score points by provoking discomfort. The goal of the St. Louis’ display may have been to demonstrate strength, but it had the opposite effect by revealing a brand of pettiness that has no place in Lyme politics. This kind of behavior does not reflect the judgment or temperament we expect from people seeking to lead our town.

We face real challenges — environmental protection, maintaining our schools and infrastructure, and preserving the small-town values that make Lyme special. Those problems demand focus, cooperation, and emotional maturity — not theatrics or thinly-veiled threats across from an opponent’s driveway.

Christy Zelek has run a campaign rooted in respect and inclusion. She’s shown the kind of grace under pressure that our town should value. The same cannot be said for those who think politics is about intimidation or spectacle.

Lyme deserves leaders who elevate our civic life, not those who cheapen it. In November, let’s choose candidates who remember that public service begins — and ends — with respect for one another.

For respect in democracy.

Sincerely,