Now, as anyone who's attended Western know that the university is primarily a commuter college where a majority of the students who attend classes, live outside the fifth ward. It's also common knowledge that the voter turnout students in elections are extremely low because most students have little or no knowledge in municipal politics.

Now take all of this into consideration when you view the political sign in this image that was taken at Western yesterday.

Republican 5th Ward candidate Derek Roy has had what most would consider an "interesting/bizarre" campaign to say the least...and if I was him, I'd be VERY happy that the elections are a few days away as the increasing damage he could do to his campaign at this point can be kept at a minimum.

From...

• an embarrassing episode with the military when he used his national guard uniform in a political video (which is a VERY, VERY, VERY against military regulations), which he had to remove from YouTube,


• posing in his fire fighter uniform in his revised political ad, which offended just about every firefighter I've talked to (Roy's a volunteer fire fighter with Engine 3),
  
• being a candidate who was raised in Goshen Connecticut whose only connection to Danbury stems from the fact that he's a student at Western,


• a person whose time on the EIC commission (an appointed post that was done by Boughton) is so small that it's barely noticeable.


• a person who's only relation to the fifth ward is via the fact that he's lives at the BRT/Crosby Street dormitory (a.k.a Brookview Commons),


• and a person who has a series of laughable quotes on his website such as this gen that doesn't place the mayor in a good light such as:
  

  Stabilizing Taxes
  
  First off, any increase in taxes will only increase the burden on families and that approach in these tough economic times is simply unacceptable. Furthermore, I hope to continue to support the success of the Boughton administration by keeping some of the lowest property taxes in our state, maintaining the lowest credit and bond rating in our history and keeping a low debt service rate and strong fund balance.

  (note to Derek, saying that the mayor has maintained the lowest credit rating is probably NOT a good thing...just sayin')

...at some point, one has to stop shaking their head and just feel bad for this kid.

Look, I know Derek, in fact I interviewed him a few months ago before he was officially nominated at the 5th ward candidate. He's a young and bright kid who's probably in the race because of his love for politics (which is commendable).

That being said, the fact that the Republicans are running a kid who lives in what is in essence a dormitory at Western is even running for 5th ward Common Council position should give you some indication about the seriousness the local GOP have in terms of picking up a seat in this ward.

Remember, the seats are presently held by Fred (he just received another award while you've read this post) Visconti and Duane (former candidate for State Senate who comes from one of the largest families in Danbury) Perkins, which should give you an indication that Roy and his running mate Linda J. Ossenfort (a 9/12 tea party extremist and former Republican 5th ward candidate who was crushed by Perkins and Visconti in 2005) have virtually no chance in winning.

Hopefully, I'm sure when he looks back on everything, Roy will take his lumps as a learning experience and he will apply what he learned towards the future. For now, for his sake, I'm just hoping he doesn't make any more embarrassing mistakes like posting political stuff on the campus of Western before next Tuesday.