GROTON – The Republican Town Committee (RTC) chairmen for all eight towns in Connecticut’s 18th state senate district issued a joint statement Thursday slamming Democratic candidate Bob Statchen for disgraceful comments made about incumbent Senator Heather Somers and demanding the previously failed candidate apologize.

“Senator Heather Somers and her husband are on the front lines fighting for our communities every single day through these challenging times,” the RTC chairmen said. “In addition to serving on the state task force, working across party lines to combat this crisis, Senator Somers puts on a mask and goes out in our communities every single day personally bringing supplies and support to our senior centers, health care facilities, small businesses and families. Her husband is a physician at Lawrence and Memorial hospital, putting himself and his family at risk to treat gravely ill patients, including those with COVID-19.”

“For Bob Statchen’s campaign to accuse this pair of leaders of a ‘complete disregard for the health and safety of our communities and our healthcare workers’ demonstrates either an astonishing ignorance of reality or a world view so tarnished by shameful, naked partisanship he is unfit to serve at a time that demands leadership that rises above party politics,” the chairmen wrote. “For Statchen to continue his campaign for state senate, he must immediately apologize for his campaign’s unacceptable comments to Senator Somers and her husband who expose themselves every day to protect and serve our communities.”

The chairmen of the eight RTCs in the 18th district include: Dana Bennett of Griswold, Paul McGuirk of Groton, Brett Mastroianni of North Stonington, Mike Broughton of Plainfield, Matt Davis of Preston, Lincoln Cooper of Sterling, Shaun Mastroianni of Stonington and Chris Wilson of Voluntown.

The post, accusing Somers of a “complete disregard for the health and safety of our communities and our healthcare workers” was made on Bob Statchen’s political Facebook page on April 22 (screenshot attached).