The year of 2006 was a fateful one for GOP State Representative Diana Urban, of the 43rd State House District.  At first, she was widely rumored as a potential candidate to run for the open 18th State Senate seat, before ultimately yielding to State Rep. Lenny Winkler.  Undeterred, she waged an ill-fated bid for the United States Senate, soliciting petitions at local fairs and parades before ultimately falling far short of the required number of signatures to gain ballot access.  With those quixotic endeavors behind her, she cruised to an easy re-election in the 43rd House seat on the Republican line.

But she wasn’t done yet.  Just two weeks after winning re-election Urban announced that she was switching her party to Democrat from Republican.  The move angered many Republicans who saw that State Rep. Urban had stayed on the Republican line while the former State Representative from Stonington/North Stonington, U.S. Congressman Rob Simmons, appeared on the ballot above her name - and while Simmons racked up solid victories in both towns.  With Simmons narrowly defeated, she flipped to Democrats knowing that the hometown hero Simmons would likely not be on the 2nd Congressional ballot again. 

There were many words thrown about in those days by Republicans – traitor, turncoat, back stabber – and the fact being that Urban effectively lied to her constituents by appearing as a Republican on the ballot was particularly insulting.  Feelings of revenge soon turned to exasperation as Representative Urban turned her energy, in a very public fashion, to advocating against the use of the ankus on elephants during the 2007 Legislative Session.  Though some folks found the cause honorable, in the light of other prevailing State issues – like the highest per capita tax burden in the United States of America, like having high electricity rates, or being the State that has the fastest loss of 18-34 year olds in the nation, the issue seemed somewhat less worthy of the grandstanding it received.  And her constituents knew it.

Republicans in Stonington & North Stonington have been discussing the race in the 43rd District for months now, plotting their strategy.  With the Republican nominating Conventions for multi-town State House districts coming up on Thursday, May 15th, the time was right for an engaging young Republican from Pawcatuck, Brian Kluberdanz, to make his announcement of candidacy.  New London’s The Day had the story today.  In his comments to the newspaper, he spoke about why he is running: ” I thought it would be a great way to give back to the community. I think a lot can be done for Stonington and North Stonington.”  Brian is a graduate of Stonington High School and Boston University.  He did not comment for the newspaper about his affinity for elephants and/or bullhooks.

Though the district has been held by a Republican since 1991 – Rob Simmons until his election to Congress in 2000, and then by the GOP version of Diana Urban - it will promise to be a competitive district this fall.  Urban is well known for her extensive door-to-door campaigning, bragging to The Day that, ”I’ll start walking the district next week so I hope he has his walking shoes on.”  But with a great deal of hard work and a generous dose of accountability for her actions, the race in the 43rd District will certainly be one to watch in November.