‘Grassroots East’ group focusing on 2012 Congressional elections

Ed Munster greets guests at the recent ‘Grassroots East’ renewal event, to gear up for the 2012 elections. Photos by Scott Appleton.

NORWICH - Last Friday night at the Holiday Inn in Norwich, a crowd of more than 200 gathered to celebrate the renewal of a grassroots organization to get conservative politicians elected to office in eastern Connecticut. They met in the same room in which Ronald Reagan began his successful 1980 campaign. Those in attendance expressed a common desire: to see conservatives elected to office in 2012 who will promote and support small government.
Ed Munster, a former state senator, welcomed guests to the Grassroots East event with a broad smile. “After the 2010 election, the country ran in one direction and Connecticut ran in another. I came because I wanted people to hear from them why the elections went wrong. There are people here from all 65 towns. Our primary goal is to elect a Republican Congressman from the second Congressional district.”
The group was a mix of Republicans and Tea Party Patriots. Rob Simmons, who served as Master of Ceremonies, praised the Tea Party for re-energizing the Republican Party.
Norwich resident Norman St. Cyr said, “We need to get a lot more energy in the state. The state has been dominated by liberal politicians.”
The mayor of Norwich, Peter Nystrom, was a guest speaker. “Tonight, Grassroots East has a chance to be reborn,” he said. “I look forward to working with you all. Let’s get this ball rolling.”
Munster bemoaned the fact that the recent mid-term elections went heavily in favor of the Democratic Party in Connecticut. “This is just so thrilling to see so many Republicans in one place,” he said. “After the election in 2010, I was so distraught. We lost every seat. We were very down about that. We [Grassroots East] are about getting good conservative Republicans elected.”
Simmons took to the podium, and said, “We’re the minority party in Connecticut, but we’re back.”
Prominent at Friday’s event was state Rep. Christopher Coutu. He was greatly responsible both for informing people of the event, and arranging it. “Reach out to your communities for people who want to be involved,” Coutu said. “In 2012, we’re going to win a lot of seats.”