OLD LYME–This year’s race for Old Lyme First Selectman will be a rematch between incumbent Democrat Martha Shoemaker and Republican John Mesham. 

The Republican Town Committee this week announced Mesham’s candidacy as part of a slate of candidates endorsed Tuesday at their new headquarters on Halls Road. 

Mesham, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, retired from the Connecticut State Police in 2020 as a master sergeant after 29 years in law enforcement. He is a member of the Inland Wetlands Commission and a deputy registrar of voters. 

The Republicans in a press release described Mesham as an experienced leader with “impeccable integrity” and proven management skills. 

“John will also bring much needed ethical standards and transparency back to leadership in Town Hall,” the party said. 

The victory in 2023 went to Shoemaker with 51.8% majority. She brought in 1,820 votes compared to Mesham’s 1,697. 

Along with Mesham, incumbent Republican Jude Danenhower Read will run for reelection to the three-member Board of Selectmen as they work to reverse the current Democratic majority. 

The Republicans said Mesham and Read were instrumental in resisting unpopular initiatives during Shoemaker’s term, including a plan from the Halls Road Improvements Committee to reenvision the commercial strip as a mix of apartments and businesses. 

Selectmen late last year voted 2-1, with Read opposed, to send the plan for the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) to the Zoning Commission. It was rejected in a 4-1 vote by the commission after hours of testimony at a public hearing in front of 550 people, with more waiting in the wings of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School auditorium. 

“Together, John and Jude have forged relationships across partisan lines in Old Lyme including open and collaborative relationships with Democrats and unaffiliated voters in our town,” the party said. 

The Republicans credited Mesham and Read with spearheading opposition “to back door land deals on access to Tantummaheag Landing” as part of a years-long dispute over the ownership of a spit of land bisecting a Tantummaheag Road property. The town going back to previous First Selectman Tim Griswold’s tenure has claimed ownership of the landing amid opposition from the owner, a prominent lawyer and government official with more than a half century of experience, who has signaled his intent to take the case to federal court. 

Republican Town Committee Chairman Randy Nixon in an email said a majority of committee members voted to endorse the slate of candidates, which was recommended by its nomination committee.

In response to a request for an interview with Mesham, Nixon said he would have the candidate reach out next week.

The party’s platform includes maintaining the semi-rural character of Old Lyme; fiscal prudence; control over land use decisions in town; resident access to water through town land; high quality education; environmental protection and transparency in town government.

The press release, which directed questions to campaign manager Shaun Mastroianni, emphasized the slate includes Republican and unaffiliated candidates, who were selected based on qualifications rather than party – “all of whom stood firmly and actively against HROD and are concerned about key issues affecting the public.”

Mastroianni moved to Old Lyme in 2023 from Stonington, where he was active in local politics. He ran unsuccessfully last year for the state Senate seat held by Martha Marx, D-New London.

The following candidates were endorsed with Mesham and Read for the November election: (*incumbent)

Town Clerk – Vicki Urbowicz*

Board of Assessment Appeals – Timothy C. Griswold*

Planning Commission – Harold Thompson*, Todd Machnik*

Board of Education – Jarod Bushey, Shaun Mastroianni, Brandy Campbell, Frank Pappalardo

Board of Finance – Matthew Olson*, J. David Kelsey*, John Flick

Board of Finance Alternate – Michael Presti, Maria Corrao Marchant, Bob Antoniac

Zoning Commission – Sloan Danenhower (U), Jane Marsh*

Zoning Board of Appeals – Stephen P. Dix (U)*

Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate – James T. Scott, Jill Pilgrim, Nicholas Fulton

Editor’s Note: The article was updated to correct the vote at the Halls Road zoning meeting and to clarify Nixon’s statement regarding a possible interview with the candidate.