West Deptford Republicans See a Different Set of Challenges Ahead

Republican township committee candidates Sam Cianfarini and Ray Chintall know the stats.

They’re outnumbered: Registered Democrats hold slightly more than a two-to-one edge on registered Republicans in West Deptford.

They’ll probably be outspent: Democrats dropped $77,000 to the Republicans’ $5,500 last year, and Cianfarini said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Democrats upped the ante into the hundreds of thousands this year.

But they’re not concerned.

“I don’t see the Democratic Party being a challenge to us at all,” said Cianfarini, who gained insight into the campaign process running Jearl Waddell’s run for township committee last year. His focus, instead, is on apathetic Republicans and conservative independents, people who might sit on the sidelines in an off-year election.

Chintall said they can energize those voters by getting their message, which focuses on the high debt load and corresponding rise in taxes over the last decade, out to as many people–Democrats, Republicans and independents alike–as possible.

“Regardless of your affiliation, we’re paying the same taxes,” Chintall said.

The tough job, then, according to Chintall and Cianfarini, is how they broadcast that message. They already have a pair of websites–wdtruth.org and concernedresidentsofwestdeptford.com–and are planning to launch a more general site for the West Deptford Republican Party, which they see as one way to reach younger voters.

Cianfarini said simple word-of-mouth is important, and he and Chintall are planning to take their message directly to the voters: meeting with organizations in the over-55 communities in the township, going door-to-door and enlisting volunteers into a growing Republican Party locally.

“When I joined the Republicans, we literally had three people,” Cianfarini said. Now the organization has 30 members in a well-defined structure, something Cianfarini said is key to taking on the Democratic machine.

“Now we can be a serious opponent,” he said.

Joann Priga, the Republican Party chair in West Deptford, said the party is also aiming to host multiple events through election season in an effort to both spread the word, ranging from informal barbecues to a candidates’ night in October.

Priga said she’s already heard from independents who are leaning toward the Republican viewpoint.

“I’ve had people calling me asking, ‘How can I change my affiliation?’” she said.

Of course, money and manpower are still important, and fundraising efforts are already underway, Priga said, with the hopes the party can build a bigger war chest for November.

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind we’re going to spend more money,” she said.

Cianfarini added that the party is looking to spend money more effectively than the Democrats, rather than just throwing money around in an effort to outspend their opponents.

Chintall said they know not everyone can give money or time, and said it’s just as important to simply get out to the polls. He said the Republicans are going to do everything they can to increase turnout, from giving people rides to local polling stations to helping people apply for vote-by-mail ballots.

“If you want to get involved, just vote,” he said.