Dear Editor:
Thank you, Mike Crispi. I agree with much of what you wrote. I cast my first ballot in 1981, consider myself a Reagan Republican and have been involved in Morris County Republican politics since 1990. I live in Parsippany-Troy Hills, once a Republican stronghold. I’m angry about how much we’ve lost, and I’m angrier that so much of it was avoidable.
The midterm results in Morris County demand accountability. The current leadership of the Morris County Republican Committee should resign. So should the leadership of the Parsippany Republican organization. Those who have had years to turn things around should make room for others to lead.
For Republicans, Election Day cannot be the only day of the year that matters. It is a planned event that requires work one, two, three and four years in advance. That means farming and seeding. You cultivate relationships, recruit volunteers, develop candidates and give people reasons to stay involved. You cannot neglect that work for years and expect a harvest in November.
Instead, we have driven away people willing to help. We keep saying we need younger Republicans. Then one shows up with energy, ideas and the nerve to run for mayor in Parsippany without the blessing of party insiders. The attacks get personal, and his family gets dragged into it. Another volunteer who stood against the old guard was targeted by mass mailers using altered photos to insinuate an extramarital affair. What message does that send to the next person considering getting involved?
Some of us who supported that candidate had spent years knocking on doors, making calls and writing checks. One disagreement was enough for us to be treated like outsiders. I stopped knocking on doors and donating to the local and county Republican organizations. When you push volunteers away, you lose their time, their money, their relationships and their trust. Those losses have consequences.
The rebuilding work should already be underway. County and Parsippany Republican committee members should be knocking on every Republican household’s door in the township and asking, “Did you vote? What were your thoughts? What do we need to do better?” Then they need to listen, especially when the answers are uncomfortable.
And they need to actively recruit younger voices and give them real say in decisions. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and other social platforms may feel like foreign languages to some of us. For younger people, those platforms are part of how they communicate and get their news. We need their help with reaching people, and we need to respect their judgment enough to let them contribute. A party that refuses to adapt will keep losing its ability to reach the next generation.
Farming and seeding also means showing up between elections. Organize community service. Walk around the neighborhood. Help eligible residents register to vote. Welcome different opinions without retaliation. Give new volunteers meaningful work and a reason to come back.
We have been on this road for years, and we are living with the consequences. New leadership needs to start planting now if we expect anything different at the next election.
Tim Berrios
Parsippany-Troy Hills
Writing in my personal capacity.
