GOP veteran Foley looks to challenge Romano

Yet another person is jumping into the race to lead the Connecticut Republican Party.

Richard “Dick” Foley, a veteran political operative who was previously the GOP chairman from 1989-1993, confirmed Monday he plans to challenge current chairman J.R. Romano for his seat.

“I’ve pretty much resolved to run,” Foley said Monday, adding that he’s spoken to more than two dozen members of the state central committee about his candidacy.

Foley brings the list of potential Romano challengers to three — Darien lawyer David Mathus is expected to officially announce his candidacy this week, and GOP strategist Ben Proto is also weighing a potential run.

“I think we need some solutions,” Foley said. “I’ve stayed active throughout the years. I’ve run dozens of campaigns, been to state conventions, been involved in serious campaigns. And in Connecticut and in the northeast and I think we need some new solutions.”

Foley, who lives in Danbury, served as a campaign consultant to Steve Obsitnik, the Republican who came in fifth in the party’s contentious 2018 primary, and represented Oxford in the state legislature from 1983 to 1993.

He is quick to acknowledge a 1993 conviction on bribery charges stemming from federal corruption probes that was later overturned and vacated.

“It comes up when you Google my name, but the important point I always maintain is that they cleared the charges,” Foley said. “That’s the part I like best about the story.”