A Republican Party advertisement endorsing four local candidates in the municipal election was a way of saying “thank-you” for service to the party, district official Robert Venables said this week.

“They’ve been working with party leaders on district issues. This was a reciprocal show of support,” Venables said.

Venables said the ad was funded by local Republicans and came at the request of a few of the candidates. State elections law required use of an…