Longtime CT mayor announces his intention to run for state representative
The Mayor of Ansonia is looking to trade his office at city hall for one at the state Capitol in Hartford.
Mayor David Cassetti announced his intention to run for state representative in Connecticut’s 104th District, representing Ansonia and Derby, in a campaign kickoff speech Wednesday. The six-term Republican mayor said that he wants to bring the “fight” to Hatford.
“Up in Hartford … up there at the Capitol … I’m sorry, we just are not seeing the same fighting spirit that we have here in the Valley,” Cassetti said during his campaign kickoff speech.
Cassetti, 63, is well-known in the Naugatuck Valley town where he piloted the Ansonia Recharged revitalization initiative last year. The initiative includes more than 20 new proposed and ongoing projects happening around the town, according to the mayor’s office.
Cassetti won re-election as mayor by more than 70% of the vote last November against Democratic challenger Tom Egan, according to election data from the CT Secretary of the State.
The longtime mayor will try to unseat Democratic incumbent Kara Rochelle. Rochelle, a three-term Democrat first elected in 2018, beat Republican challenger Josh Stuart by 53% of the vote in 2022.
Cassetti said that he intends on continuing his term as mayor while serving as state representative.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
