Please Follow us on Gab, Minds, Telegram, Rumble, Gettr, Truth Social, Twitter
By Austin Monteiro
It’s supposed to be We the People, not We the RTC.
Here's some background to start as we dive into this topic.
I’ve been involved in the political scene locally and at the state level now since 2020, and have learned a lot over that course of time. I have been a member of two different RTCs (Republican Town Committees) serving as an alternate member, a regular member, and then as a Vice Chair on one of them, winning a caucus and primary along the way.
The biggest lesson I have taken away from this time is that we need CHANGE: the current state of our RTCs is calcified at best. Sure, there are some really great people on these RTCs, but as a whole the Republicans of our state are being let down.
Our goals need to be two fold.
First, we need to help build awareness among conservatives about how and why it's important to become more civically engaged, how to attend and vote at your local Republican caucuses, how an RTC “selects” candidates, and how the entire political process works locally and at the state level when it comes to endorsing candidates and winning elections.
This is a process that is currently kept pretty much in the dark for most Republicans—and on purpose it seems—when the opposite NEEDS to happen. We need to be more OPEN and transparent with the people and the process and make it easier for people to get involved. Or as the old saying goes, if nothing changes, nothing changes.
I don't know about you, but I think it's high time we change things to revitalize and re-energize the party. We need to find and endorse candidates who will disrupt the status quo, candidates who are ready, willing and able to serve, candidates who know how to lead and possess the skills and knowledge to do the job at the highest level for "We The People".
Unfortunately, these qualities are normally shunned by RTCs in Connecticut.
Why is that you may ask?
Well, from my experience it comes from a place of fear, from a protection of the "status quo”, an appeasement and a reluctance to CHANGE. We need to create a program for candidates who want to RUN THE RIGHT WAY, who have the RIGHT STUFF -- even if they don't have the support an RTC. Building a brand and growing a community with a small team of trusted advisors is of the utmost importance if we want to initiate real change from outside the RTC system. If we do this, and drive change from outside the RTC system, we can hopefully positively affect and ultimately fix the RTCs in the long run, modernize them, and bring them back from antiquity to modern times.
But that only comes with real leadership.
Which brings me to my second point.
There’s a terrific book called, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni that I think should be given as a gift to every RTC member across Connecticut. It truly is a great tale of leadership and offers insight into where the modern day Connecticut RTC is running into trouble. I’m going to touch on that a little bit more in a minute, but let's first dive into the five dysfunctions of a team:
These five factors, at least for me, appear to be the biggest reasons why RTCs have not been successful in producing enough high-quality candidates and winning more elections over the years. Failure of leadership is the biggest shortage in the modern world in my opinion. Being a good leader is hard work, and not everyone is cut out to be a leader. It's a skill that takes years to build and the only way to solve to this particular leadership problem of the modern RTC is with BETTER LEADERSHIP.
Frankly, the People deserve better. The People deserve to have RTC leadership that is bold, principled, fearless, and also accountable. The People deserve to have their voices heard, not just a small room of 20 or so people choosing candidates for them but from a bigger audience that is more representative of The People. Now is the time for the “BIG TENT” we all keep talking about.
The reality is that many good people have been and are still being blocked from joining their RTCs, making the big tent a myth in Connecticut. Instead the RTCs seem desperate to cling onto the past, content with mediocre leadership and always being the minority party. They are doing a disservice to the party.
It’s time we say goodbye to the status quo that the RTC wants to protect, and time we say hello to the new era and next generation of leaders -- those who are ready to step up and tear off the shackles of conformity, tear off the shackles of appeasement, and move forward in a self-reliant manner.
And yes, self-reliant means you can run for office without the support of your RTC.
Austin Monteiro is running for First Selectman in Brookfield, Connecticut. He previously ran for State Rep in the 110th district (Danbury). You can follow him on X at @austinmmonteiro.
