Reprinted from The Connecticut Post © Copyright 2009
April 7, 2009

By Susan Silvers, Staff Writer

TRUMBULL -- Vowing to "restore Trumbull's pride and make us a united community once again," Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Timothy Herbst on Monday announced he would seek the town's top elective post.

"I proudly declare that I will be a candidate for first selectman of the town of Trumbull," the 28-year-old lawyer said in ending months of speculation that he would challenge incumbent Democrat Raymond G. Baldwin Jr. for the job.

Addressing about three dozen supporters in Trumbull High School, Herbst criticized town leadership for allowing ballooning taxes and unfunded pensions that he said have undercut the ability of senior citizens to stay and young people like himself to buy homes here.

Herbst, president of the Class of 1998, made his announcement at THS in tribute to the school's role in shaping his life. Beaming nearby were his parents, Deborah Herbst, a member of the Board of Education, and Michael Herbst, the school's athletic director.

As a practical matter, the candidate will need to win the GOP nomination before he can challenge Baldwin. But no other potential candidate has emerged.

Baldwin has said he intends to seek a fifth term but has held off a formal announcement. He said he had anticipated Herbst's candidacy. "I'm not surprised," he said.

Herbst said he is ready to deal with attacks about his age and his status as someone who still lives with his folks.

"You will hear a lot of talk during the course of this campaign about age and experience," he said. "Experience only means something when you have a record to be proud of, rather than a record to run away from. Age only equates to wisdom when you demonstrate a temperament of bringing people together, instead of driving people apart."

He was scheduled to host a fundraiser at Marisa's Ristorante shortly afterward.

Republican Town Committee Chairman Jack Testani estimated a winning campaign would cost $100,000, though he hastened to add "it's not just about the money."

In that sense, Herbst is a far cry from the GOP's last candidate for first selectman. Two years ago, the party recruited Peter Piotroski, a little-known retired executive who largely limited his campaign to chat rooms and declined to debate Baldwin.

Besides being a seasoned politician -- Herbst served on Planning & Zoning for 10 years and is a former Republican Town Committee chairman -- just being the challenger in these times may help boost Herbst, said Dee Chiota, Testani's predecessor as local party chief.

"I think there are a lot of disgruntled citizens," she said. "The timing is perfect."