The 2024 Lincoln Reagan Dinner

The West Hartford Republican Town Committee is pleased to announce that tickets are now available for our 2024 Lincoln Reagan Gala, which will be held on September 19th at The Hartford Golf Club.

Attending the Lincoln Reagan Dinner fundraiser is more than just an evening of good food and inspiring speeches; it’s a vital opportunity to support our efforts in identifying and nurturing new candidates for local elections. Every dollar raised at this event directly contributes to our mission of finding passionate individuals who are ready to step up and make a difference in their communities.

Local elections play a critical role in shaping the policies and priorities that affect our daily lives. By participating in this fundraiser, you are helping us build the resources necessary to find, support, and promote candidates who share our vision for positive change. Your contributions empower us to engage with emerging leaders who may not have had the platform or support they need to run for office.

Moreover, the Lincoln Reagan Dinner provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and socialize with local leaders and like-minded individuals who are equally committed to enacting change. This event fosters connections that can lead to collaborations and partnerships essential for driving our initiatives forward. Together, we can create a strong network of supporters dedicated to influencing and improving local policy.

Join us at this important gathering! Your attendance does not just signify support; it is a commitment to ensuring that we have strong candidates ready to take on local challenges. Let’s work together towards winning local races by making informed choices about who represents us in government. Don’t miss out on this opportunity—your presence matters!

Keynote speaker: Justin Clark

Justin Reilly "JC" Clark is an American attorney, former government official, and former presidential campaign official for Donald J. Trump. He served as Director of Public Liaison and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House under the Trump administration.

Prior to his government service, Clark was a partner at the law firm of Davis, Clark & Bonafonte LLC.

  • Clark grew up in West HartfordConnecticut, and attended Conard High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University. Majoring in economics, Clark invested a large part of his education in mathematics and statistical analysis that formed the basis of his approach to politics later in life. While at Wesleyan, he lettered as a midfielder and a defenseman for the varsity lacrosse team and was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2004.

    After graduating from law school, he clerked for Associate JusticePeter T. Zarella of the Connecticut Supreme Court and was appointed by Connecticut GovernorJodi Rell to serve on the Judicial Review Council from 2009 to 2013.

    Clark was a co-founder of the Connecticut-based law firm Davis, Clark & Bonafonte LLC, where his practice focused on litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts. He also provided general counsel services to clients, advised them on compliance matters, and represented them before various regulatory bodies. As a part of that practice he served various state and national campaigns and committees. He managed Tom Foley's unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns in 2010 and 2014. He was also political director for Linda McMahon's unsuccessful 2012 United States Senate campaign. In both efforts Clark applied a data driven approach with a qualitative understanding of the electorate to lead his candidates to surprise wins at their respective state party conventions. In 2015, he worked on Matt Bevin's successful gubernatorial campaign in Kentucky where, among other things, he successfully developed and executed the plan to preserve an 83-vote margin in a recanvass of votes in the May primary.

    Prior to joining the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign, Clark served as Director of Operations for the unsuccessful Chris Christie 2016 presidential campaign.

    Clark was hired by Donald Trump's presidential campaign in March 2016 as the campaign's Connecticut state director, and later served as an advisor to the campaign during the Indiana Republican primary in May 2016. In June 2016, he was named Deputy National Political Director of the campaign and served in that capacity through the end of the election. In that role he developed and implemented a 50-state political and field strategy and during the 2016 Republican National Convention, served as one of the chief whips for the campaign on the rules committee and on the floor. Throughout the general election Clark condensed and applied analytics and polling data to help guide the team that directed spending and candidate travel. He later headed the campaign's recount efforts in Michigan and served as the chief whip for the campaign in the electoral college. After the election, Clark served on the Presidential transition team.

    Clark became the President's Director of Intergovernmental Affairs on January 20, 2017. He was appointed the Director of Public Liaison in March 2018. In that role, Clark oversaw the political aspects of the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. In December 2018, Clark and White House political director Bill Stepien were named Senior Political Advisors to the President's re-election campaign focusing on delegate and party organization. Clark is also Senior Counsel to the President's re-election campaign focused on compliance and election day operations. In 2019, Clark was surreptitiously recorded telling Wisconsin Republicans that "traditionally it’s always been Republicans suppressing votes in places" and that 2020 would be the time to "start playing offense a little bit" to protect their voters. In response to the recording, Clark said "Republicans historically have been falsely accused of voter suppression." In 2020, Clark was appointed as a member of the President's Commission on White House Fellowships. Clark was named Deputy Campaign Manager of the President's re-election campaign in July 2020.

    In 2021, Clark and Jesse R. Binnall filed Donald Trump's appeal to the Washington, D.C. circuit court in a failed effort to thwart the release of documents relating to the 2021 United States Capitol attack. According to a court filing, on June 29, 2022, Clark was interviewed by the FBI related to the criminal contempt case of Steve Bannon, who was convicted of contempt of congress for defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 select committee.

The 2024 Bob Farr Award

We are excited to announce that Herbert Shepardson will be our honored guest at this year’s award ceremony, where he will receive the prestigious 2024 Bob Farr Award. This esteemed recognition is bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the principles of the Republican Party and a steadfast commitment to community service throughout their lives.

Herbert’s contributions to both political discourse and local initiatives have made a significant impact on our community. With decades of unwavering support for Republican values, he has not only championed important policies but also inspired countless individuals through his leadership and vision. His ability to connect with people from all walks of life exemplifies the spirit of service that defines our party.

As we gather to honor Herbert Shepardson, we celebrate not just his achievements but also the legacy he continues to build through his actions. The 2024 Bob Farr Award serves as a testament to his lifelong commitment to public service and leadership within the Republican Party.

Join us as we recognize Herbert’s remarkable journey and express our gratitude for his enduring influence, which encourages us all to strive for excellence in service to our communities and our country.

  • Herbert J. Shepardson practices in the area of civil litigation. His practice includes the defense of medical and legal malpractice claims. He often serves as an arbitrator and mediator in personal injury and contract matters. He regularly represents plaintiffs in personal injury claims. Mr. Shepardson has been with Cooney, Scully and Dowling since 1987.

  • Mr. Shepardson has successfully represented numerous doctors and Connecticut hospitals in court and before State agencies. He successfully defended a hospital and its surgeon against a claim that the surgeon transected certain nerves, causing a stroke. He also successfully represented the attorney for a debtor in a legal malpractice claim arising from the filing of a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy petition.

    Mr. Shepardson has represented plaintiffs in court and in arbitration proceedings, including the estates of two police officers who died in the line of duty. He has lectured to numerous professional groups on tort and professional liability issues and has served as an adjunct professor of law at Western New England College School of Law, where he taught Legal Ethics and Trial Methods. He served as counsel to Governor M. Jodi Rell from 2006-2010. He represented Linda McMahon for Senate in 2010, Tom Foley for Governor in 2014, and Bob Stefanowski in 2018 in connection with election day litigation.  

  • Mr. Shepardson is a former State Chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, a former member of the Republican National Committee, a former Chairman of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee, former Chairman of the State Marshal Commission, and former member of the Criminal Justice Commission for the State of Connecticut. He is also involved in youth activities, where he has coached baseball and basketball for several years.

Lincoln Reagan Dinner

September 19, 2024 at 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Location: The Hartford Golf Club 134 Norwood Rd, West Hartford, CT 06117

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Hartford Golf Club! We invite you to purchase your tickets now to ensure that you don’t miss out on the opportunity to gather with other like-minded Republicans in support of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee’s goal of raising money to support local candidates.

Act quickly, as tickets are selling fast and we want to see you there. We look forward to your support!